ASU’s chapter of the mental health awareness group Active Minds hosted its second annual Freak Out for Finals event on the Downtown campus Monday afternoon.
The event, held on Taylor Mall, aimed to promote fun stress management strategies for students to utilize during finals.
“We felt that ASU desperately needed a student-run organization that focuses on mental health issues that arise around finals time,” said Active Minds President Aimee Dubois, a health and wellness senior.
The group wants to provide as much information as possible, Dubois said.
“Our group provides students, faculty and the community with information about stress, anxiety and other common mental health issues,” she said.
The event included activities such as belly dancing, face painting, yoga, massages, and arts and crafts.
Additionally, members of Active Minds handed out informational pamphlets promoting awareness and reducing the stigma commonly attached to mental health issues.
Nursing senior Samantha Mendez coordinated information distribution. One pamphlet detailed mental health in college students.
“With students, they sometimes abuse alcohol and drugs as a way to relax because they’re unaware of other outlets and that often leads to depression,” Mendez said. “I know of a number of students who’ve attempted suicide because they couldn’t handle the anxiety. ”
According to a 2009 investigation by the American College Health Association, 34.9 percent of ASU students reported feeling “so depressed it was difficult to function one or more times in the past 12 months.”
In addition, 7.7 percent of ASU students reported seriously considering suicide in the last 12 months.
Active Minds Vice President Marissa Reyes said she thinks stress builds up particularly around the end of the semester.
“This event gives students the chance to stop by and have some fun as well as obtain critical information about mental health disorders and anxiety prevention techniques,” she said.
Reach the reporter at mjgordo1@asu.edu
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