Students promote mental health awareness

This week, CSB+SJU is celebrating Mental Health Awareness.

According to the Mayo Clinic in July, “one in three college students experiences significant depression and anxiety.” The issue of poor mental health on college campuses is considered a public health crisis in the U.S., especially after the effects of COVID lockdowns. The events held this week include discussions, socials and opportunities intended to help students receive information and support for mental health issues.

Throughout this week, tables were set up in both Gorecki and Sexton, featuring Health Advocates, Health Initiatives, Dream Team and Active Minds, among others. Students also had the opportunity to attend a hot cocoa social hosted by the Multicultural Center this past Monday.

On Tuesday, a student panel titled “College and Mental Health,” held in Brother Willie’s Pub allowed various students to discuss personal experiences with mental health issues and how it affects individual college experiences. The discussion featured three student panelists and was moderated by Ignacio Sanchez Romero, SJU junior, who spoke on the importance of discussing mental health issues with others.

“It takes time for people to come out and talk about [mental health],” Romero said. “Sometimes people aren’t comfortable or they’re not ready for it. Just be patient.”

The panelists, Nicole Molitor, Taylor Reiter and Aubrey Sherman, all spoke about their own journey with their mental health and gave advice to other students based on their own knowledge gained throughout their own struggles.

“Freshman year, I’m sure we can all agree…it was a little rough,” said Sherman, SJU sophomore. “For me personally, that was a struggle that I went through, having to open up and be there emotionally, not just for others but for myself.”

When asked about what students can do to support themselves and others who are struggling with their mental health, Reiter, a CSB senior, spoke about the value of utilizing professional resources.

“Reducing stigma is an action we can take, along with knowing the resources in your area,” she said. “We can direct people to who is most equipped to help them.”

Molitor, a CSB junior, also talked about the importance of understanding personal mental health before trying to support others.

“It’s like how on an airplane they say, ‘put on your own mask first before helping anyone else.’ How are you going to help someone else if you can’t breathe? You need to take care of yourself first,” Molitor said.

Those who attended this panel were able to gain more perspective on mental health issues from students with different experiences than their own.

“I liked that they had a wide variety of majors and identities that were participating in the panel,” said Ellie Schmaltz, CSB junior. “I think it represented our campus well.”

For Anne Beuning, CSB junior, Mental Health Awareness Week is a time for students to connect with resources that can help them, as she did with her own mental health.

“College has helped me notice the things that I need to work on, being away from home and being by myself,” she said. “It’s provided a lot of really great resources that luckily people told me about that I was able to use, and it’s really improved since then.”

On Thursday night, the Multicultural Center will host “Unpacking Mental Health with Gen Z Folx,” and “Yoga and Yogurt Parfaits” will be offered in the Aerobics Studio at CSB. Tables for various mental health focused organizations and resources on campus will continue to be set up in Gorecki and Sexton this Friday.

CSB+SJU offer free counseling services by appointment Monday through Friday and offer Walk-In Wednesdays for consultations and other mental health screenings. More on and off campus resources and hotlines can be found on the counseling page of the CSB+SJU website.