You don’t have to struggle in silence

Mental health awareness week, observed during the first week of October, was created by the National Alliance on Mental Illness to raise awareness and educate about the condition.

According to NAMI, one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.

Fidencio Mercado, the interim school director for the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling, addressed the most prevalent mental health issues and the challenges individuals face today.

“I think now, over the last three years, we’ve seen somewhat of an increase post COVID,” Mercado said.“ … We’ve seen that increase in anxiety and depression primarily with younger clients, with adolescents. So as rehab professionals, we’ve identified these needs.”

The UTRGV Counseling Center offers free and confidential services to address mental health concerns among the campus community through education and outreach services. The center is located on both campuses in Student Union Room 2.10 on the Brownsville campus, and in University Center Room 109 on the Edinburg campus.

Students can receive a range of assistance such as online services, consultation, individual and group counseling, mental health screenings, suicide prevention gatekeeper training and workshops.

During Mental Illness Awareness Week, there are several days to educate the public about mental health. Tuesday is National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness and Recovery and Understanding Day, and Thursday is National Depression Screening Day, according to the NAMI 2023 Partner Guide.

Vianey Gonzalez, a clinical therapist for the School of Medicine, says there are steps people can take to prioritize their mental well being and reduce the risk of developing mental health issues in the future.

Gonzalez said physical self care includes getting enough sleep, food, water, sunlight and exercise, which prevents symptoms of stress and burnout. 

There is also emotional self care, which means “getting comfortable with talking about our feelings” and social self care, “having a social network with people who we feel are strongly connected with,” she said.

The UTRGV Collegiate Recovery Program provides a safe environment that allows students struggling with addictions to support each other and develop ways to sustain a life of recovery.

The program provides a community for students participating in recovery through peer and sober activities. Outreach events include information tablings, walk-a-thons, presentations and learning opportunities.

The Recovery Walk-a-Thon, a special event for National Recovery Month, took place last Tuesday at the Student Union Lawn on the Brownsville campus and the University Center Circle on the Edinburg campus.

Richard Clayton, the director of the Collegiate Recovery Program, said the purpose of the walk was to reflect.

“I didn’t ask any students or participants to self disclose, but maybe they themselves are struggling with addiction or somebody they know struggles with addiction,” Clayton said. “And so, during the walk, it was a time to reflect on that.”

NAMIWalks 2023, a free community event hosted in solidarity of those who experience mental health issues and also raises awareness about the conditions, will occur Saturday across the country in several states. For a list of locations, vist namiwalks.org.

Gonzalez said there are misconceptions and stigma associated with mental illness.

“One of those myths is that people can just will themselves out and, oftentimes, it’s not necessarily something that is a moral deficit, or a lack of not trying their best to do better to help themselves, but oftentimes, it’s biology or issues because of the way that their brain works and, sometimes, with all of the factors that we think about, including the environment,” Gonzalez said. “ … We know that we can’t blame the individual for not trying.”

Mercado said mental health “can be treated” and “it should not be stigmatized.”

The school of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling offers a bachelor’s of science in addiction studies and rehabilitation services as well as minors in rehabilitation, addiction studies and expressive arts. The need for  substance use counselors is on the rise, according to its webpage.

Mercado reminds students there is a counseling center on campus.

 “We have other support services that have already been paid for through student service fees, so they should take advantage of the services and take advantage of the resources we have on campus,” he said. “ … The more we continue to educate ourselves, and educate our community about mental illness and what it is and what it’s not, it’s going to continue … to break the stigma, and bring down the stigma associated with it.”

Gonzalez said you do not need to have major events going on in your life to seek counseling and support.

“Counseling is a form of self care,” she said. “People can come for all different reasons, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be for major reasons.”

To schedule a screening appointment, for more information or accommodations, contact The Counseling Center at 665-2774 or 882-3897. Email counseling@utrgv.edu for other assistance.