Purdue University is home to a great family of talented and caring Boilermakers. Students, faculty and staff that have been through their fair share of highs and lows. People who’ve rallied in the worst of times, and celebrated during the best. The classification of mental illness covers a plethora of debilitating disorders that affects 1 in 4 college students across campuses throughout the United States. Your friend, your classmate, your family. The very students that make up this top-tier university and the thousands of institutions across the United States are suffering with illnesses that thousands of people neglect, refuse to recognize, and push to the side.
Imagine: waking up, the sun's rays beaming through the cracks in the curtains. It's a warm, sunny, 72-degree day. You could look out your window and see students passing by, the leaves crackling beneath their feet. But on the inside, it feels as if winter is barreling down your door. You're trying to climb a mountain through a driving, cold rain, only to get knocked down with every step you take. The National Institute of Mental Health states that 30 percent of college students reported feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function.” Common causes of mental illness can be linked to homesickness, stress, and conflict, all factors in a college student’s everyday life. I, along with Purdue Student Government (PSG) and mental-health organizations across campus, want every student battling with a mental health disorder to know that you are not alone in this fight.
Rebecca Wilmoth, Vice President of PSG, head of Campus Safety Task Force (CSTF), and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, shares her thoughts on mental illness: "Unfortunately in our society, it's okay to talk about illness and hardship, except when it pertains to your mind. Ignorance about mental health concerns is rampant so I'm really passionate about the need to raise awareness. I've suffered from depression personally and know firsthand how life-changing it can be when you seek help. I'm one of the lucky ones that made it out of the darkness, and I want other people to know that they can too. Know that you're not alone. Know that it's okay to talk about it."
This week marks the start of Purdue Student Government’s first Mental Health Week -- a week designed to raise awareness and advocate for the elimination of the crippling stigma often associated with psychological problems. PSG will be partnering with other organizations throughout the week to host a series of events on the topic of mental health. Events such as guest speaker and mental health advocate Kristen East, recreation of Active Minds commemorating the 1,100 lives lost each year to mental health illnesses, and pet-a-puppy to help students relieve stress.
Mental health is a real and pertinent issue. Be a part of the movement advocating to bring mental health resources to cities across the world. Join the countless others dedicated to saving lives, to letting people know they're not alone in this world or in their battle. Be the person in the room to push suffering students not to the side, but to seek help. Be the person to talk about it.
