The Ozarks Psychology Department and the Psychology Club will hold a series of events during the week of October 3-6 to raise awareness about the issues facing those suffering from various forms of mental illness.
Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an opportunity to learn more about serious mental illnesses such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. One in four adults experiences a mental health problem in any given year. One in 17 lives with serious, chronic illness. When mental health care isn’t available in a community, the results often are lost jobs and careers, broken families, more homelessness, more welfare and much more expensive costs for hospital emergency rooms, nursing homes, schools, police and even courts, jails and prisons.
The week will begin with a round table discussion on Monday, October 3, at 7:00 p.m. in room 129 of the Smith-Broyles Science Center. Led by Associate Professor of Psychology, Karen Jones; Assistant Professor of Psychology, Joel Hagaman; and Academic and Career Counselor, Louis Aszod, the subject of the discussion will be "College Student Madness Prevention and Treatment."
During chapel services at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, the campus will observe the National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding. Following the chapel service, members of the Psychology Club will be giving out free chocolates and information about eating disorders at the entrance to the cafeteria. The day will conclude with a candlelight vigil at 7:00 p.m. in front of Robson Library to commemorate those who have suffered from mental illness.
On Wednesday, October 5, members of the Psychology club will again be at the entrance to the cafeteria for "Sleep is a Lifesaver," a program designed to provide information about sleep disorders, and where to get help for sleep issues. At 7:00 p.m., the group will present the movie "The Soloist" in room 129 of Smith-Broyles Science Center. The movie highlights the hard realities facing people with mental illness and brings into the open the larger social injustices facing the homeless. Convocation credit is available for students attending the movie presentation.
The week’s activities will conclude on Thursday, October 6, when members of the Psychology Club will present information about the university’s Behavior Management Clinic. The group will hand out information outside the cafeteria at 11:00 a.m., and will hose a clinic open house in room 113 of Voorhees Hall at 3:00 p.m. During the open house, clinic director John Nix and assistant director Heaven Lara will present information about stress management and will provide tips on relaxation techniques.
For more information about any of these activities, contact Karen Jones at 479-979-1226 or Joel Hagaman at 479-979-1214. To learn more about mental illness support, education and advocacy, visit the website for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, www.nami.org.
Topics: Psychology