Active Minds Mental Health Symposium

Active Minds at Columbia University proudly presented their annual Mental Health Symposium. We were happy to be a part of an inspiring discussion from a number of notable guests who are very involved in helping to relieve mental health stigma in New York City.

Modern Therapy was invited to speak to Columbia students regarding the benefits and stigma associated with therapy, along with tips on how to manage one's mental health during college.

We shared some alarming college mental health statistics from NAMI:

1) 1 in 4 college students have a diagnosable mental illness

2) 40% do not seek help

3) 80% feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities

4) 50% have become so anxious they struggle in school

We then discussed some challenges with receiving mental health care in college:

1) Affordability

2) Accessibility

3) Stigma

Finally, we talked about some easy tips to manage mental health on campus:

1) Develop a support network

2) Be active

3) Eat nutritiously

4) Get enough sleep

5) Avoid substance abuse

6) Schedule self-care time

7) Seek professional help

Other guests included Yumiko Ikuta: Director of Rehabilitation Programs, Bureau of Mental Health, NYC DOHMH, Jonathan Edwards: Program Consultant, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention Care and Treatment, NYC DOHMH, Carl Blumenthal: Honest, Open, and Proud (HOP) Program Representative, Urmi Chakrabarti: Graduate Student at Columbia University, and Shane Colombo: Post-Baccalaureate Student at Columbia University.