How Do You Bring Mental Health Awareness to Your School?
In preparation for our upcoming discussion with the Student Support Community (this Thursday, August 17th, 3:00-4:00 ET!) we're talking about back to school resources!
What are some ways you can help spread awareness about mental health in your school?
- NAMI Ending the Silence is free presentation for middle and high school students. During the 50-minute presentation, a young adult living with mental illness and a family member tell their stories about mental health challenges, including what hurt and what helped.
- NAMI On Campus clubs work to end the stigma that makes it hard for students to talk about mental health and get the help they need. Clubs hold creative meetings, hold innovative awareness events, and offer signature NAMI programs through partnerships with NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates across the nation.
What ideas do you have to help start the conversation and spread resources about mental health this school year? Or maybe you've already started the conversation by being there for a friend when they needed you or connected someone with a mental health resource when they were in crisis.
Let us know below!
One thing about my college that I love is that most people on campus are generally pretty open about mental health. I wouldn't say it's a completely "stigma free" environment but there is definitely a lot of conversation about mental health that happens on campus.
I do a couple things on campus. As a psychology major, my major advisor has been a huge part of getting me involved in on-campus conversation. She hosts mental health forums for faculty, and I have been on the pannel a couple of times (along with the head of our counseling center). Our most recent forum was actually quite challenging, as the issue of taking a mental health day came up and some professors were unyeilding in their attendance policies. As much as advocating in front of people can be irritating occasionally, I feel a sense of accomplishment that I was able to participate in conversations.
I'm also president of our NAMI on Campus group. My leadership skills are pretty lacking, so I wasn't able to engage the student body as much as I had hoped. However, I was able to put together a really in-depth resource guide for the campus and I have a reputation on campus for being "the mental health girl," so I get a lot of messages from people looking for resources. Occasionally I get asked for advice, which I can't give, but I'm flattered that people trust my judgement.
I mean, I'm not a medical professional or anything, just a person living through a bunch of mental illnesses, and just talking about it has been huge. When other students realize that they are not the only ones struggling with their mental health, it makes it a safe environment to talk and exist without that overhanging sense of shame. It's hard being open about your mental health, since it IS so stigmatized, but if you are in a position where you are able and willing to put yourself out there, it can open all sorts of minds.
@Voiced I completely agree
@Voiced You are so right.
Well in my uni we have Active Minds and they do a lot of awareness about mental health and I used to help a lot! Just really talking about it in school and letting people know that it is okay to be hurting and that they are not alone can be so great... I did a 30 service hour project a year or so ago for mental health awareness and it was really good
@HalliwellSister That's awesome!! Nice work!
@lovelyllama13
Thanks!
@lovelyllama13 I actually went a little different way in advocating for mental health in my college by talking to my old high school teachers. As a high schooler, it was always emphasized by my teachers that professors don't care about mental health, or any excuses really when it comes to work. I found that it was quite the opposite when I started college, in fact, my professors always made it a key point that they would always be there to listen if anyone was struggling and were very flexible with accommodating them. I spoke to my old high school teachers about not using that threat when trying to get students to get their work done, because all it did when I went to university was scare me into not reaching out for help (and I had several friends who felt the same).
@Doogles96 I've actually considered reaching out to my high school principal
My school unfortunately over the last 2 years has had 2 students, both 16, take their own lives. As a result, mental health awareness is obviously a big thing for them.
Things the school have done- hosted a conference, had countless assemblies on it, and we also have 'student managers' connected to each year group who follow you for the first 5 years of school, then a seperate 6th form one.
Things I have done- Shared my 7cups link, and generally been open about mental health and talking to others about it. People know I'm there to help, and people know that there is support within school (counsellors etc) to get help from!
@Lucy That's great that you're open about your experience. Keep doing what you're doing and hopefully more people will get more comfortable talking about mental health. You're doing great work!
@lovelyllama13
I think all schools should have a mandatory basic 101 psychology course to help make students more well rounded and more understanding wherever possible like as was the case with one of the schools I attended.
@CoinFountain it is really needed.
@CoinFountain I think that's a great idea and much needed.
@lovelyllama13 I am only 13 years old not like these other people who know some what of what they are talking about, but I only started have mental illnesses this year due to bulling and stress. At my school they really only talk about suicide which is very sad, but they never address the reasoning of why they had to suffer and only explain that you shouldn't do it. I feel that they shouldn't give 1 hour long talks, but maybe do a assembly of addressing it in a short 30 minute presentation with a later option of attending a more detailed presentation. I feel like kids can understand it with out being so bored that they don't listen to the talk.
@23trYhappy I think it's really important to change how we teach people your age about mental illness. Looking back on my experiences in Health class in middle school, I remember getting a run down of "this condition is x" or "try not to develop an eating disorder" or, as you mentioned, talking about suicide without talking about the issues that precede it. My troubles with mental illness started around that age but I wasn't able to recognize it, nor did I want to,because I was too afraid of being different.
My experience of mental health awareness at the university I go to is that nobody is really aware. We don't have a mental health policy, so it is really difficult to get support regarding work hand ins and extensions, but there is an independent club called the Mad Hatters Society that meets once a week, or if you want to stay anonymous then there is a tab on our student platform where resources are uploaded. It is great to have that, but the fact that it is a club not provided by the university but was created for the students, makes me angry. But I am trying to change the fact that we go unheard and misunderstood.
@euphonic that's really frustrating that the school doesn't offer anything. I'm glad students are taking it upon themselves to create mental health clubs and services. Keep up the good work. We need more people like you.
@lovelyllama13 you really are a lovely llama. X
At my high school there are a lot of clubs, few of the many clubs have mental awareness & learning how to cope as a teenager going through hard times. Last year as a freshman in HS I was recommend joining a "support group" once a week, i've met new friends and I learned that I wasnt alone. I think mental health awareness is very important especially for those who don't know much about it & are quick to judge people that have disabilities, mental health issues, etc.
The college where I study there we all students celebrate Mental health week in October and during the whole week our activities are focused on spreading awareness among the laymen people who have no idea what mental health means. We prepare a street play on psychological first aid and visit every school possible in our city to spread awareness on how much it is important to be mentally fit...we also encourage special kids by letting them showcase their talent through dance . We also teach them dance movement therapy.
@callforhelp wow! It sounds like your college does a really great job of making mental health awareness a priority. Dance therapy sounds really cool too!
@callforhelp this is such a great way to bring awareness to mental health.
@callforhelp I am on the board for the NAMi club at my school we organize fun events to encourage people to be aware and sensitive about mental health. Oftentimes, students expecially say things that shouldn't be said casually and we seek to help fix that. For example, a student may say,"I got a C on that chemisty exam kill myself." or "that (insert random not like object/person/thing here) gives me anxiety." This can lead to a person thinking that thoughts of suicide and/or anxiety are the norm, not a big deal or something not necessary to address. Not only that but it can desensitize people from the words and make them not be able to tell who is serious about what they are saying and who isn't.
@SarilinaN I agree totally with what you said. But I am a psychology student and so we try to use dance therapy with special kids so that they can be involved with us. Even there's a blue whale challenge that's doing the rounds on the internet. It was basically started to stop suicide but it has lead to suicide because people take it as fun. I would want to know more about NAMi club .
@callforhelp First off, thanks for replying.
Second, being a psychology student sounds great. A friend of mine is also a 2nd year psych major and she makes it seem cool.
Third, NAMI is a organization which stands for National Alliance for Mental Illness. It is basically what I explained. For more information you can always check out their website or even easier you can check out the training about on here. If you go on the tab for training and certification you can find it there under training. The overview is detailed and easy to understand.
@SarilinaN wow it sounds great ☺
@callforhelp yes I think it's great that students get to celebrate mental health week and learn a bit more about mental issues and how they can effect people both physically and mentally.
