Abstract:
Addiction is often addressed after substance use begins, with greater emphasis on treatment than on prevention. This presentation proposes that effective prevention must begin before the first use by strengthening emotional knowledge and translating it into a community Sankalp—a conscious commitment. It presents MANSA – Ek Sankalp, a grassroots initiative in Himachal Pradesh, India, integrating emotional literacy, psychological awareness, parental guidance and community action for substance-use prevention.
The MANSA framework is structured around four interconnected components: Aatma Darpan (self-reflection), Dristikon (perspective-taking), MANSA (conscious awareness and behavioural engagement), and Sankalp (conscious commitment). Together, these components are designed to move participants from looking inward, to understanding perspectives beyond the self, to developing conscious awareness of substance-use choices, and finally to translating insight into personal and collective commitment.
Since January 2026, MANSA has conducted nearly 50 seminars and awareness programmes across schools, colleges, Mahila Mandals, senior citizen groups, religious gatherings and panchayat-level community settings, reaching an estimated 9,000+ community members. Sessions incorporate emotional literacy, stress regulation, self-awareness, values-based decision-making and substance-use risk awareness, alongside community counselling, parental guidance and collective Sankalp activities encouraging participants to commit to a substance-free life.
Preliminary implementation feedback has suggested improved emotional understanding, greater family dialogue and stronger participant commitment towards avoiding substance use, alongside reduced stigma and enhanced peer, family and intergenerational accountability. These observations are preliminary and require systematic evaluation using measurable psychosocial and behavioural outcomes.
MANSA demonstrates how emotional knowledge can be translated into a community-led commitment for early substance-use prevention in non-clinical and resource-limited settings. Its culturally rooted and participatory approach offers a potentially scalable framework for moving prevention upstream—from responding to addiction after it develops to strengthening psychological and social protective factors before substance use begins.
Keywords: Substance-use prevention; youth; emotional literacy; emotional knowledge; community intervention; psychological resilience; parental guidance; addiction prevention; MANSA; India.
Biography:
Ms. Bindu Joshi is an author, social worker and community educator from Himachal Pradesh, India. She is a nominated member of the Himachal Pradesh Nasha Nivaran Board and a Jury Member of the Internal Complaints Committee, State Police Department, serving in voluntary, non-paid capacities. She is the President of Pehchan Women Welfare Society and Founder-Initiator of MANSA – Ek Sankalp, a grassroots substance-use prevention campaign. Her work focuses on emotional knowledge, psychological awareness and community-based prevention. She has presented her work at international forums, including the 6th Global Summit on Public Health.
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