Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Associate Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the Psychological Guidance and Educational Counseling Unit at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy organized the activities of the Awareness and Guidance Week from November 24th to 28th, under the slogan “With Educational Guidance, Academic Education Elevates and Progresses”. The week included seminars and educational workshops aimed to raise awareness about mental health culture, the collective risks of negative phenomena facing society, and behavior within the university campus. Additionally, a reception ceremony was held for first-year students, and an awareness exhibition featuring posters, brochures, and handmade crafts was organized in collaboration with the Volunteer Work Support Committee and the Women’s Empowerment Unit.Among the activities, an awareness seminar entitled “Bullying and Its Effects on Society” was presented by Associate Professor Dr. Fatima Jalal Jawad, who highlighted the different types of bullying, how to deal with bullies, and the mental health effects on both the bully and the victim.Another seminar titled “The Impact of Comparisons and Social Media Advertisements on Mental Health” was presented by Lecturer Dr. Mohammed Yawuz and fourth-year student Husna Abbas from the Pharm D program. The seminar discussed the influence of social media influencers, their advertisements, the ideas promoted in TV shows and movies, and their psychological impact on viewers and followers. The key takeaway from the seminar was that some negative content portrays unrealistic perfection or spreads harmful ideas, so urging followers not to be influenced by it. They should avoid anxiety and depression while maintaining self-confidence and contentment. Additionally, the first-year student welcome ceremony was held as part of the activities.
