Mental Health: Knowing What’s Important

Mental Health is also known as “The Quiet Crisis”. It is something everyone deals with whether they know it or not. You may be saying to yourself, “I would know if I have a mental disorder.”, but many people don’t! Everyone has or will experience small episodes of depression or anxiety in their lifetime. On the other hand, having acute episodes of depression, anxiety, or even hearing a voice when no one is around doesn’t mean you have a mental disorder. It’s actually more common than you think. If your emotions or behavior affects your lifestyle in a negative way, you may need to give in and seek help.
A mental health fair, “Wellness Festival on the Bluff”, was hosted on campus August 19, 2022 by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Louisiana, or NAMI for short. The purpose of this event was to “bring mental health awareness to the HBCUs”, spoken by Executive Director, LaShonda Williams.
This event had several different resources and facilities in the Baton Rouge area that showcased their work and mission for mental health. There was support for counseling, substance and drug abuse, mental health issues, STD testing and information, and much more. The Southern University event center was filled with professionals for any issue you may be experiencing. Southern University students and athletes attended as well as participated in the event.
Everyone experiences some form of mental illness; especially athletes. Not to say athletes have it harder than others because everyone has their own problems and struggles, but it is familiar for them to feel a lot of pressure to be great. When you have family, coaches, teammates, friends, fans, even potential scouts looking at you to see what you can do, it can be overwhelming. The thought of letting them down and not succeeding can drive one into a state of mind that is not healthy. Many of them feel this pressure in high school, and it only intensifies when you get to another level, such as, college or even the big leagues. Counseling and talking to those that support you can help in more ways than one. Your peace of mind is just as important as your position on the team and the way you perform. Graduate student and social science major, Caleb Washington is a part of “Athletes for Hope” and he says, “It’s bigger than football. It’s bigger than any sport that you play.”
Almost everyone knows someone that has lost their life to mental illness and didn’t know that they were dealing with it. It’s important to check on others and to even check on yourself. Putting yourself first is one of the most important things to do for your mental health. It’s okay to say, “No”. It’s okay to say, “Not today.” Even though it may be hard to let someone down, saying those one or two words can be the start of self prioritization.