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| Source: https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/824255266137001984 |
Logging in to the GSAN Twitter account, I immediately clicked on “Retweet” when I saw Justin Trudeau’s post about the campaign. Because obviously, I thought, who if not graduate students in neuroscience should be able to raise awareness about mental illness. And indeed, I saw quite a few posts / tweets / shares by McGill neuro-folks. It was great to witness the professional community being engaged and expressing the need for open conversation regarding mental health.
While Bell Let’s Talk day is a yearly occurrence, most of us (this is at least my impression) engage in raising awareness about mental health issues way more often. Having started to think about what my peers and I are already doing, I came up with a short (and most probably incomplete) list of how we, neuroscience students / professionals, can contribute to the destigmatization of mental illness.
Talk (neuro)science. It sometimes seems like we still don’t know much about the brain but it’s undeniable that we do know some things: from the very basic facts (e.g., depression is not a lifestyle choice) to the less widely-known research findings. Are you an expert in a specific area of mental health research? Share your knowledge with friends (fun sciency facts over a beer – not much can beat that!), on your social media, or blog about it.
Contact-based education. Sharing our own experiences with mental illness might be challenging but this is one other thing that works well in overcoming the stigma. I do struggle with mental health issues myself, and I can understand how difficult it might be to openly talk about them. My own experience so far, though, has mostly been positive. When I feel resourceful enough to share what my life is like during a period of depression or how going to a therapist is helping me cope, what I often hear back are words of support and understanding or expression of interest. Some responses are definitely less sensitive than others, but when I sense that I’m able to handle the typical “You should just go outside or do a workout”, I decide that sharing is worth it.
I believe that when a neuroscientist shares their struggles with mental health issues, it has an especially valuable effect: a combination of personal experience with professional expertise (although we must, of course, consider that both have their limits) is a powerful one. Sharing with people from academia may also be very important. First, being an academic is emotionally and intellectually demanding, and it’s essential for all of us to know that having mental health issues does not mean that a person cannot successfully handle their research projects and other academic responsibilities. Second, graduate students often feel overwhelmed and isolated, and sharing with your peers might help both sides in not feeling alone in this and could encourage conversation about coping mechanisms, including the opportunities of getting help.
Reach out. At McGill and in Montreal, we have plenty of opportunities to get involved in more organized community outreach and volunteer programs. Here are some of them:
1. Talk about brain science to elementary and high school students in and around Montreal with BrainReach
2. Volunteer at the Brain Awareness Week in Montreal
3. Take part in the Students in Mind Mental Health conference
4. Join the Peer Support network
5. Host a fundraiser during the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week
6. Join one of the PGSS or McGill committees that work on preventing stigmatization of mental illness
So, here are a couple of ideas to keep ourselves busy until the next mental health awareness campaign pops up on our social media. If you think I should add anything else to my mini-list or have any other comments, let me know!