Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) hosted its annual mental health awareness week from Oct. 13-16, featuring therapy dogs, yoga, and keynote speakers.
Maddie Adams, CUSA vice-president (student issues) said the week was an important opportunity for students to “check in” on their mental health.
“One out of five people suffer from a mental illness, but five out of five people have mental health,” Adams said in an email. “This week is a reminder to check in on your own well-being and ensure that you, your friends, classmates, anyone are doing okay; and remind them if they’re not doing okay, that is okay too, but you are there for them.”
Scott Zakaib, president of Carleton’s Student Alliance for Mental Health, said he thinks the week is a good way of making a serious subject more relatable.
“Pop the Stigma is a week of turning a subject a lot of people are afraid to talk about into a conversation that’s actually fun,” Zakaib said.
Zakaib said the events will help students get involved in campus life, but also noted a week might not be enough time to have the full discussion necessary when it comes to mental health.
“I do think a single week of mental health awareness is slim and narrows the window of opportunity for interested students,” he said.
Kwadwo Anane-Agyei, a first-year student who attended some of the events, said the week was a good opportunity for students looking for resources.
“I think it is cool because a lot of people are scared or often they do not know where to seek assistance, so providing support is a good thing,” Anane-Agyei said.
Zakaib said he thinks many Carleton students struggle alone and need assistance when it comes to finding information and resources.
“A week that tried to remove ‘stigma’ surrounding mental health should do more to focus on specific mental illnesses and conditions,” Zakaib said. “A real support system would go a long way in showing that mental health is a priority at this school.”
This year, the week changed colours, branding to yellow. Adams said this was to match the mental health themes of the university.
“Yellow is a happy and inviting colour and we thought that would be more fitting for the week. It also worked really well because the university’s mental health week, Thrive, is yellow, along with the friendship bench,” Adams said.
However, Zakaib said despite the intentions of the week, the events might need a bit more focus in future.
“I feel like [CUSA] works really hard on the week of events and what they have is good,” Zakaib concluded. “But it does feel lacking in focus.”
