2008 Woodie Awards
NAMI makes new home on campus
Helping students with depression, anxiety
Nicole Kuba
Issue date: 12/4/06 Section: News
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Page 1 of 1
In the United States there are 15 million Americans who live with serious mental illnesses and in their families. Students who suffer from anxiety or depression now have a comfortable place to feel at home in a recently born student group on campus.
Last Wednesday, the UIC chapter of Nation's Voice on Mental Illness (NAMI) held their first official meeting. NAMI is a non-profit organization designed to improve the quality of life for those who are affected by mental diseases.
NAMI was founded in 1979 and currently has a national office, 52 state organizations, and local affiliates that total over 1,100. It now has 220,000 members nationally who are dedicated to public education, support information, referral, and advocacy.
The organization does not have a professional representative present during the group meetings. Instead, each member contributes to meetings by expressing his/her thoughts and feelings with others, which has been found to be therapeutic and can help break the shell of embarrassment for others.
"Depression means that a person has low self-esteem, has tiredness and doesn't feel like doing anything, your body shuts down," said Vice President Shannon Wert, a fourth year anthropology and studio art major.
Some tips of coping with depression many people are unaware of are: do not seclude yourself when you feel down, do not expect too much from yourself too soon (this will only increase your feeling of failure), break large tasks into small ones, set priorities, and do what you can.
As for coping with anxiety, some general tips are to recognize and admit that you are experiencing feelings of stress, think about how you could act differently in stressful situations that would not affect you by the situation and reward yourself for the smallest accomplishments.
NAMI is also designed to maintain confidentiality among the members in order to have trust and fulfill the members' needs.
To help spread the word to students, NAMI volunteers attending UIC have a mission to do whatever it takes to help those who are suffering.
Part of the mission is to raise awareness of faculty and administrators about mental health issues and to promote early detection and intervention, as well as help students feel more comfortable about having a mental illness. They advocate that it is very important to help people break the silence and shame of a mental illness in order for them to lead healthy lives in the future. The earlier the disease is detected, the better it is for the person and for their friends and family.
All levels of depression should be taken seriously even if they are not clinically diagnosed.
Through social support and education NAMI can help students save lives and prevent mental illnesses. If you or someone you know is suffering, reach out and attend NAMI meetings twice a month at 5 p.m. on the second floor of UH.
- Page 1 of 1
Last Wednesday, the UIC chapter of Nation's Voice on Mental Illness (NAMI) held their first official meeting. NAMI is a non-profit organization designed to improve the quality of life for those who are affected by mental diseases.
NAMI was founded in 1979 and currently has a national office, 52 state organizations, and local affiliates that total over 1,100. It now has 220,000 members nationally who are dedicated to public education, support information, referral, and advocacy.
The organization does not have a professional representative present during the group meetings. Instead, each member contributes to meetings by expressing his/her thoughts and feelings with others, which has been found to be therapeutic and can help break the shell of embarrassment for others.
"Depression means that a person has low self-esteem, has tiredness and doesn't feel like doing anything, your body shuts down," said Vice President Shannon Wert, a fourth year anthropology and studio art major.
Some tips of coping with depression many people are unaware of are: do not seclude yourself when you feel down, do not expect too much from yourself too soon (this will only increase your feeling of failure), break large tasks into small ones, set priorities, and do what you can.
As for coping with anxiety, some general tips are to recognize and admit that you are experiencing feelings of stress, think about how you could act differently in stressful situations that would not affect you by the situation and reward yourself for the smallest accomplishments.
NAMI is also designed to maintain confidentiality among the members in order to have trust and fulfill the members' needs.
To help spread the word to students, NAMI volunteers attending UIC have a mission to do whatever it takes to help those who are suffering.
Part of the mission is to raise awareness of faculty and administrators about mental health issues and to promote early detection and intervention, as well as help students feel more comfortable about having a mental illness. They advocate that it is very important to help people break the silence and shame of a mental illness in order for them to lead healthy lives in the future. The earlier the disease is detected, the better it is for the person and for their friends and family.
All levels of depression should be taken seriously even if they are not clinically diagnosed.
Through social support and education NAMI can help students save lives and prevent mental illnesses. If you or someone you know is suffering, reach out and attend NAMI meetings twice a month at 5 p.m. on the second floor of UH.
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