Mental Illness Awareness Week 2015!
Yesterday kicked off Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), which is always the first full week in October each year. The goal of MIAW is to raise awareness around the topic of mental health, educate the public, and advocate for mental health issues. This year, the theme of MIAW is #IAmStigmaFree. National Alliance on Mental Illness explains that “Being Stigma Free means learning about and educating others on mental illness, focusing on connecting with people to see each other as individuals and not a diagnosis.” Additionally, this year they running the #IAmStigmaFree campaign where people can take the Stigma Free Pledge to show their support of MIAW and commit to be stigma-free!
There are lots of great events happening on campus this week to celebrate MIAW – check out the details for these events below:
Wednesday 10/7:
Expert Mental Health Panel and Discussion
Time: 5:30-7pm
Location: Hyde Hall (176 E. Franklin St.), University Room
Details: A panel of experts will discuss a variety of mental health topics; a Q & A session will follow. Refreshments provided!
More info: http://stigmafree.unc.edu/event/speaker-panel-1/
Thursday 10/8:
Yoga and Meditation Seminar hosted by NAMI at UNC
Time: 5:30-7pm
Location: Forest Theatre (the outdoor theater at the corner or Country Club Rd. and S. Boundary St.)
Friday 10/9:
Mental Health Awareness Day
Time: 8am-4pm
Location: Neuroscience Hospital Lobby (directions here)
Details: This is an all-day event sponsored by UNC’s Department of Psychiatry that will involve interactive displays, poster sessions, and information on community resources related to mental health.
Saturday 10/10:
Rethink: Psychiatric Illness Training
Time: 12-4pm
Location: TBD (more information after you register)
Details: “At the Rethink: Psychiatric Illness Training, 30 students and community members break away from societal stigma to learn the basics about mental illness, become aware of the statistics and prevalence of mental illnesses in our state and on our campus, debunk myths, learn what we can do to help ourselves or a friend in need, familiarize ourselves with the resources available on campus, and understand the specific actions we can take to act as advocates. Throughout dynamic activities which include role playing, a trivia game, crossing lines, and a talk where a UNC student shares his or her personal experience with mental illness, participants become empowered and learn how they can do their part to empower others.”
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1R0YAcFc-43eZfFU28JglE6XdwqRYMzZinaRYJLeCC2M/viewform?c=0&w=1
Interested in getting involved and learning more about topics around mental health? There are a number of great student groups on campus to check out:
National Alliance on Mental Illness on campus at UNC-Chapel Hill
UNC Healthy Heels 