I wasn't planning on writing another article, but when I saw this trending topic on Facebook, I knew I had to. It angered me so much that I felt like I needed to speak out about it. If you know me, then you know how much I've advocated for mental health resources and help for students, especially in college. Unfortunately, I stumbled across an article which showed a school thinking that punishment for discussion of suicidal thoughts is appropriate.

The article, which was published in NY Magazine this past Thursday, reported that a student received an email from the associate dean which said: "it is important that you refrain from discussing these issues with other students and use the appropriate resources listed below. If you involve other students in suicidal or self-destructive thoughts or actions you will face disciplinary action."

I had to re-read that statement to make sure I wasn't seeing things, but there it was, clear as day in black and white. This student could face disciplinary action for even mentioning that she is suicidal to another student. As someone who has both dealt with suicidal thoughts and has helped others through them, this policy is absurd.

Northern Michigan University (NMU) isn't the first school to get it wrong. Newsweek published an article back in 2014 where a young man attending Princeton was told (after he attempted to hurt himself): "if he didn't voluntarily withdraw, he would be forced to as soon as he had missed enough of the classes from which he had been banned. The school also told him that a mandatory withdrawal would be noted on his record and that his family wouldn't be refunded for the semester's tuition or room and board."

This type of treatment breaks my heart into a million little pieces, because these students deserve to be treated properly and not punished or sanctioned because of their mental health. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health -- so if colleges have any type of Health Center on campus, then I believe that a Counseling Center should be there too. You have to treat each part of a person in order to make them better, but colleges seem to be brushing mental health or other issues like sexual assault under the rug in order to keep their "pristine reputations."

I'm so thankful that I go to a school that cares for people with mental health issues in a positive and helpful manner, but I know that some students aren't as lucky. To those students: speak up. Fight back. Tell your professors, deans, presidents, whoever will listen. You deserve to be heard. And colleges should step up for their student's mental health.