In light of Mental Illness Awareness Week 2014, running from Monday, September 29 to Saturday, October 4, I’d like to highlight 3 William and Mary mental health organizations that are making a difference on campus. Mental illness is an issue that impacts a majority of people, many of which are in the age group from 18-24. It does not discriminate by race, sex, religion or sexual orientation. And even if it does not affect you directly, there is a good chance that it is affecting someone you know. Therefore, it affects us all. This is why it is so sensational that we have mental health organizations on campus whose core mission is devoted to this topic. So, if you are feeling inspired by the end of reading this article, get in contact with the organization and get involved!
H.O.P.E
H.O.P.E at the College of William and Mary stands for Health Outreach Peer Educators. However, the members of this organization are more than just educators: they serve as a lifeline for students with an array of health questions and concerns by always sharing reliable and up to date health information for the campus. President of H.O.P.E, Carly Blatt, shared with me her experience working in H.O.P.E, and summed up some of the things H.O.P.E. organizes on campus. “I’ve had the most amazing three years working with H.O.P.E (Health Outreach Peer Educators). H.O.P.E is one of those organizations on campus that strives to make a difference in the lives of every single student on campus. From day one, H.O.P.E is involved with the student body, presenting Orientation programs, creating and presenting Extended Orientation programs and overall serving as a friendly face for new students on campus. We also put on several events throughout the school year such as Tribe Tropics where we have fun games like beer goggle Mario Kart, condom races and trivia stations. The incredible thing about those who are in H.O.P.E is that they also bring their desire to inform students on health topics outside of H.O.P.E. Many of our H.O.P.Esters serve on the Student Assembly, advocating for STI testing subsidies at the Health Center, others serve on the Counseling Center Advisory Board, brainstorming ways to de-stigmatize mental health on our campus, etc. We love to talk to students about anything health-related; if we don’t know the answer we will most certainly direct you to a person who can help you,” Blatt explains.
NAMI on Campus
http://www.facebook.com/WMNAMI?ref=hl
NAMI is a newer organization to come to campus, but by no means is the National Alliance on Mental Illness tackling a new issue. One thing NAMI is known for are their NAMI walks. These walks are a public and active display of support and unity for those who are affected by mental illness. Additionally, though most people see mental illness as a problem facing “someone else”, it often hits closer to home than we think. President of NAMI, Sydney Stewart, expressed the importance of bringing a campus branch of NAMI to W&M.
“NAMI at W&M is a great way for students to get involved with mental health issues. I got involved because stigmas involving mental health and the challenges people face are not talked about nearly enough here on campus. I really want to help create a place for students where they can feel encouraged and inspired to discuss these topics and help overcome the variety of challenging obstacles they face, have faced, and might face, such as stress, anxiety, or depression,” says Stewart.
Active Minds
https://www.facebook.com/WMActiveMinds
As TWAMPS, we all have active minds, but what exactly is the student organization, Active Minds? Well, Active Minds is a national organization that is dedicated to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness on college campuses. Today, they have more than 100 active college campus chapters. One member, Casey Lardener, highlighted some important pieces of what Active Minds W&M does on campus.
“The point is to get people talking, this topic affects everyone, and there is no reason why people should feel uncomfortable discussing it. Mental illness highly impacts the population of 18-24 yr olds, though college students in this population are the least likely to seek help. We as a group hope to address mental health issues while, at the same time, maintaining a positive outlook on everything it encompasses,” Lardener explains.
Long story short: “You are not alone.” At W&M there a variety of resources that students can turn to when they do not know where to go. Campus Recreation, the Counseling Center, the Student Health Center and the Office of Health Promotion are all excellent avenues to explore if you need someone to talk to. Don’t give up, because you are worth it.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou