Though students are only here for a short time this May, UConn still contributes to spreading the word about the month of May being Mental Health Awareness Month. Understanding and acknowledging mental health diseases and disorders is by far more common today than it ever has been, but the topic is still taboo for some; UConn is doing its part to help raise awareness with several of it clubs, events, and guest speakers to encourage students to get involved and support the Mental Health community.
Pre-Finals Week, UConn’s Active Minds club— a club dedicated to raising awareness about Mental Health and in relation to UConn’s Counseling and Mental Health Services—helped sponsor guest speaker Maggie Bertram to talk about mental health and the stigmas surrounding the subject, as well as her own battle with an eating disorder and other issues within today’s society. UConn’s Active Minds promotes UConn CMHS’ events like stress-relieving sunrise yoga at Horsebarn Hill and “Fresh Check Day” which was a part of Spring Weekend. Other services offered especially for Finals Week include “Paws to Relax” pet therapy at the library, relaxing in the Blue Zone, and an ice cream social event.
It’s important for students all across campus—and the world—to understand the severity of mental health disorders and diseases, and the tolls they can take on an individual. Because so many people still have such little information about mental health issues, it’s that much more important that we, as an informed community, help raise awareness to those who are less informed. On UConn Counseling & Mental Health Services’ Facebook page (which we encourage you “like,” as well as UConn’s Active Minds Club), they even posted a statistic that one in four American adults lives with a diagnosable mental illness.
Not only is it important to raise awareness about mental health issues to support those within the community, but also because individuals often forget to take care of themselves mentally and emotionally. It’s one thing to commit to a healthy diet and exercise regimen, but your brain needs just as much attention!
UConn Professor, advisor and published author Dr. Gina Barreca, who writes weekly for the Hartford Courant, recently wrote an article addressing the very issue of mental “housekeeping,” and there is quite a lot of truth to her sincere and personal words.
Needless to say, the end of Spring semester doesn’t have to be the end to your own exploration of Mental Health Awareness—it may have its own month, but there is no limit to learning about and supporting the community. Even if you simply take a study break to go visit the pet therapy dogs, ask volunteers, counselors, or advocates about how you can get involved, or just purely for information. An informed community is a respectable and powerful community, and it all begins with you!