Kamal Ghorui
The Times of India’s ‘Let’s D-Stress’ campaign aims to initiate a nationwide conversation around digital stress, its consequences, and practical ways to address it. The objective of the initiative is to turn awareness of digital behaviour into action, leveraging science and technology to help individuals reclaim attention, productivity, and mental wellbeing in an increasingly distracted digital world.The initiative was launched in collaboration with Kochibased Centre of Excellence in Neurodegeneration and Brain Health (CENABH) as knowledge partner along with IIT Delhi and NIMHANS as solutions partners.CENABH has expanded its focus from laboratory research on neuroscience to large-scale public-centric health initiatives. In Oct 2021, the centre helped develop Kochi into India’s first dementia-friendly city. The initiative demonstrated how advanced research can be applied to create healthier and more inclusive communities, highlighting a fundamental shift towards compassionate, community-based care for those living with neurodegenerative conditions. The centre also helped launch the ‘Udbodh’ project, designed by the Centre for Neuroscience at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), to create a supportive ecosystem for an ageing population.Self-Assessment ToolAs part of the TOI campaign, a simplified web-based assessment tool, linked through a QR code, will allow readers to gain an initial understanding of their digital behaviour and focus levels.The results are intended to promote awareness of everyday technology use and encourage individuals to make gradual, practical adjustments that support improved focus, rest, and overall cognitive wellbeing. The assessment tool is derived from the scientific framework used for the Mentacy app, rooted in neuroscientific research and behavioural insights, and developed along with a technology partner by CENABH in a two-year collaboration.The scientific framework behind the assessment tool was developed by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Baby Chakrapani P S, CENABH director and honorary director of the Centre for Neuroscience at CUSAT, and Dr Lima Raj, psychologist and project head for social neuroscience at CENABH.
