National Suicide Prevention Week kicks off this Monday, and the University’s chapter of To Write Love on Her Arms, a national non-profit organization dedicated to aiding those afflicted with depression and preventing self-harm, plans to get University students talking about suicide risk and prevention.
TWLOHA aims to dissolve the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Through weeklong activities designed to foster discussion, group members hope those in attendance learn the value of raising awareness through conversation.
“To Write Love On Her Arms is a place where [suicide] is talked about,” said second-year College student Olivia Rauch, group vice president. “We try to bring a lot of positivity and hope to the topic.”
Embodied in the week’s theme, “No one else can play your part,” TWLOHA aims this year to remind everyone that his or her societal role is significant. The organization serves to emphasize individual value and worth in a competitive and stressful university environment.
“To me, ‘No one else can play your part,’ is exactly what it sounds like,” fourth-year College student Ally Ouellette said. “You are a unique individual; you are loved and valued by more people than you could ever know. The fact that a lot of people don’t recognize that is something we are trying to change.”
The week kicks off Monday with Virginia Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, joining University students to share his thoughts on mental health. Deeds has become a proponent of mental health reform in the Virginia Senate after his son, who suffered from mental illness, stabbed the senator before taking his own life in an altercation last year.
The following day, TWLOHA members will take to the Lawn to ask students their fears, hopes and dreams. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., students can share their thoughts and read the thoughts of others as a reminder that those struggling with mental illness are not alone.
In honor of World Suicide Prevention Day, TWLOHA will table on the Lawn Wednesday. Members will be available to share information, point students toward resources, lend a listening ear and simply spread awareness.
Later, students can hear from Counseling and Psychology Services Management Crisis Coordinator Leonard Carter, who will be speaking on mental illness at the University. Attendees will be taught how to notice the signs and seek help accordingly.
To complete the week, leaders of the Charlottesville Christian community will host a panel Thursday designed to tackle the misconceptions of mental illness and faith. In partnership with many religious organizations around Grounds, speakers will discuss the relationship between mental illness and religion.
TWLOHA will be collecting donations throughout the week, with 100 percent of the profits going directly to the Charlottesville community. These donations will be put toward improving local mental health facilities and ensuring the quality of their clients’ experiences.
“I’ve heard [suicide compared to] cancer [in that] it used to be such a hush hush [topic] you didn’t talk about and [then] people started talking about it,” Ouellette said. “Now we talk about it all the time and there’s so much research and so much funding for research. In the broader scheme that’s what we’re moving for. We’re raising money for the treatment facilities, which then in turn makes them better to help more people.”
Beyond this upcoming week, TWLOHA hopes students will internalize the message of “playing your part”.
“To remind everyone that no one else can play your part is really to remind everyone that [he or she is] living [his or her] own story and they are all unique and they are all important,” Rauch said. “Even though you have similarities to other people, you are special.”
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