Chantelle Leswell ‘20J and Claire Haug ‘20
As the apex of spooky season approaches, student organizers and administrators are giving students the opportunity to demystify something far scarier than zombies or ghouls – mental illness.
Mental health isn’t always at the forefront of people’s minds in college – particularly at a school like Smith with its vibrant stress culture and high academic expectations. But the Wellness department, along with Active Minds, an org that works to decrease stigma around psychological distress and educate community members about mental health, and Counseling Services are looking to start to change that with an interactive art installation.
The art installation allows students to demonstrate how they take care of their mental health; it will be on display at the Campus Center until Nov. 4. Using different-colored ribbons, students can signify whether they use any combination of therapy, medication, talking to friends or family, wellness programming or doing an activity. There is also an “I don’t know what to do” ribbon for students who are still searching for healthy coping mechanisms. A wave of multicolored ribbons is cascading down the railings in the CC right now, indicating that mental illness is a pressing issue for many of our community members.
Some students said that the project was effective and that it made them feel less alone. Some also said that it was a little daunting to make themselves vulnerable by participating in the campaign in such a busy place. Amelia Windorski, President of Active Minds, says that the project is designed to make people feel less alone, and the relative anonymity of the forum facilitates this. For people who want absolute anonymity, there is also a QR code that links to an anonymous survey where the same information can be conveyed.
Other students have pondered over what the project may be trying to achieve, saying that they wished its mission was more widely publicized. Amelia’s answer is, “[w]e hope that actions like this display and future events will contribute to dismantling societal fears around facing mental health challenges,” further stating that this exhibit is meant to spark the conversation around how community members here at Smith take care of their mental health.
This year marks the second year of the mental health stigma display. Last year, students added over 1,700 ribbons to the display, showcasing the mental health struggles that the community faces – issues like anxiety, stress and depression represented by the multicolored ribbons. By making these struggles and coping mechanisms visible to students, Active Minds hopes to decrease stigma around mental health on campus, promote discussion and use of resources (such as Counseling services and Wellness programming), and make students who are struggling feel just a little bit less alone.
How effective can these installations be, though, when there are so many issues surrounding accessibility? One student cited a lack of less “palatable” mental health struggles in last year’s installation, as well as noting the same problem in this year’s rendition. Too often, we forget the voices of those in the margins, and to an extent, this display reflects that. For example, the design of this display assumes one can pay for medication, or access a therapist or even has a support network that they can lean on. In this way, it favors conventional avenues of support, which may be inaccessible. It seems that the conversation around mental health is opening up, but not necessarily for everyone.
