The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) is trying to increase mental health awareness on campus with Pop the Stigma, its third-annual mental health awareness week held from Oct. 16-20.
The week includes more activities than in previous years, according to Alexandra Noguera, CUSA vice-president (student issues). She said key topics include resilience, mental health resources, and well-being.
Activities include ‘End the Stigma’ balloons on which students can write messages related to the stigma around mental health, spin-the-wheel-trivia, therapy animals, and yoga. Noguera said having numerous events helps more students.
“There’s different things that get to different people so that’s why you have to have a variety during the campaign,” Noguera explained. “We want to reach to literally every single person, especially those who may not know anything about mental illness or may never had contact.”
According to her, the overall objective for Pop the Stigma is to raise awareness about mental health and to “end the stigma surrounding mental health.”
“We want everybody to understand that mental health is as important as physical health,” Noguera said.
Noguera, originally from Venezuela, said she wasn’t aware about mental health until she arrived in Canada for university. She explained that stigmas surrounding mental health come from a lack of understanding.
“Sometimes people are struggling with mental illness and we fail to see that it is an illness,” Noguera said.
In the University Centre atrium on Oct. 18, students sat on couches painting while listening to guest speaker Clary Chambers, a Carleton graduate who suffers from fibromyalgia and is the founder of Spark Clarity, a movement to motivate people to “live their most authentic lives.”
Chambers spoke about topics such as resilience and wellness, and also touched on the importance of self-care.
“One thing about self-care and wellness is taking time to do activities you enjoy,” she said.
Chambers compared self-care to recharging a phone, explaining that people should completely relax to best improve their mental health.
“The fastest way to recharge your phone is to literally turn it off,” she said.
Both students and volunteers at the event reiterated the importance of mental health.
Jonathan Arava, a third-year computer systems engineering student, said the painting helped him relax.
“It’s good every now and then the university holds out its arm and you’ve got to meet it halfway,” Arava said.
Jillian Robinson, a volunteer at Pop the Stigma, said the event had a “very positive vibe.”
“It makes you feel good too, because you’re talking about something that really hits home for a lot of people,” she said.
Robinson called it “super important” to talk about mental health because “it affects literally everyone.”
Noguera, who is also a member of Carleton’s Student Mental Health Engagement Committee, said the committee has helped to develop Carleton’s Wellness webpage and organize Pop the Stigma.
According to her, the committee is supported by university funding and includes volunteer students, CUSA, and the Rideau River Residence Association.
Carleton updated its Student Mental Health framework in October 2016, with the original framework having been put in place in 2009.
According to a previous article in The Charlatan, the document sought to incorporate a more proactive approach to student mental health.
Photo by Meagan Casalino
