Mental Health Week is celebrated in the first week of May every year in the United States, falling around the time of final exams at Seton Hall.
Active Minds is a student-run organization at SHU dedicated to mental health. Some students who join this organization, including Mykie Dunston, a junior graphic design, advertising, and philosophy triple major and president, have dealt with mental health struggles themselves.
“I struggled with my mental health for a long time,” Dunston said. “The lack of adequate knowledge and advocation for it in my family and friend groups made me want to usher change.”
Active Minds gives students a chance to talk with peers about any struggles they may be experiencing.
“I believe it is easier [opening up to peers] because everyone is going through similar academic pressures, social challenges, and life transitions,” said Maria Notario, a sophomore criminal justice major and vice president. “[It] may seem less intimidating, reducing the fear of judgment, making the conversation feel more natural and supportive.”
Some students come into Seton Hall already dealing with mental health issues. One of these students is senior visual and sound media major Kyle Ferreria. Ferreria said he was diagnosed with OCD, anxiety, and depression in 2016. Although he struggled at first, he said he’s grown to understand his conditions more.
“I learned how to control it and learned how to respect people suffering through the same predicament as me,” Ferreria said.
Meanwhile, Anna Thibodeau, a senior diplomacy and French double major, said she didn’t realize she was struggling until she started college, when she found herself procrastinating closer and closer to the deadlines of her assignments. This school year, she said she was diagnosed with ADHD.
“[The diagnosis] not only gave me new tools to help me succeed, but it made me feel validated in my struggles,” Thibodeau said. “Before, I felt like I was just lazy and didn’t know how to fix it, but now I know that I just needed a little more support and recognition that my struggles are not because I’m lazy.”
There are many on-campus resources like the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Dare to Care, and Active Minds, supporting students who struggle with mental health challenges. New Jersey also has a Directory of Mental Health Services.
Dunston has one piece of advice for students who are seeking mental health counseling.
“[Students] hold the power to dictate the session and conversation, not the other way around,” Dunston said.
Matthew Mendives is a writer for The Setonian’s Campus Life section. He can be reached at matthew.mendives@student.shu.edu.
