#FightTheStigma on Mental Health
Do you feel like you are struggling with your mental health? You aren’t alone.
This generation of students has worked hard to combat the stigma around mental health and mental illnesses, but there is still a while to go in order for individuals to feel comfortable and confident to seeking assistance for themselves or others. Zach Singer, President and Founder of the student organization Mental Health Matters, created the org in 2019 after recognizing the need for change. The student org relies on three pillars of awareness, education and celebration in an effort to normalize mental health. This organization is a way for students to become involved in continuing the movement of fighting the stigma on campus, and Zach provided a few ways you can #FightTheStigma:
It isn’t abnormal to go to therapy sessions if your experiences and feelings aren’t “severe”
A huge aspect of how the stigma has continued is due to the thought process that if someone has a therapist, they have severe issues. It is perfectly normal to seek assistance for mild to moderate concerns in your life. This is a great way to learn how to tackle more severe situations in the potential future. Check out the CCS website to schedule a pre-screening phone call to assess your specific needs.
Help prevent suicide by learning the risks, warning signs and how to intervene
The Ohio State University Suicide Prevention Program offers REACH training sessions to help students learn more about how to:
Recognize the warning signs
Engage with empathy
Ask directly about suicide
Communicate hope and
Help suicidal individuals access care and treatment.
Becoming educated is the initial step to helping yourself and others.
Recognize your triggers and the triggers of others
A great way to limit anxiety is to acknowledge where your triggers are stemming from. A few examples include social anxiety around others, pressure from yourself or your parents to perform well in school, anniversaries of losses or trauma, family conflict, spending too much time alone and financial problems.
Don’t try to “tough it out”
Powering through intense times is a very common coping mechanism, especially for men. From early childhood, boys are taught to be “stronger” than girls, but this can have a detrimental impact on their mental wellbeing as they age because they haven’t been taught how to properly cope with intense situations. Ohio State’s annual Movember encourages men to grow out their facial hair to create awareness for men’s physical and mental health for the entirety of November. Although this isn’t for a while, this movement and Men’s Mental Health matters all year round.
Check out available resources
Students can access mental health resources through Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS), the Student Wellness Center (SWC) and REACH training sessions. There are resources available 24/7 and something to help all mild, moderate and severe concerns. Learn more on the CCS website.
