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Strength in Vulnerability

The Power of Opening Up About Mental Health

By Samantha Mocle

“Mental health is real. It is not a trend or something that will just go away.”

Laura Newcomb ’18 studied psychology at Lasell and is now a therapist at Walden Behavioral Care and a member of Boston Children’s Hospital’s behavioral response team. Through her work, she sees the impact that mental health care — or lack thereof — can have in transforming patients’ lives for the better. Yet, it has only been in the past few years that she has seen significant change in the number of people willing to seek help or acknowledge vulnerability as an inherent human trait.

The prevalence of “mental health” in daily conversations and the media heightened dramatically at the start of the pandemic — and rightly so, says Newcomb.

“The pandemic has created so much chaos in peoples’ lives, and so we have to talk about it. There is so much strength in reaching out, and people don’t always realize that they possess that strength.” Talking about it publicly, she says, is one way to uncover that power in yourself and others.

The Big Shift

While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a national increase in cases of anxiety, depression, and isolation, it has also resulted in a significant jump in the number of individuals willing to seek help.

“If there was ever a time during which people might feel justified in acknowledging their struggles, this is it. Since everyone is struggling, it makes people feel less alone,” says Sharon Harrington- Hope, director of Lasell’s counseling center.

Zane Zheng, associate professor of psychology and chair of academic research, also notes that the pandemic has acted as a catalyst for self-reflection on long-standing mental health concerns.

“One positive of isolation during the pandemic is that with fewer social interactions, people have had more time to focus on themselves,” he says. “They are finally asking how they can cope with or manage feelings that have been previously ignored.”

Clinicians and researchers alike are optimistic about the upward trend in outreach. Both Zheng and Harrington-Hope agree that while the stigma around mental health is not gone, it has significantly shifted and fostered increased acceptance of vulnerability. It isn’t just the pandemic, however, that has led to the shift in stigma. There is a generational component that has changed public perceptions about mental health among millennials and Gen Z peers.

“The message has always been out there, that help is available, but those generations are really willing to embrace that,” says Harrington-Hope.

Valerie Pierre ’06, a psychology major now working as an assistant program director for outpatient services at Riverside Community Care, has seen a similar pattern emerge with her patients. Pierre, who is also a mobile crisis clinician for the Boston Emergency Services Team and a licensed psychotherapist, is impressed by and hopeful about the way her younger clients talk with their peers about these topics.

“The taboo has lowered significantly,” she says. “This is their normal. They talk about their therapists with their friends and even share their progress. It results in less judgement, which in turn means they are more comfortable recommending their friends to get help, too.” 

Zheng attributes some of that progress to increased use of technology. Social media in particular, he says, offers a window into other peoples’ real-time emotions and struggles — and contributes to the normalization of those feelings.

“Yes, there is an information overload that comes with technology,” he says, “But that also means that we have exponentially more information to digest and read about topics like mental health. So, when it comes to your own situation, the struggle doesn’t feel as new because you’ve seen it, you’ve read about it so many times already, so now you can figure out what you want to do about it.”

Adds Harrington-Hope: “We have become more accustomed to seeing the raw side of people’s experiences — celebrities and peers alike — and that makes us naturally more comfortable in sharing our own.”

The Higher Education Situation

Another factor at play is the way that larger entities, such as schools and workplaces, talk about and position themselves around mental health. In higher education in particular, stressors include living away from home, managing time and activities, and academic responsibilities; it is a heavy load that requires family, peer, and institutional support.

At Lasell, mental health is a priority in the institution’s most recent strategic plan and is one of three pillars of focus for the Student Government Association (SGA). Despite increased difficulties that students have faced throughout the pandemic, Harrington-Hope has seen encouraging signs of change. From 2017 to 2021, there was a 29 percent increase in the number of students utilizing on-campus counseling services. In the fall 2021 semester, nearly 20 percent of the student body visited the counseling center.

“The view on mental health in college communities is completely different than when I began working in the field in 2008,” she says. “Students are much more willing to come in and ask for help, and they also feel comfortable recommending us to their peers. It is heartwarming to see the change in how forthcoming they are.”

Those students are just as aware of the shift, citing their generation’s view of mental health as a critical factor in influencing national change.

“Most of us in Gen Z are very open about discussing mental health, and it has become even more common since I got to college,” says Emily Casella ’23, a psychology student. “I have learned a lot through my peers and through my classes. I believe we feel empowered talking about it because it means we have decided to take on the journey to better ourselves.”

Thanks to resources made available by the RoseMary B. Fuss Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) and regular professional development, faculty have not only modified their courses and teaching practices to better support students, but have also embraced the tonal shift in their classrooms.

“There is a pronounced difference in the classroom compared to how it was 10 years ago,” says Zheng. “Students used to be a bit reluctant to discuss issues about mental health. Now, they really speak up and have positively changed that narrative.”

Michael Woo ’23, a marketing and management major and SGA president, is proud of the steps Lasell has taken to address students’ concerns.

“My experience has been so positive. I came to Lasell with my own personal stigma about talking with a professional, but in the heat of the pandemic, I embraced the option.”

Woo understands the reality that faces not just Lasell, but the nation in general, noting that there are still barriers to break despite such positive progress. In the workplace in particular, he has noticed, even Gen Z colleagues speak hesitantly about a topic that is so freely discussed elsewhere.

“A lot of conversations about mental health in those professional settings happen in a sort of joking manner,” he says. “We temper the issues with the kind of humor you see in memes.” Woo hopes to be part of the solution in shifting that behavior. 

“Mental health can be taken seriously without the suggestion of weakness,” he says. In fact, Woo sees it as a show of strength, though that is not always the universal take. “Even on our campus, which has made huge strides, I still hear stories of people feeling shameful for wanting to reach out for help. Vulnerability is hard,” he says. At Lasell, he and SGA have worked with the counseling center, faculty, staff, and even the Board of Trustees to address the topic. With many supports already in place, the next big step is increasing awareness.

“We have to embark on a culture shift in changing our language and vocabulary,” he says, so that everyone on campus feels that the message applies to them. 

Team Effort

Pandemic or not, mental health concerns will always exist. How we talk about them, says Zheng, is the key to continued progress.

“This is a collective effort. There has been so much education and increased understanding of mental health challenges over the past few years, and we’ve seen more people place importance on the impact of those challenges on overall health,” he says. An increase in knowledge leads to a decrease in stigma or assumptions. Community support, therefore, is just as important as the availability of professional resources.

“The attitudes and opinions of the community matter,” he says. “People want to choose an empowered life over shame, and to take control of their stories. When they know that those around them will accept their step forward, people fare much better. They become bold and brave and take that step.”

That solidarity goes a long way, says Newcomb. She champions communication as a necessary tool in creating a sense of safety and belonging. Now, more than ever, she says, is the time for everyone to understand and embrace their role in vocalizing their needs and supporting others as they do the same.

“This is a big time in history,” she says. “Check in on people. Create and strengthen connections. We are all going through this together. There is so much opportunity to recognize what we can overcome.”

Speech bubble filled with technology iconsSocial Media and Mental Health

Psychology students Emily Casella ’23, Carrie He ’23, and Wyatt Edwards ’22 have embarked on a research study of the impact of social media on mental health of college students. Along with Associate Professor Zane Zheng, they are determining the best way to collect data in order to explore both positive and negative consequences of social media use.

“We’re working from existing literature on the topic that talks about the distinction between two kinds of social media users,” says Zheng. “Passive users tend to scroll through their feeds and don’t do anything fundamentally social. In contrast, active users treat the platforms as tools for actual socializing: chatting, sharing, commenting, etc. It makes a huge difference in outcomes. Social media is often looked at as a negative, time-wasting platform. But, if used properly, social media can be a promising tool to support psychological and social well-being.”

Part of Casella, He, and Edwards’ research is to figure out how passive users can be converted into active users, and exploring ways in which that transformation can positively impact their lives.

“You can go on social media and surround yourself with drawbacks or benefits. It really depends on what you choose to surround yourself with,” says Casella, as well as how you interact with those accounts.

“Social media is here to stay,” adds Edwards. “With that being the case, it is important to learn all we can about how to use it to our benefit.”

“I think the key to managing mental health on social media is moderation and mindfulness,” says He. “Moderation in not having your life revolve around the platform, and mindfulness in remembering that most people only post their most flattering content, leading to the false expectation that everyone always looks perfect.”

Resources

Below is a list of local and national services that provide mental health support.

For Lasell Students

Lasell University Counseling Center
617-243-2181
counselingcenter@lasell.edu

Laser Support Line
Free, confidential access to counseling support for Lasell students, 24/7/365
833-434-1217 (U.S.)
+44 20 8987 6588 (International)

William James INTERFACE Service
For additional help finding an off-campus therapist
888-244-6843
interface.williamjames.edu

Boston-Area Supports

Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC)
Confidential legal and mental health support, serves all genders and sexual orientations
24/7 hotline: 800-841-8371
Office: 617-492-8306

Call2Talk
Confidential, compassionate listening program to assist people during stressful times, 24/7
508-532-2255

Fenway Health Center Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Helpline
Confidential
617-267-9001

Reach Beyond Domestic Violence
Confidential counseling, support, safety planning for all genders and sexual orientations
24/7 hotline: 800-899-4000
Office: 781-891-0724

SafeLink/Casa Myrna
Massachusetts toll-free domestic and dating violence hotline, 24/7/365
877-785-2020

National Hotlines

National Sexual Assault Hotline
Free, confidential call line to connect with trained staff members
800-656-4673 (HOPE)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Free, confidential support for you or if you are worried about others, 24/7/365
800-273-8255

Samaritans Helpline
Free, confidential, anonymous emergency help line, 24/7
877-870-4673

Trans Lifeline Hotline
Free, anonymous line connecting and supporting trans people, 24/7/365
877-565-8860

Trevor Lifeline
Free, confidential suicide prevention andr mental health line for LGBTQ+ youth
866-488-7386 or text “START” to 678678

1 in 6
Confidential services for male survivors, plus resources and educational programs
1in6.org