Silence is what greets you at the end of a strenuous day. Silence is what comforts you when you fall asleep. But for some, breaking that silence can mean the difference between life or death. A group at North Central is making the noise many need to hear.
The Positive Healthy Active Minds Evolving club — PHAME — is taking major steps to help eliminate the mental health stigma and help provide a comforting atmosphere to help students break the silence on their struggles or mental disorders.
According to Mental Health America, up to 70 percent of suicide victims (general population) suffer from depression, and all of which decided not to discuss their issues. That is a number that they wish to change.
“The biggest thing we want to do is have people share their stories,” says executive board member Teal Marie. “It shouldn’t be something everyone is ashamed of or hiding all the time.”
PHAME meetings cover many topics about mental health other than just personal stories. The group also talks about how mental health is portrayed and discussed in the rest of society.
“Our first meeting was the atmosphere of mental health on campus and what people thought about that. Maybe whether Dyson was being helpful, what we could do otherwise to get it more talked about on campus.” Teal said.
The Dyson Wellness Center, as Teal mentioned, is a major part of aiding students with mental health issues.
“We provide a comforting space for the students to discuss things that they may not be comfortable talking about with their peers,” Dyson representative Takisha Reems said. “Linden Oaks Hospital is also a place that we are partnered with to ensure the safety and well-being of the students.”
Teal said she joined the club because everyone that’s joined has a story to share.
“I went through some depression and anxiety my sophomore year. I was a transfer and it was my first time being on campus and out of my house,” Teal said. “I joined PHAME and I realized that I went through this whole thing alone and that’s not how it should have been.”
One person to talk to is really all you need sometimes. She also ended with a message to students and others who may still be silent: “It’s OK to feel deeply and that’s not something that you should be ashamed of, and feeling different than other people is OK. There are other people that feel that way, too.”
