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Silencing the Stigma Through clubs, the classroom, and the workplace, three individuals share how they are working to change BYUH’s mental health culture By Noah Shoaf
The National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI) found one in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness. On college campuses, 40 percent of students dealing with diagnosable mental health conditions did not seek help. The report found concern of stigma is the No. 1 reason students do not seek help. At BYU–Hawaii, three different individuals said they are trying to do their part to combat the problem of the lack of education surrounding mental health and the stigma associated with it. Whether it is through a club, class, or job, these individuals explained they want to change the BYUH’s culture on mental health.
Battling mental illness through kindness
Kaleah Liechty, a freshman from Utah majoring in communications, said because of her battles with mental and physical illness, she started the Kindness Club at BYUH in hopes of making kindness a natural way of life and at the center of mental health discussions. Liechty said her passion for kindness came after she experienced months of sickness and was close to death. In fifth grade, Liechty said she got her gallbladder and appendix removed. After the surgery, a gallstone blocked her main bile duct, and it had to be surgically removed. Then
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that incision came undone. She said she internally bled and had to be taken to a hospital. Amid the surgeries, she said she suffered from a seizure and a superbug flu from the hospital. Before her surgeries and sicknesses, Liechty said she was sometimes mean to others and was careless. When she was close to death, she decided she wanted to be remembered as kind because kindness is one of the most important things anyone can be. She said it is important because that is what changes the world. Although the experience from fifth grade helped her align her prioritizes, Liechty admitted it came with unintended consequences. “I was really happy and healthy before that, but after that experience, I got post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] from the surgical trauma,” shared Liechty. “PTSD gives you a little bit of everything, anxiety, depression, and you get panic attacks, and it is hard to sleep at night. Also you have tons of fear and guilt. PTSD is irrational, so your brain will find your greatest fear you have, and it will make your fear real.” Luckily, Liechty said with therapy, she was able to feel like herself again. “Through therapy, I was able to get over PTSD. It was incredible because there were days in six grade I never thought I would smile again.”
"When you have a mental illness, get help for it. It doesn’t mean you are crazy. I didn’t want to go to therapy because I thought since none of my friends go to therapy, I must be weird and crazy. Going and getting help is just like fixing your broken arm except people can’t see it.” Liechty explained through the Kindness Club, she hopes to change how people view mental issues and how those who have mental illness view themselves. “Even with a mental illness, you are still a person, you are still functioning, and can have light in your life. Everyone has their own battles, and we need to stop looking at people like they are crazy and treating yourself like you are crazy.” Liechty stated she believes the struggles associated with mental health can be diminished with kindness. “We all need to have kindness because life is already hard. We don’t need to make it harder by hating on yourself and others. Don’t joke about mental illness because it is real. Even if it is funny, it might be painful to someone.”
Spreading awareness through education
Katya Jackson, a senior from Utah, said through her psychology major she hopes to teach others about mental health disorders and empower people to look at mental health differently.