College Students with College Students with Mental Illness: Silent Mental Illness: Silent

Disabilities in Search of a Disabilities in Search of a VoiceVoice

Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD.Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD.Director, McLean College Mental Health ProgramDirector, McLean College Mental Health Program

Instructor, Harvard Medical SchoolInstructor, Harvard Medical School

DefinitionsDefinitions

Silent DisabilitiesSilent Disabilities Hidden Disabilities Hidden Disabilities Invisible DisabilitiesInvisible Disabilities

Interchangeable, umbrella terms that capture a Interchangeable, umbrella terms that capture a whole spectrum of challenges primarily whole spectrum of challenges primarily neurological in natureneurological in nature

Not immediately apparent to othersNot immediately apparent to others Affecting 10% of people in U.S.Affecting 10% of people in U.S.

DefinitionsDefinitions

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Defines an individual with a disability as a person Defines an individual with a disability as a person

who has a physical or mental impairment that who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life substantially limits one or more major life activitiesactivities

Entitled to reasonable accommodationsEntitled to reasonable accommodations Include chronic pain, chronic fatigue, diabetes, Include chronic pain, chronic fatigue, diabetes,

epilepsy, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, brain injuries, Aspergers rheumatoid arthritis, brain injuries, Aspergers Syndrome, and…Syndrome, and…

Mental IllnessesMental Illnesses

People with psychiatric disabilities make up a People with psychiatric disabilities make up a large segment of the invisibly-disabled large segment of the invisibly-disabled population covered under the ADApopulation covered under the ADA

ADHD, Anxiety disorders, Bipolar disorder, ADHD, Anxiety disorders, Bipolar disorder, Major depression, Personality disorders, Major depression, Personality disorders, Schizophrenia, etc.Schizophrenia, etc.

College Students and Mental College Students and Mental IllnessesIllnesses

Nearly half of all students will become so Nearly half of all students will become so depressed that they will have difficulty depressed that they will have difficulty functioning (see functioning (see www.halfofus.org ) )

Between ages of 15 and 21, nearly 40% will Between ages of 15 and 21, nearly 40% will be diagnosed with a mental illnessbe diagnosed with a mental illness

1 in 4 students will suffer from MDD1 in 4 students will suffer from MDD Nearly 80% of students who need treatment Nearly 80% of students who need treatment

won’t seek help!won’t seek help!

What’s Happening? What’s Happening?

Young adult brains and the college years Young adult brains and the college years

++ Stress, stress, and more stressStress, stress, and more stress

==

The Perfect Storm!The Perfect Storm!

Giving MDD a VoiceGiving MDD a Voice

Group ExerciseGroup Exercise

Giving MDD a VoiceGiving MDD a VoiceNearly 80% of students Nearly 80% of students who need treatment who need treatment won’t seek help!won’t seek help!

Why not?Why not?

Good Stuff to KnowGood Stuff to Know

Mental illnesses are disorders of the brain and can be Mental illnesses are disorders of the brain and can be treatedtreated

Recovery from mental illness is not a matter of Recovery from mental illness is not a matter of willpowerwillpower

Stigma on college campuses is lower than 20 years Stigma on college campuses is lower than 20 years agoago

Students maintain “personally held” stigmaStudents maintain “personally held” stigma Talking about suicidal thoughts doesn’t make them Talking about suicidal thoughts doesn’t make them

worseworse UHS Counseling Center Services & Ross CenterUHS Counseling Center Services & Ross Center

Good Stuff to DoGood Stuff to DoGroup Exercise-Group Exercise- “ “Cognitive Shifting”Cognitive Shifting”

More Good Stuff to DoMore Good Stuff to Do

Talk about it!Talk about it! Access your resourcesAccess your resources Don’t delayDon’t delay Commit to a healthier lifestyleCommit to a healthier lifestyle Check your thoughtsCheck your thoughts Take a depression screening testTake a depression screening test Take better care of your brain and avoid binge Take better care of your brain and avoid binge

drinkingdrinking

Transforming Your CampusTransforming Your Campus

Increase dialogue, knowledge, and awareness Increase dialogue, knowledge, and awareness (e.g., Stigma Panel)(e.g., Stigma Panel)

Start a campaign for mental health awarenessStart a campaign for mental health awareness Join/start a student organization with a mental Join/start a student organization with a mental

health mission health mission What can you do?What can you do?