By Stacey Eyler, Commentary Co-Editor
Stress. Anxiety. Depression. Addiction. These are just some of the mental health issues people suffer from but no one wants to talk about. One group of students, however, is looking to change all of that.
Active Minds, one of the newest groups formed at McDaniel, joins more than 100 other colleges and universities as part of a national organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.
The Active Minds organization was founded by Alison Malmon in 2001. As a student at the University of Pennsylvania, she experienced the loss of her brother and a college student to suicide. Malmon realized that many of her fellow classmates were in some way affected by mental health issues, though no one ever spoke about it. She wanted to change how people view mental health issues, and she wanted to reduce the stigma that is attached to these issues.
“Active Minds, as a group here at McDaniel, formed because a group of students here saw the same problems that Alison did and wanted to do something about it,” said junior Kate Maloney, co-president of Active Minds.
Senior Brittany Eyler, co-president of Active Minds, shares a similar view.
“As a group, we want students to know what resources are available to them on campus, and we also want to help eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness,” she said.
College students aren’t immune to the potential dangers and affects of mental illness. The shootings at Virginia Tech last year and the shootings at Northern Illinois a few weeks ago are proof of that.
“College students (ages 18-24) are at a higher risk for developing mental illness than any other age group,” said Maloney. “And even those who do not develop a mental illness invariably suffer from stress, anxiety and depression in one way or another due to the very nature of being a college student?juggling academic, extracurricular and personal demands and expectations; navigating the transition to adulthood; and struggling with the uncertainty of the future.”
Students who suffer from such issues should find comfort in knowing that there are options, like talking to someone. McDaniel offers such an option through Counseling Services located in Smith House.
Although the group just recently formed, they are currently planning several events to sponsor during Mental Health Awareness Month in April, including guest speakers who have dealt with mental illness, a karaoke and ice cream night and a free yoga class.
The next meeting of Active Minds will be held on Thursday, March 6 at 9:15 p.m. Anyone interested in getting involved in Active Minds can contact Kate Maloney (kmm019@mcdaniel.edu) or Brittany Eyler (bre001@mcdaniel.edu), or join the Facebook group “Active Minds at McDaniel” to stay updated on meetings and fu?ture events.
“By joining Active Minds or supporting our cause, students are doing their part to break the silence and create a culture on our campus where it is okay to get help,” said Maloney.