This is a day late, but yesterday, October 10th was World Mental Health Day. I'm really, really glad that mental health is getting talked about more and more, but it breaks my heart to see so many still struggling with mental health issues that we sometimes can't even put into words.
Currently, I work for UNC (I know, I know) in cancer research, and a lot of my job is working with and training UNC undergrads. This morning, I heard the news that over this past weekend, two students, both freshman, committed suicide. Four students have now taken their own lives this semester.
The devastating thing is that these cases are not outliers. During my undergrad years at VT ('16-'20), I knew of two other students that took their own lives.
Every case is different, and there are an infinite number of reasons that people are struggling with mental health right now. From my perspective, there are so many young people feeling isolated and alone right now, and the pandemic, a high intake of social media, and the increasing division in our country are amplifying those feelings.
I know this thread won't solve these issues on a large-scale, and I know it sounds cliche, but I just wanted to let anyone reading this that is struggling that you are not alone. I've dealt with depression myself, and let's just say I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Never be ashamed to seek help. Take comfort in those that love you. And be on the lookout for others who may be struggling and give that helping hand or encouragement to them.
Anyways, in my opinion the best part of being a Hokie is our community. I don't care what you think of our HC or what plays we should be calling - we're all Hokies! Feel free to share on this subject if you'd like, whether it be a short story or word of encouragement or anything! And as always, Let's Go Hokies!!
Comments
Thanks for posting. Austin Cannon's story is a good one, and certainly not OT.
The best act anyone can do is to develop trust in the people you know to be willing to talk to you when those times are the toughest. Developing trust is hard. It takes time, years even. In a society where everything is now, now, now, it's hard to know someone enough to build that trust.
So, always, always find time to slow things down, and get to truly know the people in your life.
Yes- I think in this electronic media world we are all so physically disconnected, especially in the past 18 months that we forget what it means to have a friend put their arm around you, look you in the eye and say 'its going to be alright'. We've got to get back to physical connection and the mental support that people provide in our lives.
The anonymity of much of social media leads many people say what they would never do face-to-face. The vitriol can be vicious and inspire others to be even more brutal - a kind of competition to the bottom of the barrel. Electronic media promised improved communication. It did deliver on the idea of more variety and more of it, but it is somewhat of a poison pill. I don't think the "genie can be put back in the bottle", so I don't have a solution.
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I am hoping that TKP contributors will be able to share their frustrations without going so over the top.
I think all of that is spilling over into the real world now. I've heard several stories since the world started reopening (mostly from retail and dining) where customers have just forgotten how to act around other people.
Working in retail and restaurants for a few years, I am confident in saying this behavior has always been present and probably at around the same rate per customer and level of rudeness/arrogance. I believe part of the "rise" in this behavior is how easy it is to publicly expose this behavior with cell phones and internet-connected security equipment with decent quality picture and sound. 20 or more years ago, poor behavior was witnessed by a few to a couple dozen people (in a restaurant, say) but now, those same witnesses (and participants) can upload it to be viewed by potentially millions. That usually only happened back in the day if security equipment caught video worthy of the local news or a FOX "World's Blank-iest Blank" clip show special.
So the proliferation of recorders is probably why it seems worse, but I've personally experienced or know someone who has had similar stories to the stuff that's being posted.
Plus 1 for mental health awareness. There are a lot of people hurting out there - they're just in need of help/healing. I know it's hard but sometimes the folks who are hardest to be compassionate towards are the ones who need it most.
The secondary epidemic is mental health issues.
Since Covid hit, every morning I've checked the emergency room patient board (census of who's in the ED and for what). I didn't know what to expect: 100 people showing up that couldnt breathe, sick?..... actually I've seen an additional trend.
Yes, Covid has sucked.. not focusing on that here.
But now every day, over half of the patients in our ED are there for mental health challenges; a very large uptick from before. Suicide attempts, domestic abuse, depression, panic attacks, etc.
Lots of people are stressed to the max right now, and not just Hokie fans.
So, try and greet others with a smile, a how can I help you?, a hug, even a respectful nod.
We have a horrible mental health infrastructure. People are struggling with insufficient avenues for help.
A little kindness, acknowledgement can go a long way right now.
And if you're struggling, reach out to someone.
(End of P.S.A., thanks to O.P. jmgreen4 for bringing some attention to this.)
Thank you for bringing light to this important issue. The world is a mad place right now, has been for a long time, and likely will be for a lot longer than any of us would like. Also looking through my lens of someone at a university, I see struggles. Students are not OK. Faculty are not OK. None of us are. There are many reasons for that and it's too complex to get into all of it, but there is such obvious depression and fatigue that it's really hard to even describe.
One thing I will say specifically for VT students - we're all in this together, and I promise you that your faculty, advisors, and everyone on this campus cares about you. The university may seem like this monolithic, bureaucratic entity that has crappy policies and escalating costs, and all that, but I guarantee you that the people teaching your classes and trying to help you succeed genuinely care about you. I see this in my colleagues all the time - we agonize over how to teach you better, how to guide you, how to help you through the massive amount of shit that we're all dealing with. And we're doing our level best to help you. Please, PLEASE, if you are struggling, reach out. We will find you help. Find your favorite teacher and go to their office. Hell, come see me, even if you don't know me from anyone else on this campus. My Twitter handle is my real name and all my contact info is easy to find on my departmental webpage. You aren't alone. I've been a mess for months worrying about my kids, worrying about my students, and trying to do all the other aspects of my job on top of all of it. I can relate, trust me.
Great post and much appreciated! We are are mostly (at least by age) adults...however the amount of mental stress on our kids is also growing like crazy. I am not in the medical field, but I have seen it from many families close to us. I am sure this type of thing is happening at other children's hospitals, but CHKD in Norfolk is building a new tower downtown that is dedicated to mental health for children. I work for WM Jordan who is building the project, but our owner has been involved with CHKD for many years and over the past few years I have watched him speak as well as counsulors and administrators for CHKD on the issue in raising support and awareness for what the hospital is doing and the problem at hand - it really has opened my eyes. When you see the emotion coming from these people, you know that the problem is real, but there are people who are working on it. If you have the time, talent or funds to donate, please consider anything you can do to support your own local medical health facilities! (quick read on the Norfolk CHKD Tower: Mental Health Hospital )