Active Minds at UMass Boston
Raising Awareness about Mental Illness
Active Minds is a national organization
that develops and supports student-run mental health awareness, education, and
advocacy groups on college campuses. Come help develop a
chapter at UMB! The goals of Active
Minds are to:
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Increase students'
awareness
of mental health issues
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Provide information and
resources regarding mental health and mental illness
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Encourage students to seek
help as soon as it is needed
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Serve as a
liaison between students and the mental health community
Attend our planning meeting on 11/6 at 3:30 pm in McCormack, Third Floor, Room
542. For more information or to RSVP, email
activeminds@umbwellness.org
Coordinated by
University Health Services Counseling Center
What Do Chapters Do?
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Chapters plan events such
as panel discussions, Silver Wristband Campaigns for
the Brain, movie screenings, keynote speakers,
stress-relief activities, and Stomp out Stigma Runs,
that follow the four basic tenets of the Active
Minds mission:
-
Work to reduce the
stigma that surrounds mental health disorders
Stigma is highly attributable to silence. The
fact that people do not, and can not, talk
comfortably and openly about mental health
issues causes ignorance and misunderstanding.
Active Minds’ goal is to break down that wall of
silence, and destigmatize mental health.
-
Educate students about the
prevalence of mental health disorders; the
risks, signs and symptoms of particular
disorders; and available resources for seeking
help
Early help-seeking promotes recovery! By
educating students about the prevalence and
warning signs of mental health disorders, and
the fact that many disorders first present
themselves within the age cohort of 15- 24,
Active Minds encourages students to be aware of
their mental health and seek help as soon as
help is needed.
-
Expose students to
the “mentally ill”--particularly young adults
living with a mental health disorder
By putting a face on mental illness, and showing
students that we are all affected, Active Minds
normalizes mental health disorders and breaks
down the misconception that "the mentally ill"
are only the people seen in the movies or on the
streets. Our peers, and others we highly
respect, may be diagnosed with a mental health
disorder. But they are able to live full lives
with their diagnosis.
-
Plan campus-friendly
events that attract as much of the school
community as possible
The purpose of Active Minds is to reach all
members of the community. It is estimated that 1
in 5 Americans suffer from a mental health
disorder at any given time – which means that
essentially everyone on campus is somehow
affected. The goal is to destigmatize mental
health disorders on the whole campus, and
promote mental health awareness and good mental
health among ALL students!!
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