Today, the mental health of adolescents and young adults has become an increasingly prevalent issue. On college campuses, as students constantly undergo drastic life changes, face difficult challenges, and deal with immense stress, mental health is a serious concern. However, due to stigma surrounding mental health, some students do not always feel comfortable seeking help for their mental health or even talking openly about it. This is why clubs such as Active Minds play such an important role on college campuses as a way to advocate for this crucial issue and facilitate a more positive perception of mental health. Fortunately, Her Campus had the chance to sit down with Dylan Goldberg, a member of Active Minds, and a team captain for the Out of the Darkness Walk that occurred this past Friday.
Her Campus: What is Active Minds?
Dylan Goldberg: Active minds is a national organization that’s goal is to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health disorders. More specifically, the organization looks to empower students on college campuses to create a dialogue at their individual school as a way to change the perception about mental health. Right now, there are more than 400 campus chapters.
HC: What is your favorite part about being involved in this club?
DG: My favorite part about being in this club is feeling like I’m making a difference. I am proud to be a mental health advocate because it is a topic that hits really close to home, and I have had several of my peers and close friends come up to me and thank me for the work that I do with Active Minds. There is truly nothing more rewarding to me than knowing I am actively helping people and giving a voice to those that don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health.
HC: What is the most important fact you have learned about mental well-being since you joined this club?
DG: Before I joined Active Minds, I didn’t realize how widespread mental illness was. Being apart of this club has made me realize that so many people suffer from various mental disorders, which made my drive to be an advocate that much stronger.
HC: What was the Out of the Darkness Walk, and why did you personally partake in it?
DG: The Out of the Darkness walk was a campus walk brought to the University of Michigan by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This was the first ever campus walk at Michigan, although there have been community walks in Ann Arbor. I was offered the opportunity to be on the advertising committee by a friend of mine that I met through Active Minds. I took part in the walk because mental illness and suicide are very much interconnected and I wanted to help spread awareness for those that have been effected by suicide.
HC: If you could give one piece of advice about achieving mental health, what would it be?
DG: I think what’s most important to achieving “good” mental health is just understanding your personal needs. People have different ways of coping with things whether it be working out, creating art, or being surrounded by friends and family, and I think understanding what helps you cope is crucial to dealing with stress in a healthy way. Taking care of yourself should always be a top priority.
Photo courtesy of Adam Howard Weiss Photography and Benji Bear Photography.