Change the Conversation: A Study of Mental Health Education and College Aged Students Attitudes’ Towards Mental Illness

Researchers have found that public opinion of people who are mentally ill or struggle with their own mental health are often negative. This project was created in an effort to determine the most efficient way to engage people in conversations about mental health and the stigma that encompasses such a conversation. What happens when mental health struggles are visible and supported through open and honest communication? What happens when they are not? The workshop Change the Conversation: Attitudes Towards Mental Health aimed to close the gap surrounding mental health education on a college campus and promote the necessity of understanding the importance of mental illness education among college students through a training/workshop focused on attitudes surrounding mental illness. Findings suggest that there is a surplus of resources widespread throughout Merrimack College, but creating conversation is where the trouble lies. The results from the workshop confirmed that, in order to effectively create open lines of communication, it takes one person to answer the question, “How are you doing today?” open and honestly