Active Minds' next two meetings are open to all student who want to get involved. They will take place at 8 a.m. on Oct. 7 in the Multipurpose Room of the Student Center, and at 7:30 p.m. on Oct 8 in Teachers College room 109. Students will have the chance to participate in conversation in a forum with mental health advocates.
As a part of an ongoing process to eliminate the social stigma and shame people feel surrounding mental health, Active Minds brought the National Day Without Stigma to Ball State on Oct. 5.
Jake Griffin, the president of Active Minds, helped pass out flyers and encourage students to start the conversation about mental health during the day, which also occurs during Mental Health Awareness Week.
“As far-reaching and widespread as mental health issues are, we don’t talk about them nearly enough,” Griffin said. “So many of us are ashamed of our mental health struggles, paralyzed by fear and unsure how to take the first step to speak up about mental health.”
Half of all college students have had suicidal thoughts, but because of the stigma and shame surrounding mental illness, don't seek help, according to activeminds.org
“National Day Without Stigma is part of an ongoing effort by Active Minds to open a conversation about mental health on campus,” Active Minds' president Jake Griffin said. “By empowering students to speak openly about mental health, we can change culture on campus and community and provide help to those who need it.”
Stigma is a socially created concept, according to Active Minds.
The negative perceptions and stereotypes surrounding mental health disorders within society often prevent people from reaching out for help, according to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Of all people who die by suicide, 90 percent have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.
As a part of the day, students in dorm rooms across campus participated in Text, Talk, Act, which was created by Active Minds.
With Text, Talk, Act, three to four people would text “start” to a five-digit number and join in on the one-hour national dialogue to talk about the importance of mental health and how to help those in need.
Every year in the United States, about 42.5 million adults or 18.2 percent of the entire population, suffer from some mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Active Minds is continuing to encourage students to have open conversations, reach out and provide resources to students who are suffering from any type or mental health disorder, Griffin said.
“I look forward to the day when all college students are comfortable talking about these issues,” he said.
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