While there is often stigma around seeking mental health services, most people struggle with maintaining mental well-being at some point in their life. This often becomes more challenging depending on our environment and identities. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in four college students have a diagnosable mental illness, with depression being the most prevalent. Furthermore, the prevalence and severity of symptoms is dependent on education, race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. A University of Michigan study showed that half of all graduate students are experiencing psychological distress, with a higher prevalence of mental-health problems than the general highly educated population. Black men experience worse mental health outcomes than any other racial group of men and are also less likely to seek mental health services. Members of the LGBTQI are two to four times more likely to experience a mental health issue. As we all have many identities that contribute to how we perceive and navigate mental health, this mental health mini-series serves to highlight research and foster constructive conversations around identifying signs of mental illness, understanding how our identities impact our mental health, and maintaining mental well-being.
Speaker: Lisa Kaler is an expert in undergraduate and graduate student mental health and well-being. She focuses on how institutions can promote positive mental health through systemic change. Kaler uses a critical lens to understand how mental health issues intersect with social justice.
Panelists: Nneoma Edokobi, Medical Student, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine; Chiamaka U. Ukachukwu, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate, Pharmacology, University of Michigan; Sierra Nance, Ph.D. Candidate, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan
Registration is required at https://myumi.ch/G1rjb.
We want to ensure full and equitable participation in our events. If an accommodation would promote your full participation in this event, please follow the registration link to indicate your accommodation requirements. Please let us know as soon as possible in order to have adequate time, preferably one week, to arrange for your requested accommodations or an effective alternative.