2008 Woodie Awards
Active Minds gives voice to silent suffering
Brittany Fiorenza
Issue date: 11/2/06 Section: Health
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In a communal setting, especially a college campus, mental health is a vital issue and is defined as a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life. As college students we are constantly bombarded with all aspects of life, heavy class loads, stress, and relationships. Additionally, we face the need to reflect and focus on ourselves. At some point in our lives, we will all feel overwhelmed, extremely saddened, or lost. These feelings have the ability to weigh on our minds and to hinder our ability to overcome even the most non confrontational tasks. We all need to understand what these feelings mean, where they come from, and how to properly deal with them.
With this in mind, a student based mental health awareness group, called Active Minds, travels nation wide to enlighten students at different college campuses. Their website states: "By planning campus-wide events that promote awareness and education, the group aims to remove the stigma that surrounds mental illness and create a comfortable environment for open discussion of mental health issues." Using stirring slogans such as "Silence is Suffering", the intention to bring about awareness and a shift in the way mental health is dealt with is apparent.
In 2001 a college senior, Brian Malmon, committed suicide after suffering from mental health disorders, later diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder, as well as depression and psychosis, for three years. The devastation of his death motivated his younger sister, Alison, to start a program that would give college students an outlet to voice their distress and to deal with it effectively to prevent suicide. Her program generated so many followers that it spread throughout her campus and others before forming a headquarters in Washington D.C and becoming what is now known as Active Minds, Inc. in 2003. "Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for college students" With statistics such as this, the reality comes crashing down. The need for awareness and a certain sense of openness is absolutely necessary, not only to improve lives, but to save them.
With this in mind, a student based mental health awareness group, called Active Minds, travels nation wide to enlighten students at different college campuses. Their website states: "By planning campus-wide events that promote awareness and education, the group aims to remove the stigma that surrounds mental illness and create a comfortable environment for open discussion of mental health issues." Using stirring slogans such as "Silence is Suffering", the intention to bring about awareness and a shift in the way mental health is dealt with is apparent.
In 2001 a college senior, Brian Malmon, committed suicide after suffering from mental health disorders, later diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder, as well as depression and psychosis, for three years. The devastation of his death motivated his younger sister, Alison, to start a program that would give college students an outlet to voice their distress and to deal with it effectively to prevent suicide. Her program generated so many followers that it spread throughout her campus and others before forming a headquarters in Washington D.C and becoming what is now known as Active Minds, Inc. in 2003. "Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for college students" With statistics such as this, the reality comes crashing down. The need for awareness and a certain sense of openness is absolutely necessary, not only to improve lives, but to save them.
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