Curious as to who is traveling across the country for Send Silence Packing® this spring? Let us introduce Courtney Burke & Alexia Ruiz, our wonderful Spring 2018 Tour Coordinators! Courtney Burke: Where did you go to school? I graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2014, a state University in central New York. How did you learn…
Today marks the official kick off of our Spring 2018 tour of Send Silence Packing! First stop: Tennessee Tech University. (Photo from this display shown above ^^ due to weather, the exhibit had to be moved indoors, but still powerful nonetheless). Send Silence Packing displays over 1,000 donated backpacks, representing the number of college students lost…
For most of us, we wait some time before seeking mental health treatment. And even after we have been in treatment or even recovered, we don’t always share our experiences with others. Struggling with your mental health is something you’ve dealt with and known about for a long time, but it’s just not something you’ve…
Stigma. What is it and why is it so important that we work together to get rid of it? Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, Ph.D., offers this definition of stigma, “Stigma is a perceived negative attribute that causes someone to devalue or think less of the whole person.” When referring to mental health, stigma prevents people from reaching…
Each spring, Active Minds welcomes new members to the Student Advisory Committee (SAC), comprised of up to 20 students across the country who have shown extraordinary leadership and dedication to Active Minds. The SAC serves as an advisory body to the national office staff and brings the student perspective to organizational decision-making. Read on to meet…
Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of self-harm. Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), otherwise known as self-harm, is not a mental illness in itself, but a sign of a lack of adequate coping skills. It involves behaviors that intentionally harm oneself and is a sign of mental distress. Here are some common myths and misconceptions about self-harm,…
I was immune to Medical Student Syndrome. Even after completing all of my preclinical coursework and core clinical rotations, not once did I go running to Student Health thinking a headache was a brain tumor or that a peculiar bruise was most certainly a curious anemia. In fact, my time in medical school had nearly…
Every September, as part of National Suicide Prevention Month, our Active Minds chapter partners with our campus’ Wellness Resource Center and University Counseling Services to hold the Alive Mental Health Fair. The day-long event attracts thousands of students and uses interactive activities to teach about various aspects of mental health, suicide prevention, and accessing campus…
I was seven when I had my first panic attack. It was a Thursday night; I had just gotten home from a Girl Scouts meeting. I was in the living room with my parents. My dad was sitting in his recliner watching TV, and my Mom and I were at the bar, studying my spelling…
Active Minds at ESU has done Have a Heart for Mental Health for more than three years now and prior customers look forward to these cookies every year during Valentines Day. The cookies sold are small cookies (1 pound) for $5 and large cookies (2 pounds) for $10. These cookies are a great gift…
Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults.