Did you know that today, Oct. 10, is World Mental Health Awareness Day? To honor the occasion, we at Bloomsburg University want to remind you that we are committed to reducing stigma, promoting awareness and providing opportunities for students to speak openly about their mental health.
Here is your chance to engage in the awareness day conversation! Leaders in the college mental health space are hosting a Twitter chat today from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Use the hashtag #MHDChat to participate in the event or follow up with the conversation later.
Standing up for mental health on this day is a great opportunity to start, or continue, a proactive conversation about mental health with your BU peers. As a student, there are many ways you can get involved to help raise awareness of mental health issues at BU. Here are some productive suggestions:

1. Radiate positivity with your peers
As a college student, you can empathize with the stress of your peers. Be the person who helps others feel comfortable enough to talk about their distress in a healthy way. Small acts of kindness and positivity can be beneficial for not only your peer’s mental health but your own. Did you know that during October the McDowell Institute at BU promotes messaging around random acts of kindness?
A Random Act of Kindness is a selfless act performed by people to either help or cheer up a random stranger or someone you know for no reason other than to make them happier.

2. Get involved in “treat yourself” activities
Joining activities that serve as self-care can better your mind, body and well-being and make all the difference for your mental health. Consider joining or attending on-campus activities like fitness classes, intramural sports, student clubs and organizations, Program Board events and even our weekly “Stress Less with Pets,” which occurs every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the SSC. Certified therapy dogs visit with their owners to provide a time of relaxation for BU students.

3. Use social media as a healthy resource
We are surrounded by social media influences in our day to day life. Let’s use those resources to spread awareness and give support for those struggling with reaching out. There are a lot of organizations that support mental health awareness and education for students, including Active Minds. Check out the Active Minds group at BU on HuskySync.
Finally, if you or a friend is struggling with mental health or simply need someone to talk to, please contact BU’s Center for Counseling and Human Development at (570)-389-4255. They are located in the SSC and hold appointments from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. There are also walk in appointments daily; please call for these times. For emergencies after hours, call the TAPLINE at 1-800-222-9016.
To learn about other health & wellness information or events happening on campus, contact the Health and Wellness Educator, Kristi Hammaker, at [email protected]. You can also find BU Healthy Husky on Instagram at @BUHealthy, Twitter at @BUHealthyHusky, and Facebook at BU Healthy Husky.
#BeAHealthyHusky.