Attitudes Towards Mental Illness

I was surprised to find out that according to a study conducted by the American College Health Association, “nearly half of all college students reported having felt so depressed in the past year they could not function. As a nursing student, i attended a mental support group meeting and met a client who first developed depression as a college student. The young woman brought up several times the way friends and even some family members felt about her, fearful attitudes often being shown through their irregular actions. One can imagine the impact the fearful friends and family had on her during the time she needed support. All in all, she dealt with her illness by using cocaine, a choice that led to her dropping out of college as a result of failing too many classes. The importance of Active Minds work on college campuses in regards to education about mental health can not be overemphasized. If a young woman in the mental group support wouldn’t face attitudes like stigma, avoidance, or fear and be directed by her friends or family how to get a professional help instead, her story could have been different.