This past weekend, the Residence Hall Association at SJSU put on an event called “Take Care,” intended to inform students about different mental illnesses as well as how to properly cope with them. There were pamphlets available on more common ones such as depression and anxiety, and lesser known ones like borderline personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In addition to information, there were activities for students to relax and destress after a long week of classes. As someone who lives with OCD, the event was a great opportunity to shed light on something as negatively stigmatized as mental illness.

In one of my previous articles, I talked about how seeking help for mental illness is often viewed as weakness. In reality, mental illness is very common among college students. When attending a university as diverse as SJSU, it should not be difficult to find a supportive community. In addition to the abundance of student organizations made available, the students themselves can be a source of comfort if you find yourself struggling. Thus far, I have received nothing but support from friends who know about my OCD.

At orientation, we were told that we would come across people from many different walks of life. We were encouraged to be open-minded and to accept these differences. Events like “Take Care” are one step closer to getting rid of the stigmatization of mental illness, and to bring about a more accepting environment for those who live with a mental illness.