Students had the opportunity to test their moods, raise awareness for mental health and utilize the counseling services on campus.
The counseling center set up a table in Michel Student Center to survey Bradley students about their mental health Oct. 6, National Depression Screening Day.
The written survey consisted of four different sections, which asked “yes” or “no” questions, to determine how students were feeling regarding their mental health. The questions checked “yes” for each section were tallied up, and staff members told the student if their results were something the student should be concerned about.
“[The survey] has questions on post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, bipolar [disorder] and general depression, so that, as people fill this out, triggers awareness in them as far as if some of these signs are symptoms,” counselor D’Arcy Conley said.
For students whose results were in the range of a possible mental illness, Conley said the counseling center encouraged them to utilize the center’s services.
“[Counseling is] voluntary, so we make it an extra point to talk to them a little bit more about the services and encourage them to access them, but we don’t force them, and we don’t hound them or call them afterwards,” Conley said. “We allow them to initiate the appointment.”
Conley said the mood screening surveys are also important for students who don’t have a mental illness.
“If [the symptoms] don’t necessarily apply to them, maybe it might bring somebody to mind that they go to class with, or it might be a roommate that they would feel like, ‘Gosh, I might encourage them to go to counseling to seek out some support,’” Conley said.
Senior international business major Lester Johnson, Jr., said taking the survey did not help him personally, but he thought it could help other students.
“I think for someone who has some type of anxiety or something that they’re hiding, and they aren’t comfortable speaking out loud, [the survey] would be helpful for those people,” Johnson said. “It’ll let them know that maybe they have a problem that they didn’t know about, so it’s beneficial.”
Conley said the mood screenings can be helpful in working toward educating students about mental health.
“Some people don’t realize what some of these symptoms mean or that they have them until they see it and fill out a survey,” Conley said. “So it’s really for their own self-knowledge to learn about themselves and learn there’s support on campus when they need it.”
The counseling center is located in Markin Recreation Center in
room 52, and appointments can be made via phone at (309) 677-2700.
