Alison Malmon, the founder of Active Minds, a mental health awareness group, spoke at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts about "changing the conversation about mental health," Tuesday night.
Malmon stressed the importance of students getting together and communicating about everyday issues including depression, anorexia, alcoholism and many more.
About 1,100 college students a year die from suicide. People do not talk about mental health issues the way they talk about physical health issues, like cancer or a broken bone, she said.
"[Malmon] opened people's minds up to realize that you are not alone, that everyone is stressed out," said Kristina Marilla, a 1st-semester pre-pharmacy major.
To help students deal with these stresses, 211 Active Minds groups have been formed across the United States, Canada and Australia. The group does everything from participating in National Suicide Prevention Week to providing counseling, yoga classes and free massages.
After her speech, Malmon took questions to allow students to talk about issues specific to UConn. The most frequently discussed issues were grades and pressure to make new friends.
According to their web site, Active Minds provides information and resources to college students about mental health and the stigmas associated with it. It is the only student-run organization that focuses on the effects of mental health disorders, according to the site.
At UConn, Counseling and Mental Health Services offer online diagnoses, multiple types of counseling and telephone lines to help students with any issues they may have. Health Education also offers a relaxation station and periodic free massages to help students relieve stress. Yoga classes are offered through Body Wise in the upper level of the Putnam Refectory.
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