Active Minds Presents National Day Without Stigma
In an effort to foster a broader dialogue on mental health issues, Active Minds at Alma College is participating in the third annual National Day Without Stigma on Oct. 5th.
“We are proud to have Active Minds at Alma College participating in National Day Without Stigma this year,” says Alison Malmon, executive director of Active Minds, Inc. “National Day Without Stigma is our organization’s way of promoting an open dialogue in order to reduce the stigma society attaches to mental health and mental illness.”
All across North America, Active Minds chapter members are asking their classmates: “What will you do to fight the stigma?” Everyone is affected by this issue in some way, shape or form, yet stigma and inaccurate information often keep people from seeking the help that they need, says Marcy Gilstad, chapter president of Active Minds at Alma College.
“We look forward to the day when all college students will be able to discuss mental health issues freely and openly,” says Gilstad. “Our mission is to de-stigmatize mental health concerns so our peers are more comfortable and willing to seek the help that they need and know how to guide a friend to the appropriate resources.”
At Alma College, students will be wearing “1 in 4” buttons to highlight the one in four people in the United States who have a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year. The chapter also will be available during meal times to share information with students and will be conducting a campus poll on mental health issues that will be used to guide future programming.
Active Minds, on more than 200 campuses across the nation, provides information about available resources on-campus, online, and in the community, educates students about mental health and mental illnesses, hosts events to raise awareness, and encourages students to seek help as soon as it is needed.
Click here for more information about National Day Without Stigma.
Posted: Sun, September 27th, 2009 at 9:02AM
