On September 30th, the last day of Suicide Prevention month, a Stigma Cutting Walk Program was held to cut the stigma of receiving help.
Eleven hundred college students die by suicide each year and studies show that counseling was never sought out.
“We want our students to know that you matter to us. Each light that you are holding reflects a lost student,” said Coordinator, Johnna Webster.
The walk began on the back patio of the University Center and ended at Student Health and Counseling, the walk was lead with the song “Still I Rise” by Yolanda Adams.
“We are here to recognize that we need to break the stigma. Mental health, is a problem that is faced everyday and we just don’t talk about it and when it is discussed there is a derogatory statement made about it. Just making a negative comment about it adds to the stigma,” continues Webster.
The attendees of the program were then asked to pledge to show compassion, have courage to speak up about mental health, reach out by sharing your own experience with mental experience and help lead the way.
Next on the program was District 76 State Representative Candidate Joyce Washington who spoke about mental health.
“I agree that we all have a role to play in how we act when it comes to mental illness. As a community we should work on being less judgmental. As a country we have a problem yakking about mental illness negatively. I want each of us to work purposefully to cut the stigma of receiving help, we have to learn to be less judgmental,” said Washington.
Sophomore Social Work student Hayleigh Bonillas ended the event speaking about receiving help and cutting the “Stigma” Ribbon.
“If you are a student, student health is glad to help. I want you all to remember Life matters because you too matter,” said Bonillas
