The battle for mental health in America is a constant one. With reports of rising stress-levels over everything from money, work, the economy, health, to our own families, it is crucial we address mental health for the betterment of our society, if not our own sanity.
Yet, progress is hindered by powerful stigma around mental health. Misconceptions and stereotypes are disarmed only by discussion; thus, I believe our educational institutions should encourage dialogue and devote resources to their students well-being.
This is a notion that many of my peers, Generation Z, agree with. The American Psychology Association (APA) reports that my generation is the most likely to report poor mental health. The APA also found that Generation Z is the generation most likely to seek help for our mental health issues.
Whats stressing us out? Data point to immigration reform, gun control, educational costs, and climate change as the factors weighing most heavily on Gen Zs shoulders.
Clearly, the causes of and solutions to our societys mental health are very complex. But we shouldnt be content with our societys inadequacies regarding health. All supervisors should seek to affirm their employees and students health.
Many institutions today already employ social workers, an occupation with a myriad of responsibilities. In the absence of such social workers here at Allen Community College, this role has been donned by the faculty and advisors who donate much of their time to mentoring students. These Allen employees work hard to guide their students as much as possible, but the status quo cant adequately address the stresses of so many students.
Last year, Hope Unlimited provided outreach support for students on campus, a fact unknown to most of us students. No surprise, then, that the position was not utilized enough by students. I mention this not to discourage their efforts, but to emphasize the importance of letting students know how to get help. The need for mental health services and social workers is clearly there, but the success of such a position is dependent on the thoroughness of informing employees and students about available services.
For many Allen students who live on campus, our primary resources and support are naturally here on campus. Students deal with stresses like the death of a loved one, depression, or the uncertainty that comes with being 17-22 years old and often hours away from home. Even the New Zealand terrorist attacks directly affected one of our students.
Some may argue that college students are adults and should address their own personal issues. Some students have sought help off-campus in Iola, going to SEK Mental Health Center or even Humanity House. But the more steps required to obtain help, the less likely people are to ask. Instead of referring students to off-campus resources, all of us here at Allen should create a culture on campus where we openly communicate to address mental health issues. This should be further supported by hiring social workers, and yes, mental health professionals.
Our school takes the responsibility of providing room, security, food, education, work, and extracurriculars. Is it too far-fetched for educational institutions to hold some responsibility for the mental health of its students? Schools combat marijuana use and the underage consumption of alcohol sternly. Can they not take the time to address the issues of opioid abuse, depression, suicide, and mental illness with as much fervor? Besides punishments, what infrastructure is in place to deter and treat substance use and abuse? Besides referrals, what steps are we taking to confront the mental health crisis?
Educational institutions need to be there for their students. Schools play a huge role in normalizing the search for help and teaching students not just academics, but the skills necessary for success beyond the classroom as well. We can achieve this by promoting convenient and accessible resources to students and never assuming that because students arent saying anything, everything must be fine. We must change our mindset from avoiding the taboo of mental health to promoting mental wellness.
