Over this summer, University students received an email about two new requirements: the completion of the Alcohol-Wise and sexual violence education modules. The former is meant to ensure students are well-educated about drinking habits; the latter is meant to ensure students know proper sexual conduct and how to effectively respond to incidents or potential incidents of sexual assault. Both sexual assault and irresponsible drinking are understood as social problems. Along with external pressures, these understandings are what led to the mandated modules.
I agree both sexual assault and irresponsible drinking are social problems on college campuses. However, they are certainly not the only problems. Mental illness is another social issue that merits similar levels of attention. In fact, the University should implement a combination of a mandatory in-person trainings followed by an online module that revolve around mental illness.
Often gone unnoticed, mental health concerns are imperative to address. In fact, considering that both drinking and sexual assault are related to emotional disorders, it is surprising that mental health issues did not receive their own module. Honestly, it's disappointing. If the University is to produce outstanding citizens, then its students should be able to properly respond to situations of mental health. To do this, the University should require that students complete some sort of mental health response training and suicide prevention training. If students were capable of spotting and appropriately reacting to indicators of mental illnesses, then students could potentially prevent the occurrence of future tragedies.
In a report by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, 95 percent of college counseling directors reported that mental health issues are an increasing concern. Moreover, a survey by the American College Health Association revealed that about a third of women and 27 percent of men experienced a form of debilitating depression. To some, those numbers may seem small, but those women and men could easily be our housemates, bigs, littles, mentors, mentees or any other loved ones.
Some studies indicate that about one in four Americans suffer from mental health conditions. Mental health concerns have been shown to have deleterious effects on not only a student's academic performance but also his leadership, sense of belonging, retention rates and graduation rates. Confronting mental illness on Grounds would not only benefit the emotional experiences of students but also their academic experiences.
As I mentioned earlier, I endorse the implementation of mandated in-person trainings followed by an online module. Among other things, the module should include information mentioned and learned at the in-person trainings. For inspiration, the workshop could draw from the Green Dot and LGBTQ Center’s Safe Space trainings. The combination of a workshop followed by an online module would prevent students from simply rushing through the module, as many of them likely did with the Alcohol-Wise and sexual assault modules. If it finds that workshops are not sufficient, the University could look into mandating a class that focuses on helping those with mental health concerns. For example, the Curry School currently offers the course “Peer Counseling Theory and Skills.” Taught by Dr. Michael Gerard Mason, the course aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective helpers — people who use counseling skills to provide others with support. Moreover, the University could also include content from this course in the mental health module and training.
Providing this combination of in-person training and a module will also hopefully aid in reducing the stigma around mental illness. Unfortunately, many Americans have stigmatized mental health concerns with the ideas of being “crazy” or “insane.” Consequently, people with mental health concerns often avoid treatment on account of this fear of being understood as “crazy.” These training requirements can potentially help destigmatize mental illness and open up the space for dialogue around it.
It is wonderful to see that the University is taking steps to educate its students on alcohol and sexual assault, but it's important that we do not forget the closely related issue of mental illness. While students have surely been made aware of Counseling and Psychological Services, there does not seem to be much effort to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to help one another during times of emotional stress. Rather, it seems students have simply been taught to “go to CAPS.” Unfortunately, however, as I previously mentioned, many will refrain from doing so because they fear stigmatization. This reluctance is the reason students should be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to help each other.
If the University would like to create a more welcoming and supportive environment, then it should implement a mandated module and training to educate students on mental health. This implementation would not only benefit life at the University, but beyond it as well. Whether it is directly or indirectly, anyone can be affected by mental illness. Let’s step up to the plate, lean into the discomfort and finally talk about and do something more about mental illnesses.
Alexander Adames is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at a.adames@cavalierdaily.com.
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