On October 10, the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) Psychology majors held an event titled “Hope Harbor” to celebrate World Mental Health Day 2023 onsite along the Luxembourg Campus Walkway and online through a Google meeting.
With the theme, “Our minds, our rights: Mental Health is a universal human right,” the event aimed to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and the destigmatization of mental illness.
The Psychology majors organized three onsite booths as well as an online booth and crafted enjoyable activities within the theme. The booths were open for everyone in the Southville community to play their games and learn more about psychology and mental health at the same time.
“Doodle Me!” had students sketch and doodle caricatures of themselves regarding their mental health, while “Core Memory Corner” had an Inside Out (2015) theme that taught students about different mental disorders.
Meanwhile, “Chimmy’s Jars” had students distinguish different situations on whether they described mental or physical health by sorting cards on jars. A VOLT booth, titled “Feelings in Full Color,” was facilitated by the VOLT Psychology majors for other online students. Students were given suggestions on how to deal with different feelings through presented scenarios.
Grade 10 VOLT student Jordan Quiñonez, a participant of the student-organized activities, shared that he was able to use what he learned from “Feelings in Full Color” in times of anger by staying cautious about what he is about to say.
For Psychology major Eshi Baroso, she remarked that the one and only thing she learned during this event was that mental health is now slowly being given importance to and is no longer being taken lightly. She wants everyone to realize that each year, there are more and more people willing to lend an ear to those who are in need.
Mental health is a topic that should be taken seriously. In order for this to happen, we need to be able to shed some light and bring awareness to it. The Mover reached out to Ms. Patricia “Sunny” Patron, General Academic Strand (GAS) coordinator and the HUMSS Psychology teacher, for more insights regarding the basis of organizing this event. The Mover: What is the importance of having a World Mental Health Day? How do you interpret the statement "Mental Health is a Universal Right"? Why is this concept so important?
Ms Sunny: World Mental Health Day is not just a celebration, but an affirmation that mental health is an actual experience for all humans. This year, the theme centers around mental health being a right and I think it is a very fitting point to raise awareness about.
Although the topic of mental health is now more common to the population’s [consciousness] compared to a decade or two ago, institutions such as governments, employers, healthcare, and education have not yet embodied and embedded mental health care in their policies and practices.
Most of the time, mental health care is seen and used as an initiative or novelty rather than something that should be put in place as part of people’s day-to-day lives. For example, many organizations offer their members a once-a-year mental health seminar without actually changing organizational systems to accommodate for mental health care. If this continues, mental health and its care [become] lip service rather than a valued aspect of human experience.
TM: How can society work towards destigmatizing mental health issues in order to uphold this universal right?
MS: Destigmatizing mental health has one key step - integration without labels, making it part of our daily lives without too much emphasis on how different it is from whatever systems we already had in place. Labels, in this case, make it hard for us to cognitively adapt the idea of mental health as part of what is normal. They serve as big neon-colored arrows that scream “hey, this thing is not your usual” and just [encourage] us to see mental health as separate and different.
Families can start talking about it freely with one another as part of their regular conversation. People can share what they feel without finding it necessary to put a term to account for every single behavior. Institutions can implement changes to existing policies instead of creating a new one - for example increasing the coverage of paid sick leaves instead of creating a separate type of days off for mental health.
TM: Are there any specific resources or support networks that you would recommend for someone seeking help with their mental health?
MS: Of course, the best option would be to seek professional help. For our SISC Community, our counselors would be able to refer you to mental health clinics should you need one. However, in case you’re not ready yet to take this step, having someone who you can confide in - whether with family or friends - would be a good course of action. They may not be able to offer you expert solutions, but getting things off your mind and chest is a good first aid to mental troubles. Someone who knows what you are going through may also help you build courage to seek professional help.
TM: What’s a key takeaway that you want people to remember from this year’s World Mental Health Day?
MS: Whether you’re just starting to engage yourself with the idea or have been a long-term advocate, this year’s World Mental Health Day emphasizes that it is time to take action as a community. Fostering better mental health for society can be achieved if we all accept it as part of our day-to-day lives and start making systemic changes.
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