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Active Minds

TWU Active Minds

Active Minds at TWU, Dr. Katie McWain Chapter.

Established 2019 https://www.activeminds.org/

Active Minds at TWU is a student led organization whose goal is to end the stigma on mental health!

Social media @twuactiveminds

Active Minds is a national leader for young adult mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. Headquartered in Washington, DC, Active Minds brings to mental health what no other organization can — the voice of young people who are disproportionately affected by mental illnesses and the way mental health is addressed on campuses and in society at large.

Now in its 15th year, Active Minds is at more than 600 colleges and high schools nationwide, including 450 student-led chapters. Our programs and services empower students to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, create communities of support, and ultimately save lives.

This student-to-student approach is unique to Active Minds and is one that works. Chapter members are at the heart of Active Minds’ innovative, student-to-student model, which addresses head-on the fact that 67% of young adults are more likely to seek help from a friend than anyone else.

V-A-R

V-A-R Steps: Resources: https://www.activeminds.org/about-mental-health/basic-var/var-steps/

Validate their feelings - Let them know what they’re feeling is okay and you believe them
- “I believe you”
- “That makes sense”
- “That sounds difficult”
- “I’m sorry you’re struggling right now”
Appreciate their courage - Speaking up can be a challenging step - Let them know it’s a good one. Also show you’re there to support them
- “Thank you so much for talking to me. That took a lot of courage
- “Thank you for sharing”
- “You are not alone”
- “I’m here for you:
Refer them to skills and support - Let them know help is available and refer them to appropriate resources.
- I think it might be helpful to talk to someone. I can stay with you while we call/text a hotline.
- “Sometimes taking time for self-care and listening to a comedy podcast helps me, can we do that together?”
- “I’ve been using this meditation app. It’s really helped me slow down my thoughts.”

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Resources:

Active Minds COVID-19 Resources: https://www.activeminds.org/about-mental-health/be-there/coronavirus/

Active Minds Community Resources: https://www.activeminds.org/about-mental-health/be-there/coronavirus/community-resources/

Crisis Help Lines:

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text “Brave” to 741-741

Free 24/7 support for anyone in crisis
Text from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis. A real-life human being will receive the text and respond, all from a secure online platform. This trained, volunteer, crisis counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Free 24/7 support for anyone in suicidal crisis
Call from anywhere in the United States. You will be routed to the closest crisis center in your area. Call for yourself or someone you care about. Your call is free and confidential.
Never ignore or underestimate remarks about suicide. If you think your friend is in immediate danger, do not leave them alone— stay there and call 911 or the lifeline.

TREVOR PROJECT

1-866-488-7386

Free, confidential, 24/7. Crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. To view other services info (like text and chat options) and times of availability, visit thetrevorproject.org.

DISASTER DISTRESS HELPLINE

Call 1-800-985-5990

Text “TalkWithUs” to 66746

Free 24/7 crisis counseling and support for anyone experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters
Call for yourself or on behalf of someone else from anywhere in the United States to be connected to a trained counselor. Support is available in Spanish and more than 100 other languages. The service is free and confidential and provided by SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).
The helpline is for anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, incidents of mass violence, infectious disease outbreaks, incidents of community unrest, and other traumatic events.

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