Reading—or better yet, writing—self-harm recovery poems can be a simple, accessible means of coping with difficult feelings around self-injury and the healing process.

Reading Self-Harm Recovery Poems

I've always found poetry of any kind inspiring. You don't have to be a poet to appreciate a beautiful stanza, though, and if you don't like one kind of poetry, there are dozens of others to explore.

Poetry has a way of exploring singular experiences in ways no other medium can, and when it's self-harm recovery poetry you're reading, experiencing these moments in this way can be incredibly motivating and cathartic. It's an excellent means by which to keep up your momentum when you're actively working through self-harm recovery or to rekindle your own sense of hope when the road ahead seems impossible to navigate.

The best self-harm recovery poems encompass both the struggle that is often involved in true healing and the beautiful things that make recovery worthwhile in the end. If you search for self-harm recovery poetry books, you can easily find a few to check out from your local library, purchase from a shop, or grab a digital version on your favorite e-reader. You can also find poetry by both professional writers and amateur wordsmiths to read for free online.

Before you do, however, just be aware that you may be exposed to triggering language or imagery. Some poets may choose to first describe their experience of self-harm before they delve into their recovery journey, and for some readers, this may trigger self-harm urges. If this is a concern for you, you may want to do some thorough research before checking out any particular book.

If this seems like too much for you right now, you might also simply read poetry not about self-harm, which can also play a role in your healing process. For example, I find poems that emphasize the beauty of nature, like Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" or "Summer Shower" by Emily Dickinson, particularly comforting.

Writing Self-Harm Recovery Poems

If you prefer to create rather than consume, you can also try your hand at writing your own self-harm recovery poems. It's okay if you've never voluntarily written a poem before. Don't put undue pressure on yourself to write like Frost or Dickinson; this isn't about becoming a world-famous poet laureate. It's about how you feel, while you're writing and afterward.

If you like a bit of challenge (or just need a bit of structure to get you started), you can try writing a particular kind of poem—a sonnet, perhaps, or a villanelle—but it's not necessary to do so. Your self-harm recovery poems can rhyme or not, depending on what feels better at the time you write them. 

If you're not sure what, exactly, to write about, here are a few ideas. Try writing a poem about:

• Something you're looking forward to doing as a result of recovery
• How you hope to feel once you've been clean for a while
• How you feel now about healing from self-injury
• Things that help you cope with urges (e.g., going for walks, spending time with pets, etc.)

The words may come easily to you, or they may not. In fact, any creative work, when used as a means of self-therapy, can feel difficult in the moment. If it gets too hard, you can stop, but pay attention to how you feel afterward, too. Sometimes you have to push a little to get the catharsis you're looking for—just be kind with yourself, and patient, as it may take a while to get there.

And, if the blank page is a bit too daunting for you, you can always start by mimicking the same structure as your favorite poems. An easy way to do this is to take a poem, remove the nouns, adjectives, and verbs, and turn it into your own personal "Mad Lib" type game. Or, try blackout poetry, where you take an existing block of text and "black out" whole words or lines of text, leaving behind only select words and phrases that then become the content of your poem.

Do you have a favorite self-harm recovery poem you'd like to share or some tips and tricks for writing poetry of your own? Please leave your suggestions in the comments—you never know who you might inspire!

I've been drinking an average of two cups of caffeinated coffee a day for decades. This is not a lot by some standards. I relished my first "cup of Joe" in the morning, appreciating the way it got me going. That second cup in the afternoon was the delicious pick-me-up I needed. I always knew that caffeine was a stimulant, but I never quite understood how caffeine affected my anxiety, if at all.

Can Caffeine Trigger Anxiety?

Caffeine gets me going. It gets a lot of people going. I assume that's why people start their day with a cup of coffee the world over.

According to Healthline, caffeine is present in coffee, black tea, green tea, chocolate, energy-boosting drinks, carbonated beverages, and more.¹ The levels of caffeine in each of these differ significantly.

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation states that how someone reacts to the stimulus depends on the person: their size, health, medications, if they're used to consuming caffeine, how much they've consumed, etc. They also state that caffeine, like other stimulants, can cause many short- and long-term side effects, like:²

• Agitation
• Irritability
• Racing heart
• Rapid breathing
• Restlessness
• Sleep disruption
• Tremors
• Panic

My brother gets the shakes after just half a cup of regular coffee. My husband is up for hours if he has coffee late in the day. On the other hand, I have no trouble sleeping when I drink coffee and typically feel no side effects.

Why I Quit Caffeine

Several months ago, I suffered weeks of sudden, prolonged panic. It seemed like my sympathetic nervous system (SNS) completely misfired over and over again. This was followed by months of heightened anxiety. Along with the many terrifying symptoms of panic disorder, I completely lost my appetite. Instead of coffee, I drank herbal teas.

When I tried to stop drinking caffeinated coffee, I experienced headaches, fatigue, and irritability. Given I was already experiencing these symptoms from my ordeal, I didn't even notice. I had inadvertently weaned myself off of caffeine.

My panic attacks subsided after six weeks or so. As my recovery slowly progressed and my appetite and cravings returned, the anticipation of again enjoying a hot cup of coffee was top-of-mind. Even though I never experienced any discernible side effects from the caffeine in coffee, I didn't want or need any stimulants that might trigger my anxiety.

The obvious option for me was to drink decaffeinated coffee. I knew that even though many coffee brands offer a decaffeinated variety, not all decaf is alike. Before I could think about enjoying a cup of decaf coffee, it was time to do some homework.

Understanding Caffeine In Coffee

I turned to the internet to learn about coffee and read a great article on Coffee Confidential. They confirmed for me that there's no such thing as a naturally decaffeinated coffee bean. Also, regardless of which process is used to decaffeinate, caffeine is still present in trace amounts.³

Coffee Confidential lists these four decaffeination processes as the most common:

• Indirect-solvent
• Direct-solvent
• Swiss water
• Carbon dioxide

Given my state of mind and body at the time, this was important. I had determined that no one decaffeination process seems to work better than the other. Next, I needed to determine just how much caffeine there was in decaffeinated coffee.

My daughter, an ex-barista, told me that the amount of caffeine present in a cup of coffee depends on several factors:

• Where the beans are grown
• The type of bean
• To what level they are roasted (see below)
• How they are brewed
• How much coffee is used

She also told me that one common misconception about caffeine in coffee is that the darker the roast, the stronger the kick. This isn't so. The roasting process removes some of the caffeine from the beans. A light roast has more caffeine than a dark roast, while a dark roast has a richer flavor.

I turned to my three favorite brands and did the math. Once I understood how much caffeine I would still be ingesting, it was time to weigh my options. Would the trace amounts of caffeine in decaffeinated coffee cause any side effects? If so, would the side effects trigger my fragile sympathetic nervous system into thinking it was in danger again? Would the panic attacks return?

Was drinking decaffeinated coffee worth the risk?

Decaffeinated Coffee Doesn't Affect My Anxiety

It was still early in my recovery, and I was nervous that the next panic attack was right around the corner. I didn't want to do or consume anything that would trigger panic. On the other hand, I was slowly getting my life back and was ready to venture out of my safe space. I was ready to give decaf coffee a try.

It seems almost silly that, at the time, I considered drinking a simple cup of coffee as getting out of my safe space. That's how disturbing and disruptive this prolonged episode of panic and anxiety was. 

I'm happy to report that while I drank that first cup with trepidation, I suffered no side effects whatsoever to the trace amounts of caffeine in my decaffeinated coffee. This may not be the case for everyone, so it is essential to personally assess the benefits and risks.

As for me, instead of drinking and appreciating coffee for the boost it gave me, I now enjoy my "cup of Joe" purely for the flavor, the warmth, and the comfort it brings.

Sources

1. Alexis, A. MSPH, RDN, "10 Foods and Drinks with Caffeine." Healthline, June 2021.
2. Caffeine, Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Accessed November 2021.
3. Lorenzo, "Decaffeination 101: Four Ways to Decaffeinate Coffee." Coffee Confidential, July 2012.

You might count yourself lucky if you have a job, the work is fine, and the pay is decent. But then there is a problem that's hard to ignore: You don't fit in because you are depressed. You feel like the odd one out, the black sheep at work. Here are some things you can do to help yourself.

What to Do If You Are the Black Sheep at Work and Depressed

Accept that Depression Will Make You Stand Out 

It's a fact that depression plays a significant role in shaping your personality. It's why people with depression may barely participate in workplace events, minimize social interaction, speak when necessary in meetings, and so on. You don't need to apologize for saving your energy to do your job. Accepting that depression is why you are who you are will prevent you from having unrealistic expectations for yourself. It will enable you to respect your limitations instead of beating yourself up for standing out. 

Ignore Cliques and Find One Friend

Where there are people, there will be cliques. When I last worked in an office, I stayed away from them because I didn't have the mental energy to interact with a group of people. Plus, none of the members of these cliques were my kind of people. They were outgoing, overly gossipy, and endorsed toxic positivity. A few months into the job, I was lucky to find a person who didn't fit in either. We became friends, and my work life instantly became far more bearable. So my advice to you is to forget about joining cliques and connect with at least one coworker. Note that you don't have to become best friends. All you need is a friendly face to talk to and ask for help. Even having one person on your side makes a world of difference. Plus, misfits are harder to pick on when they get together. 

Assess Your Situation and Take Action

Figure out if you are getting discriminated against because of your personality or for some other reason. In my case, I was labeled shy. But people neither gave me a hard time nor did my work suffer because I was reserved. 

In contrast, I was "othered" for keeping to myself in another workplace. Coworkers were uncooperative and passive-aggressive. If I could go back in time, I would report their exclusionary behavior. Being singled out because you are different is a form of workplace bullying. Stand up for yourself and talk to your manager. If that doesn't help, approach your Human Resources person. Whatever you do, do not accept toxic behavior as your fate and put up a fight. Quiet, depressed people have every right to be treated fairly at work.

Mental illness puts thoughts in your head. The fact that mental illness puts thoughts in your head is pretty much the definition of most mental illnesses. If it wasn't for the unhealthy thoughts and feelings that we have, we wouldn't be sick. And just like everyone, we tend to judge our own thoughts and feelings -- even if they're illness-generated. Moreover, the judgment of our own thoughts and feelings often gets translated as a judgment of ourselves. For example, if we judge our thoughts and feelings as unacceptable, then we may feel that we are unacceptable. So, let's take a look at mental illness putting thoughts in our head and how we judge those thoughts.

What Thoughts Does Mental Illness Put in Our Heads?

The thoughts that mental illness puts in your head depend on the specific illness(es) you have. For example, in bipolar disorder, sometimes your thoughts will resolve around depression. These thoughts could be things like:

• I am bad.
• I am worthless.
• I am the worst person in the world.
• I can't make decisions.
• Everything is my fault.
• I want to die.

The thoughts put into your head by bipolar will also sometimes be around mania or hypomania. These thoughts could be things like:

• I am a god.
• God is talking to me.
• I am better than everyone else.
• I'm a genius.
• Everyone is slow and irritating.
• Life is great.

Judging Thoughts Mental Illness Puts in Your Head

The above examples of thoughts that mental illness puts in your head are of the more extreme variety, but if you know mental illness, you know that the thoughts it spawns are many and varied. At some point, you will likely find yourself thinking about the thoughts that mental illness puts in your head. You might think to yourself, "Why would I think such patently untrue thoughts? Obviously, I'm not a god. Obviously, I'm not a genius. I'm clearly crazy for thinking these things."

(Where I've put the word "crazy," you can insert any judgment you like.)

In short, we tend to judge ourselves harshly for these thoughts when not in an acute mood episode. This is especially true if our thoughts have led to harmful actions such as a suicide attempt. 

The Problem with Judging the Thoughts Mental Illness Puts in Your Head

The trouble with this type of harsh judgment is that it just makes you feel bad about yourself. You tend to feel bad and guilty for thoughts that were not your own. You tend to beat yourself up because of thoughts put into your head by a mental illness.

What's clear to me is that my brain and my mind as separate. My brain is an organ, a thinking machine. All it does is think all day long. And I can't control the way that organ works any more than I can change how my heart works. Thoughts come, thoughts go, and there's nothing I can do about it. And unfortunately, when acutely ill, these thoughts become unreasonable and unhealthy. But the fact that this is the case is not my fault. It is an illness that is affecting an organ in my body. I can't control that. (I can, of course, control what I choose to do with those thoughts, but that's another issue.)

I know it's important not to judge these things, these thoughts, I can't control. I'm well aware that some bipolar thoughts are unhealthy, negative, and even extremely disturbing. I know that. But while we may be disturbed or upset by them -- and that's okay -- I need to watch them without judgment in order to move forward. Beating myself up sticks me in the mud. And I continue to get dirty and feel terrible in that mud until we let go of the judgment.

Don't Judge the Thoughts Mental Illness Puts in Your Head

So, the next time you're experiencing or remembering thoughts or feelings caused by mental illness, try not to judge them. Mental illness will put thoughts in your head, and there's nothing you can do about that, but you can decrease the harm by not adding negative judgment on top of the thoughts. You are not to blame for your thoughts. Mental illness is.

When I am very stressed out, I tend to watch a lot of quiz shows. This has been a constant in my life since I was very young – I remember watching episodes of Jeopardy when I must have only been two or three years old.

Quiz Shows and Stress

In this video, I discuss why I love to watch them and why I think they help me relax.

See Also

• "Mental Illness and Stress: A Vicious Circle"
• "De-stress in an Instant: Any Time, Any Place"
• "Preventing the Contagion of Stress"
• "Dealing with Stress and a Mental Illness Like Schizophrenia"
• "Stressed Out! Stress, Mental Health, and Our Sense of Control"

As an infant, I was adopted by two warm and loving parents. They provided me with a wonderful childhood, good morals, a safe home, and a great life. But I faced some issues that my adopted family did not fully understand. Having never met my biological family, I wondered if my mental health challenges were genetic. Last year, I decided to dig into my biological roots and meet my birth family. In this post, I discuss my reasons for starting my journey recently and how finding my biological family has affected my emotional health thus far.

Searching for My Biological Family Is Enhancing My Emotional Health

There were two main reasons I started searching for my biological family: fear of missed opportunities and a great deal of support. My birth parents were in their late 30s or early 40s when I was conceived. I knew that they were getting older. Even though I feared that they might not be alive now, I knew that was a crucial reason to search for them at this time.

It took me a long time to search for my biological parents because I feared rejection. But in November, I found a great deal of support online. One girl from high school shared her story about meeting her birth family. I had no idea she was adopted, and her story inspired me. Also, I found support through adoptee groups on Facebook. Everyone had unique stories about reunions. Several people said they learned important things about themselves, including their genetics and common interests with their biological relatives. Even though I knew that my experience might not be as positive as theirs, I felt more confident to begin my search.

After starting my journey, I realized that I needed assistance on how to follow through with it. In January, I sought help from a search agency. I found DNAngels on Facebook. The genealogists (also known as search angels) educated me about my family tree on Ancestry. They answered all my search questions, conducted thorough research about names and contact information, built my family tree, and empathized with my emotions. I have been in daily contact with my angels for the last month. They have been a tremendous source of assistance and comfort.

The Emotional Impact of Searching for My Biological Family

So far, the anxiety and fear about my search turned into hope and excitement. I was relieved to learn that my biological father was alive. Two weeks ago, I talked to a biological uncle on the phone for the first time. He told me about my birth father, their family, and the creative traits that they have. My uncle seems like a kind man. I feel hopeful that my biological father and other relatives will be the same way.

Even though I still struggle with fear and doubts from time to time, I am able to handle them better. I am more aware of when my hopes turn into expectations and when I start ruminating on negative thoughts. I now know that no matter what happens and what I learn, I am loved and supported.

To learn more about my journey and some insights about the search process, watch my video below.

In today’s hustle culture, we pay less attention to work-life balance than perhaps we used to. Instead, we laud entrepreneurs that spend their waking moments putting effort into reaching success. We applaud those who have side gigs and celebrate the tenacity of those that go-go-go for their careers. In those situations, work tips the scales so that life is barely a blip on the radar, and in celebrating them, it suggests that’s what we should all strive for. If not, we’re not doing enough. Consequently, we ignore how tipping the scales of work-life balance leads to burnout and suggest that the state of our mental health doesn’t matter.

My Work-Life Imbalance and Mental Health Burnout

I know firsthand how a work-life imbalance can fast-track me to mental health burnout. When I was in my mid-20s, I decided to be a journalist. I wanted to write and tell stories, and I saw this as a way to financially achieve this while chasing my dreams of publishing a fantasy novel. I went to school, graduated, and was lucky enough to land myself a reporter job right out of college.

This job came with a nine-to-five schedule, but I quickly learned that although my workday was technically within those hours, the work never really left me. I couldn’t turn it off. I had to be ready in case some newsworthy thing happened that I might need to rush to. My personal phone was also linked to work accounts because I didn’t have a designated work phone, meaning constant emails and notifications for all things reporting.

Being a journalist took a huge toll on my mental health. I was chronically anxious about the notifications on my phone or what might happen in a day. I felt like I couldn’t live my life because work was always looming in the background. I felt guilty at the thought of turning off notifications to get away from it and that I wouldn't be doing my job if I did.

Burnout was real, and burnout hit me like a truck. It led to too many sick days taken. For me, it was an incredibly unbalanced way to live.

When I left that job in 2018, I made the following post on my Facebook: "It’s so strange. For the first day in two years my phone isn’t inundated with notifications every time I unlock it. It’s kind of peaceful."

“Kind of” was an understatement.

A Job Is Not Worth Mental Health Burnout

That’s not the only job where I’ve dealt with work-life balance issues, nor am I perfectly balanced now. However, I understand and more readily recognize the importance of a work-life balance and how having that protects me from mental health burnout. Now, for my current nine-to-five, I shut down my work computer at exactly five o’clock unless it’s absolutely necessary I work later. I am not putting my mental health on the line for a job, and setting these boundaries has helped me protect it.

Hustle culture be damned, always being “on” and using every waking moment to advance a job or career is not for everyone. If you’re like me and need to set boundaries to protect yourself from burnout, I say do it. Your mental health is important.

Schizophrenia and self-harm aren’t always coupled, but it can be a dangerous situation when they are. For example, triggers from hallucinations can stress you out and make you think self-harm is a good idea. It’s never a solution, but it is often turned to as one. Some studies suggest that one in five females and one in seven males engage in self-harm, and about two million cases are reported each year.

What Is Self-Harm?

Self-harm can be defined as any pain, damage, or harm inflicted upon yourself on purpose. It can be cutting, burning, eating, masturbating, or anything else which inflicts pain and leaves guilt or scars. The most commonly known methods of self-harm are cutting and burning. Those who self-harm are at a higher risk of suicide than others.

My Experience with Self-Harm and Schizophrenia

I had hallucinations of a dead friend speaking to me as a guiding lover. During these conversations, she would leave me with messages to remember. Statements like “Respect all women,” “Take it one step at a time,” “Take time for yourself, if you need it,” and “Stop being so hard on yourself” filled my mind on a daily loop. I decided to harm myself to mark each lesson learned. I would repeat each lesson like a mantra and then harm myself to stop the looping.

My family was worried. I didn’t think anything was wrong at the time. Once I started my intensive outpatient program (IOP), I realized that I was self-harming out of stress from my hallucinations. Hearing my friend's, Amalia’s, voice left me in a constant state of mourning. I wasn’t able to properly grieve with her voice in my head. It wasn’t until I started my medication that I stopped hearing her voice and was finally able to cry. I cried daily, but there was no more self-harming. Now, I have the scars to remember the episode along with each lesson she left me.

Stress Can Encourage Self-Harm for People with Schizophrenia

Stress is a great trigger for many people. The stress builds up, and we want an escape. Some escape their emotions with self-harm. That temporary release from emotional pain into physical pain is felt as therapeutic. You get a quick dopamine rush which quickly becomes addicting. Eventually, you may feel trapped in your own skin. You may want to reach out for help but either don’t realize it or don't ask. Once the scars start to form, you may recognize this physical pain is permanent, and the emotions have passed. You may cover the scars up to hide them and end up hiding your emotional pain. It becomes an instant part of your story for anyone who sees them.

For those of us suffering, there is a release; there is help.

Help for Schizophrenia and Self-Harm

My help came in the form of a loving and accepting IOP. Through talking about the pain of mourning, I was able to properly grieve Amalia and remember the real friend she was. Sharing my story helped others in the group who were also grieving. We were able to grieve our loved ones together and grow from the pain of remembrance. By speaking out, I was no longer alone. I had group support from people who related to me. Telling my story was no longer a daunting task, and my scars became battle scars. I had survived my hallucinations and could now empower others to do the same. And the members of my group were inspired.

For those who are not in an IOP, there is still help. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has regular meetings with loving and caring people who are searching for a way to end the suffering. They also have open meetings for family members of those who have a mental illness. I went to a few sessions when I left my IOP, and they are an excellent resource. The members are open to new voices and regularly meet to support one another. In addition, mental health hotlines are always available to call for those who feel like they are on the brink. These resources are free and give you tools to combat the pain and build an emotional support system.

Full disclosure, I was very nervous to begin writing on alcohol abuse and addiction. I have many friends who only know me as a heavy drinker and others who may be unaware of just how much I struggle with this drug. I have felt nervous because I am writing on alcohol abuse and mental illness, yet I would not consider myself an alcoholic, nor would I ever use this term lightly. 

I have seen alcoholism in various forms, and it is a dreadful mental illness that requires nearly a lifetime of treatment, which many people suffering from it do not seek. I have watched people die from alcoholism, but I have first watched alcohol kill their souls long before they physically left Earth. Substance abuse disorder is a severe mental health disorder that has taken the lives of so many loved ones. 

Yet, alcohol is such a normalized and socially accepted drug. In my experience, it is far more common to live a life with alcohol than of sobriety. But alcohol is still a drug, and once I found myself struggling to live life without it, I knew I had a problem. 

Why This Non-Alcoholic Wants Sobriety 

Alcohol has had its effects on my life for as long as I can remember. As with most people in my life, I began drinking far before I could even be aware of the mental and physical damages it was causing. It was an ingrained part of my life all throughout my youth and into my young adult years. But once I started connecting the dots with my anxious and depressive episodes and my binge drinking habits, it stopped feeling cool. 

I have sought out different forms of recovery, and to this day, I still struggle. Sobriety is never linear, and each person's journey will look different. I know who I desire to be, and I know that alcohol does not fit into her lifestyle. I have found myself comparing my journey and struggles with others, claiming that if I am not that bad, then why do I have to stop? But I have learned that it is not about who has the worse story or who is suffering more. It does not matter how you identify yourself, as long as you are able to identify the problem. 

I share all of this in hopes of making it clear that your recovery journey is yours and yours only. If you are able to identify ways in which your drinking habits are affecting your life, it may be time to make a change. If alcohol is acting as a barrier, keeping you from reaching your full potential, no matter the level of severity of your alcohol use, then deeply consider sobriety. 

Sobriety Is Courageous, Even for Non-Alcoholics

One of the most challenging parts of sobriety for me is feeling as if I have to explain myself to others. I have always heard the saying, "You have to be an addict to understand an addict," but I believe all you need is empathy and acceptance. I view sobriety as a strength that takes great courage to reach. People use drugs and alcohol for many different reasons; to feel confident, alleviate pain, or simply unwind after a long day of work. In sobriety, you are sitting in your feelings and engaging in the world without the help of a substance to make it easier. That is bravery. 

If someone in your life has come out saying they are sober or living a drug-free life, please try your best to provide empathy and accept their decision to live a healthier life. On the other hand, if you are sober or choosing to become sober, please hear me when I say that you are brave, you are courageous, and you deserve sobriety. 

College can be an exciting time to try new things and make connections that will hopefully last a lifetime. But for people who struggle with mental health issues, pursuing higher education can be a daunting feat, in part due to mental health stigma. And although some universities work to prioritize the mental health of students, in 2022, many institutions still fall short in providing students with adequate resources to promote mental wellness.¹ 

Students Getting Higher Education and Mental Health Stigma

My Experience with Mental Health Services in College

Although our early 20s can be a period of hope and freedom, it is important to acknowledge that many people with mental health disorders begin experiencing the onset of these disorders in their early 20s, myself included.²  

It wasn't until the summer before my senior year of college that I began experiencing symptoms of depression. That said, the following semester, I began to explore the mental health services available at my University, and what I found was astonishing.

I was shocked by appointment wait times up to three months -- an entire semester -- to see a counselor. Additionally, there was little to no information on the Health Center website geared towards mental health. My findings conveyed an evident lack of University acknowledgment for students facing mental health issues. In my opinion, support is the bare minimum, and for universities to play an impactful role in mitigating mental health stigma on college campuses, first, they must acknowledge mental health struggles exist.

How Students Are Tackling Stigma

Although my University may have fallen short in providing adequate mental health resources, students are not as easily deterred. I was delighted to see student-run organizations promoting mental wellness on campus. In a school of almost 45,000 people, I was comforted to know I was not alone in my struggle.

Why Universities Must Act -- and Fast -- on Mental Health Stigma

According to a study conducted by UCLA sociology professor S. Micheal Gaddis:

"On college campuses where there is a higher stigma towards mental health treatment, there is less treatment-seeking behavior by students."³

In a time when mental health disorders among college students are on the rise, universities must work harder to cultivate a culture of awareness and acceptance regarding mental health.⁴ In my experience, it is hard enough to ask for help, and when people are in an environment with a strong stigma against mental health treatment, these fears are only amplified. If more universities work to mitigate stigma from the top down, it is likely students will benefit and feel more accepted. I know I would have appreciated feeling more seen by my University, and I hope the next generation will be given this regard.

Sources 

1. Bonilla J. and McMahon A., "Addressing the Shortage of Mental Health Services on College Campuses." HCM Strategists, January 2020.
2. John Hopkins Medicine, "Mental Health Disorder Statistics." Accessed January 26, 2022. 
3. Wolf, J., "Study Shows Stigma Around Mental Health on Campus Correlates with Students Not Seeking Treatment." UCLA, January 2018.
4. Abdu-Glass, E. et al., "The College Mental Health Crisis: A Call for Culture Change -- Part 2." The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, Accessed January 26, 2022.