Elizabethtown College’s Student Wellness Advocacy Group (SWAG) advocated for suicide prevention and mental health awareness on Wednesday, Sept. 8.
This event was inspired by the annual National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 5-11) and the difficulties associated with adjusting back into college life. SWAG members set up a table in the Baugher Student Center and encouraged others to learn about mental health advocacy. The event was beneficial with helping to spread information about emotional wellness and suicide prevention.
In the United States, 1 in 4 adults have a diagnosed mental health condition; though an already alarming statistic, it does not include those who would fall under a diagnosis if they sought help.
This event was meant to encourage individuals to advocate for themselves and others regarding emotional wellness. SWAG described the necessity of students keeping their mental health a priority, especially while at school. The event had t-shirts, stickers, inspirational notes from Etown students and a raffle to assist in their attempt to create a safe and supportive environment. The table also listed the on-campus mental health resources available if students need help: Counseling Services, Chaplain’s office, peer mentors (PMs), resident assistants (RAs), SWAG and the Campus Wellness Network.
The event aimed to teach others how to be a support system for others. SWAG shared the necessity of having a welcoming campus to face the negative stigma associated with mental illness. Through this, they hope that individuals seek help if needed. “There is help out there and there is no shame in reaching out, getting that care and talking to someone,” Assistant Director of Health Promotion Joni Eisenhauer said.
Eisenhauer also believed that the event was successful overall. “We had close to 100 students stop by, so we were really excited with that turn out,” she said.
As an advocate for students at Etown, she wants them to know how valued they are at school.
“We hope that students do not feel alone and that they know they’re on a supportive campus,” she stated. “Also, if they are feeling like they or a friend need help, they know what the steps are to get help.”
SWAG team member Riley Moore, who helped run the event, contributed to advocating for students’ emotional wellness. She aimed to inspire others to feel comfortable seeking help if necessary. “I hope that they learn that it’s okay to talk about mental health and that they get new information about suicide prevention,” she said.
Moore was joined by Sarah Kleb at the table, who also spoke to the well-being of others. Kleb specifically chose to work at Student Wellness to fight the discrimination faced by those with mental illness. “I feel like there is a big stigma with mental health, so being open and able to talk about it is a big deal, especially on a college campus and with COVID,” she explained. “It’s really important to me for people to know that it’s okay to talk about it.”
SWAG wants others to feel confident in noticing changes in someone and how to be supportive to the person facing these difficulties. They encourage others to start a conversation with the individual to get more information about the situation at hand. Through this interaction, the person will see that someone does care about them, hopefully helping their mindset about their current state.
If any person, whether it affects the individual or another, needs help, please reach out to the resources on campus. Etown aims to help their students in any situation and they want them to utilize these resources that are available.
