By Faith Miletello | Reporter
Ninety-five percent of college counseling centers surveyed said significant psychological problems among students are a growing concern, according to the American Psychological Association. Active Minds is an organization that works to give Baylor students an opportunity to open up about their struggles.
The group is hosting a stress less event from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday on Fountain Mall. The goal is to offer an outlet for students to relax and learn about ways to reduce anxiety in their lives.
“Active Minds is a mental health organization. We partner with the counseling center,” Edinburg senior Allison Le Grice, Active Minds president, said. “Our goal is to point people to the counseling center and also spread awareness about mental illness to reduce the stigma so people will receive help.”
Active Minds holds biweekly meetings that cover topics related to mental illness and reducing the stigma of opening up about personal issues.
“We talk about different disorders in our meetings, and we try to do awareness events to help people understand what mental disorder looks like in other people and how to approach it,” Le Grice said.
The Active Minds event on Friday will focus on stress reduction in regards to to midterms. The group will have a variety of stress less methods including coloring, games and puppies, said The Woodlands junior Katie DeBacco.
“It is important that people realize you don’t have to go far into a mental health issue before you get help,” DeBacco said. “It is good to take preventative measures, especially college students with stress. It is good to get in front of it rather than getting overwhelmed.”
The organization will also collect secrets for its campaign, Post Secret. It is a national movement where people send in secrets that are publicized anonymously. Active Minds will be posting the secrets on posters around campus in April to support the cause.
“Saying something anonymously helps people get it off their chest, and it also lets other people see they are not alone in their struggles,” Le Grice said.
The event will also remind students about the services offered by the Baylor Counseling Center. Among students using counseling services, 67percent saw an increase in academic performance, according the American Psychological Association.
“I think everyone should go to counseling. I think it is always good to have a professional help you,” Le Grice said. “And on campus, the services are completely free, so students should take advantage of that. The hardest part can be getting to that first meeting, and once they get to that point, it’s easier for them.”
