Awareness for self-injury

By Sandee Nho

Students at the University of Windsor are setting out to raise awareness for self-injury.

The Mental Health Awareness Club held their Self-Injury Awareness Day at the university’s CAW Student Centre Feb. 28. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, statistics show there were 17,482 cases for self-induced harm. Members of the club had walked around campus writing the word love on students’ arms, handed out bubble wrap to pop and had an origami booth.

Jordynne Ropat is enrolled in the cognition and neuroscience program and created the mental health awareness organization. She said throughout February and March, university and college students are stressed from midterms which can be unhealthy.

“The stress of having to study so much information in a short period of time is distressing to many students,” said Ropat. “In addition to that, a lot of students tend to procrastinate, and cramming information rather than learning it gradually can put an even greater strain on them.”

According to a study by the American College Counseling Association 34.7 per cent of college students that seek help have severe psychological problems. For some students tuition costs, jobs, social life and studies are examples of things students have to balance and add to their stress.

“The more support people have, the more it can be prevented. A lot of people don’t understand just how many people are impacted by mental illnesses,” said Hailey Lauzon, a human kinetics student at the University of Windsor.

Ropat said one of the goals of the group is to work to reduce the stigma of mental illness.

“I wanted today’s event to reach as many students as possible and allow them to have a chance to de-stress during their busy school day,” said Ropat. “I hoped that the bubble wrap and origami would be relaxing and stress-relieving.”

The mental health awareness committee has raised $725 so far and hope to reach $1,000 to donate to the Canadian Mental Health Association.