By Jill Baker Asst. news editor
College is a high stress environment where it can be easy to push aside your mental health simply because you have two papers, a group project and a test you have to study for. This is not an excuse. One would take the necessary steps to feel better if they had the flu, so why isn’t mental health taken care of the same way?
There is a huge gap in knowledge and awareness with mental illness, which could lead to one of your friend’s struggles with depression or another mental health issue going unnoticed. Since a significant portion of the population doesn’t know how to recognize warning signs or what to say in that situation, sadly, this could lead to someone you know not being able to control their rushing thoughts, hurting themselves or committing suicide.
According to an Emory study, suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24, and more than 1,000 students commit suicide on college campuses each year. That number doesn’t include suicide attempts and the overwhelming thoughts that many students have.
I believe that each and every person, especially college students, should personally prioritize balance, knowledge and talking. By this, I mean balancing between taking care of the people around you and your obligations as a student and when you need to take care of yourself. By knowledge, I mean that people should be informed on the realities, physical signs and far-ranging scope of mental health. There needs to be widespread information to teach people how to take care of your mental health the way you are taught how to take care of your physical health. And by talking, I mean that people should feel free to talk more about what is going on in their heads, their thoughts and feelings, fears and concerns, and to realize that they are truly not alone. This will lead to discussing safe and healthy ways to seek to help early on.
I am not just writing about suicide prevention. I am writing today to recognize the importance of addressing the rushing and overwhelming thoughts that so easily take away from your ability to be a student.
Stress and anxiety are inescapable elements of life; when they start to impede on your ability to be the best version of yourself it is important to take steps to try to make yourself feel the best that you can. Mental health knowledge is important to make sure you keep yourself healthy and to be aware of what to notice and what to say to those around you if you notice someone struggling. One can easily notice when a friend has a coughing fit, but a mental breakdown is far less easy to pick up on.
There is a stigma and stereotype around mental illness, one that causes a marginalization of people who are fighting in their own ways. This needs to change. For the dissolution of this idea and an increase in awareness, there needs to be a movement—a movement that brings hope and help to those who need it most. When this outdated stigma is removed, positive conversations can start and people will realize that it is okay to admit to struggling with mental health, that people around them have felt the same things and that people will build strength and hope together.
There is so much to be done to increase optimistic and constructive environments on college campuses, but improvement has to start somewhere. According to the Active Minds website, one in four adults struggles with a diagnosable mental illness. Take the time to become familiar with some struggles that are present in the peers walking by you on the way to class, including but not limited to depression, anxiety and eating disorders. These look and impact everyone differently; there is no textbook method to explain how it feels. The importance is being educated and making an effort to show others that you want to know more about them and are there for them. You never know who it might be or what action could truly make a difference.
Suicide prevention training is available free online, including at the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. There are also organizations here on Susquehanna’s campus, like Active Minds, that work together to recognize and change the stigma around mental illness and give a safe space. And finally, never be afraid to talk; you never know, the person you reach out to might need to talk just as much as you do.
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800- 273-8255
The editorials of The Quill reflect the views of individual members of the editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire editorial board or of the university. The content of the Forum page is the responsibility of the editor in chief and the Forum editor.
