By Danielle Ruiz, Staff Writer
This semester, returning to Hofstra with a bang, is the mental health awareness club Active Minds. The national organization of Active Minds was formed in 2001, and reached Hofstra in Fall 2009. The Hofstra chapter of Active Minds was started by Genevieve Gans, a 2010 Hofstra graduate who was looking to bring awareness of mental illnesses to the Hofstra community.
Briefly inactive for the Fall 2010 semester, Active Minds has returned to Hofstra with a mission in mind. "The goal is to raise awareness about mental illnesses and to erase the stigma that comes along with having a mental illness" says current Active Minds president Deysi Aguilar. Active Minds is dedicated to spreading awareness on such matters, like anxiety disorders, suicide, depression and "anything that has to do with your mental well being" notes Aguilar.
Active Minds has recently held many atrium tables to promote its suicide awareness event and has encouraged passing students to pick up pamphlets about different mental health illnesses. "The national chapter sends us information about all of the disorders so that we're able to do events here and also share that information with the Hofstra community" Aguilar mentions. The national chapter of Active Minds works hard to supply its smaller school branches with materials to help members spread the news.
This semester, Active Minds has focused all of its attention on one large event it is holding on Thursday, April 14 in Room 142 of the Student Center at 8:45 p.m. Active Minds organized an interactive lecture on suicide awareness with guest speakers Dr. Guthman, Saltzman Center Director and Active Minds advisor, and Dr. Gillete, Co-Director of the Saltzman Center. Both doctors are psychologists in the Saltzman Center and will be discussing suicide, how to prevent it, and other ways to help oneself and others on the matter of suicide.
In addition to promoting the suicide awareness lecture, the Active Minds atrium table encouraged students fill out small yellow flags with encouraging messages. The flags represent the 1,100 college students who commit suicide each year. The Hofstra community stepped up, filling out more than 400 flags, which were placed in Calkins Quad by Active Minds. These messages were written with the intent of preventing suicides at Hofstra and encouraging students to feel happier, letting them know they are not alone.
If you or your friends are interested in being part of Active Minds, the club meets in Room 142 of the Student Center every Thursday night at 9 p.m.
If you or anyone you know feels they need to speak to a professional, please contact the Saltzman Center at (516) 463-6791. The first three sessions are free for Hofstra students.
Active Minds at Hofstra promotes awareness of suicide and mental illnesses. (Photo Courtesy of Active Minds at Hofstra)