Episode 17: Active Minds: Ole Miss and Mississippi State University
Active Minds is a leading nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. The organization is present in more than 800 schools, communities and workplaces nationwide, including 550 student-led chapters.
In this episode of South of Fine, we chat with Active Minds student leaders from the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University about how this generation of college students views mental health, the impacts of COVID, and their mission to end the stigma around mental health on college campuses. Listen now below, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Rhes Low, Host:
Welcome to South of Fine, a podcast from Right Track Medical Group, dedicated to de-stigmatizing mental health in the South through genuine conversation about the challenges that we all face every day. For more information, please visit our website, @righttrackmedical.com\southoffine. Well, we hope you enjoy listening to our podcast. Please remember that this is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or for the treatment of any mental health condition.
All right guys. So we've spent a lot of time in recent episodes talking about the mental health of college students. Our guests for these episodes have included university leaders and healthcare professionals. Today, however, we're going straight to the source. I am joined by three leaders from the Active Minds chapters at Mississippi State and Ole Miss. If you're not familiar with Active Minds, it is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising mental health awareness among college students via peer to peer dialogue and interaction. Chapters can be found at high schools and colleges. Is that right guys? High schools too.
Lydia Cates, co-director, Active Minds, University of Mississippi:
I think it's just colleges.
Low:
Yeah. I did too. That's what I thought too. So, straight from the horse's mouth. You're not a horse Lydia, I promise.
Cates:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). It's okay.
Low:
But I'm old. So, that's an old saying. It is just colleges. Chapters can be found at colleges around the country and each year more than 50,000 students join a chapter to advocate for mental health and fight the stigma that is often associated with mental health, which is what we're trying to do on this podcast. So ladies, thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate it. We've talked a decent amount before, so I kind of know how awesome you guys are. More student than most college students I've made... I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. All college students who are listening, I just had to say that. I was an idiot in college.
Low:
So before we get started, I would really love each of you guys to introduce yourself and share your role with Active Minds, and also mentioning your university and your major in school and all of that stuff. Elena, would you like to start?
Alana Buchanan, co-director, Active Minds, Mississippi State University:
I can.
Low:
Great.
Buchanan:
Okay. So, my name is Alana Buchanan, and I am a psych major, and well, I am in my third year at State. So, I am a State student and I am the co-president of Active Minds in Mississippi State.
Low:
Cool. Excellent. Lydia.
Cates:
Hi, I'm Lydia Cates. I'm a junior at the University of Mississippi, and I'm one of the co-directors here at Ole Miss for Active Minds.
Low:
And Livie?
Livie Ruhl, co-director, Active Minds, University of Mississippi:
Hello? I am Livie Ruhl. . I'm a senior at the University of Mississippi. I'm a political science major, and I'm the co-director of Active Minds.
Low:
Super cool. Awesome. Well, thank you guys again for being here. It's really great to have you. And no back and forth about State and Ole Miss. We're all in this together right now. You guys wouldn't do that, would you?
Ruhl:
No.
Cates:
No.
Low:
Don't do it.
Buchanan:
Teamwork.
Low:
Did not get out of that right. I didn't get a school here so I can entice all that stuff. All right. So, let's get down to the heart of this. As I told you guys in the beginning, I'm going to try to stay on script, I promise you. Listeners probably do not believe me, but I am. All right. So, can you tell me a little bit about the goals of Active Minds on your campuses? Whoever wants to jump in.
Ruhl:
So at Ole Miss, our goals are to break the stigma around mental health and bring awareness to suicide prevention. Those are our two biggest things. And I think that that's just a reflection of the chapter, like the nationwide chapter's goal. So we just try and reflect that at Ole Miss.
Low:
Elena, is that similar at Mississippi State?
Buchanan:
Yes, it is just like that. And we also try to give people stuff just to be like, "If you need help, you have us, you have this, you have this and you have this." Just so it's like if you don't want to speak to us, you can speak to anyone or any source you really choose to. And it doesn't have to be face to face or anything. It can be through a phone call, a text message, so on and so forth.
Low:
Okay, cool. That's awesome. So, I think we know this or can assume this, but how does, Lydia, why don't you take this? How does Active Minds serve students?
Cates:
Active Minds serves students kind of like Alana was saying, we direct people to different mental health resources, and we're here so that students can have a community to freely talk about or freely feel comfortable about talking about their mental health and everything, and just kind of make everybody feel comfortable with that rather than feel like it's something to be stifled and just kind of be silent about. And we're kind of here to foster that conversation as well as provide stress relievers and different things to the students. And yeah, pretty much, yeah, redirect the students to the resources and foster the conversation of mental health and breaking that stigma around it.
Low:
Yeah. Good. Well said. That's cool. I mean, I really don't know your generation well, so can you tell me, I'm kind of skipping ahead here, but tell me, is there still a stigma from mental health? I know we're in the South, so probably so.
Cates:
Very much so.
Low:
Well, what's you guys' take on that for your age group?
Ruhl:
So, Lydia and I actually spoke about this last night. We spoke to a classroom of freshmen just about Active Minds. And I think the stigma around mental health is not our generation, and I don't want to make any listeners upset, but it's definitely the older generations, our parents' generations, boomers and Gen X. Yeah, that their generations, they always say they never had to deal with that and they didn't have anxiety when they were younger. But like, "Yeah. You probably did. You just didn't know that you had anxiety." When you would sleep for four days and you just thought it was your bender, "No. You were depressed mom."
Definitely that I think it's that perpetuated down to our generation. And so, I think our generation though has done a really good job of talking about it more and it is definitely a problem, Lydia and I, we talked about this last night. Mental health is, I wouldn't say it's a problem, and I'm doing air quotes. It definitely needs to just be talked about more. And I think people think that our generation has the most mental health issues and well, yada yada yada, but I don't necessarily think we do. I just think we talk about it more. We're way more open about talking about it. So, yeah, I don't think there's a stigma with us, I think with older generations.
Buchanan:
Agreed.
Cates:
I will like to add on to that.
Low:
Sure.
Cates:
I do believe that we definitely, there's less of a stigma with our generation because we're just more open to talking about these sorts of things. And I think that any type of uneasiness towards talking about mental health can kind of be a result of our parents basically telling us, "Oh, you're just having a bad day. You can get over it." But I also do think that we tend to see a lot of people that are kind of really afraid to open up about their emotions, especially in guys, which we talked about this in our meeting with the state presidents, Alana, of Active Minds. And we were talking about how it's kind of hard to get guys involved in Active Minds sometimes because, "Oh, I want to put up a front." Basically, looked strong and everything. And so, that's probably where I would see the most hesitation of opening up about mental health.
Low:
Excellent. Alana, do you have anything on that subject?
Buchanan:
Not really to add, but that's, yeah. That's pretty much it.
Low:
Yeah. I agree a whole heartedly with what you guys just said. That's very astute of you. I think that we did propound that problem. I mean, I'm prob... I'm Gen X, so I've learned through you guys and through paying attention to the importance of communication that my young kids that I have, right? We talk about everything. You guys live in a world where you're exposed to everything regardless of if we keep you away from it or not, it's going to find you somewhere. So yeah, there's no question. We have to be more open and communicate a little bit better.
Low:
And on the guy front, you're absolutely right. I was actually in entertainment industry for about 20 years and I'm supposed to be open with my emotions and all of that, but no, I'm not to my wife's chagrin. And let anger, we're good at anger. Guys are good at anger. That's the unfortunate thing. So yeah, that's actually really, really spot on guys. Thank you. So, why was it important for each of you to be a part of Active Minds and get involved with mental health advocacy and education on your particular campus? Elena at Mississippi State, why don't you start first?
Buchanan:
Well, I guess this can go back to my year one here, and it just goes back through well, at least a good chunk of my life. I had some stuff with stress and that was just who I was. And so now I'm just like, "I want to help people so that they don't have that, like I did," because it would get very, very bad for me. And I want to help people so that they don't have to face that alone, because my own personal parents were the ones that were just like, "It's just a bad day. You'll be fine." But they were good. It was just-
Low:
No. Yeah.
Buchanan:
... that mentality. So yeah, that's pretty much my reason.
Low:
Okay, cool. Anybody else?
Ruhl:
I'll go next? What was it? Okay, so basically Lydia and I also spoke about this last night.
Low:
Good. Fresh.
Ruhl:
Freshman year was amazing. I was like, " Oh my God. This is incredible. I love college. This is amazing, like yada yada yada. And then sophomore year hit. And I was like, "This is hell on earth. Sophomore slump is real. This is the worst year of my life." And it wasn't like nothing happened. And that's what made me so mad, is because when you, because I mean, I had intense anxiety, major panic attacks, but over nothing. Literally nothing was happening.
Ruhl:
Or I mean, my brain was just literally playing tricks on me, which is what a lot of mental health issues are. It's just your brain is sick. It's upset. And it really freaked me out because I was like, "No one else is experiencing this. None of my friends are going through what I'm going through. I literally feel insane. I feel crazy." And then I heard of Active Minds and I was like, "This is exactly what I need. I need just a space where I can learn that other people are feeling the same way that I am." And after getting involved in Active Minds, I was like, "Who doesn't feel like this?" Literally, I feel like everyone has something going on, and it really let me see everybody in a much more representative light. Like if someone's having a bad day or someone that goes off on me or it's just like [inaudible 00:12:22], I'm like, "Something's probably going on, like something..." And it's been such a great experience because it's really let me ground myself, but also see other people in such a different way. But yeah.
Low:
Great.
Ruhl:
So I joined sophomore year. Yeah. So, that was one.
Low:
Excellent.
Ruhl:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Low:
Lydia?
Cates:
Okay. So I joined Active Minds my sophomore year as well. Mental health awareness, it's always intrigued me and everything, and especially because I feel like our generation, we said it before, but our generation has kind of more willing to speak about things like this. But I do remember, there was still, I remember whenever I had a really bad anxiety attack, it was, I mean, I had a couple panic attacks before, but I remember one summer, it got really bad because one night I just woke up and I just kept, my mind just consistently was just racing with all these different thoughts. And they were not good thoughts to be thinking. And it was really scary for me. And I just remember waking up my mom and being really, really scared about what was happening and everything.
And that was kind of the moment where she actually did suggest, because in the past I've dealt with it before, but this night she was just like, " You should probably go and see a therapist and try to get this all situated and everything." And I was initially really scared to do that, but I remembered, I was like, "This is a normal thing. There's tons of people that have a lot of anxiety and deal with different issues, even if I feel like my situation is unique, which everybody's situation is different." But I felt like, "Oh no, the doctor is really going to think I am a wacko or something."
But I actually did go. And I did find a community at Ole Miss, which was Active Minds, who helped kind of facilitate that conversation and kind of reminded me, "Oh, I am normal. These thoughts may not be normal, but I am normal and everybody kind of deals with something else. Something weird and random." Or something like... There's something, I don't know how to explain it, but something very odd, any kind of weird thoughts, but everybody deals with something different And that's okay, and it's normal for you to be dealing with these weird situations. So yeah.
Low:
I am so impressed by you guys' age, the wherewithal and the fearlessness to seek mental health help. I mean, based upon things that, like you said, parents taught them. My parents were the same way. They're older than your parents, but we were told, "Fix it. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and tough through it." But anxiety is really, really terrible for you. And you're trying to control things you can't control. And it's pretty amazing that you guys have figured out how to get a handle on it. Not a hand... I mean work through it in a healthy way at such a young age. I'm really, really impressed. I do... I am going to sidetrack here because I have you guys, and you're of a certain age group that I've mentioned on the show quite a bit.
And I've mentioned it in terms of, yeah, from an older generations view, we look at what you guys deal with. And we think it's a really stressful world. There's stuff that you guys encounter and deal with that we never had as part of our lives. Now, you don't know anything different, but based upon that, do you think that's true? And do you have a lot of friends that are going through exactly the same things that you are? I think you guys have kind of touched on that, because everyone has anxiety and stress. But do you think that you have more on you than other generations have had? Because of the ability to get on your phone and do whatever you want, because some people can reach out and touch you on social media so easily and make you happy and make you sad within split seconds. That's a roller coaster. There's very little silence. I mean, am I crazy? Or?
Ruhl:
No. I don't think you're crazy.
Low:
I am actually [crosstalk 00:17:10].
Ruhl:
[inaudible 00:17:11] thinking about it the whole time. I don't know. I think it's harder with social media and the internet, because you see a different reality than what is real. But I also think it's changed the conversation and it's shown people that, "Okay. I need to raise my children to know that they're beautiful and they need to love themselves. Just it's helped in that department so that when kids do grow up in this day and age and they do see those things online, they're like, "Okay, well, I'm beautiful too." Because I think that's where it really digs in and then see.
And like, "I'm smart too." You see all these people getting into wherever and doing [inaudible 00:18:04] and traveling, and I think it's just all about teaching and learning that not everything you see on the internet is truth. Not everything you see is reality. So I mean, I think, I wouldn't say magazines were the same, but I definitely think that it was starting out to be that way in the eighties and nineties of obsessing over these people that are more beautiful, I'm doing air quotes, more beautiful and smarter and yada yada yada. And I think with the-
Low:
With no conversation about it in our history.
Ruhl:
... Yeah. And so it's just amplified that, but I also think it might be a good thing because it has changed the conversation that into a more love yourself. Yeah.
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
Yeah. I think-
Low:
[inaudible 00:00:19:00]. Go ahead.
Cates:
I think that there's good and bad aspects about being surrounded by technology, obviously with anything there's good and bad aspects, but kind of what Livie was saying, I feel like there's more, what is it called? More encouragement to kind of embrace your beauty and everything just like that. And also I feel like there's more of raise self-awareness, if that makes sense. So just being very aware of your actions and how it can affect others, kind of how Levy was saying, like, "If I have a daughter, I want to tell her that she's beautiful." And basically, positively influence her and different things like that. And kind of just also train you to kind of see habits that aren't good and things that you shouldn't be doing. We see flaws, and I don't mean to keep bagging on the older ones. But-
Low:
Thanks a lot, Lydia.
Cates:
I'm not. But it's just like you see different things where I don't want to do that in the future. I don't to do that with my kids or with anybody else's kids or anything like that. I don't want to be hidden with my emotions and not choose to express myself and stuff like that. Just kind of be more open basically. I kind of went off on a tangent and now I ....
Low:
No. It's a good tangent. Hey, look, I'm the king of tangents. I got ahead of myself more than anybody, but that note, that's what I want to hear. That's what everyone wants to hear it.
Cates:
Yes.
Low:
I love this platform because it gives you guys a voice to an older generation that needs to hear stuff like this.
Cates:
But also-
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
... I do agree, Oh, I'm sorry to cut you off.
Low:
No. Go ahead. You're good.
Cates:
But I do agree that, with accessibility, we have our phone, everything's on our phone, everything's there at the drop of a hat. I feel like we do kind of have shorter attention spans and stuff like that. Just kind of, because we're just constantly trying to distract ourselves from different things.
Buchanan:
I agree.
Cates:
And so I guess, that's definitely a negative aspect to living in kind of a faster-paced world, but also I feel like, we're just kind of adapting and figuring it out and so.
Low:
Yeah. That's what we do as humans. So Alana maybe kick this off. The conversation about the Send Silence Packing. There's an event that you guys all do. Do y'all do that at Mississippi State as well? I assume you do.
Buchanan:
Yes, sir. We do.
Low:
.. Yeah, I'd love to hear about... I've read a little bit about it, but I'd love to hear you guys tell me about it, and tell the audience about it.
Buchanan:
Okay. So, the main point of it is just, we have a whole bunch of bags out on our field and we have stats, facts, and just the well, the life and the impact of a person who has passed on because of suicide. And so we'll have that story and we'll have the stats and then help numbers and so on and so forth.
Low:
Cool. Yeah. You guys do the same thing on at Ole Miss. Right?
Ruhl:
We do.
Low:
It's every campus. Right? It's every campus that has Active Minds chapter.
Ruhl:
Well, you can request them to come, because it's not free.
Low:
Oh.
Ruhl:
But more common. Yeah. It's just the same thing. And we're a very low key group at Ole Miss. This is only our fifth year to be active at Ole Miss. But the thing that really got our name out there was Send Silence Packing. And everyone always knows us. I'll be like, "Oh yeah. Blah, blah, blah. Active Mind." [inaudible 00:22:58], "What's Active Minds?" And I'm like, "You know the backpacks in the Grove? And they're like, "Oh yeah." And I'm like, "Yeah. That's what I am."
Ruhl:
But yeah, like Alana was saying, it's just the ones that are lining the sidewalks, they have stories of people that have fallen to suicide. It's a very somber day, but it brings so much awareness to something that needs to be seen, because I don't know about the Mississippi State campus. I'm sure there, because every single college campus in the United States is plagued with just children because we are for children that fall to suicide. And Ole Miss is definitely one of those campuses. Since I've been a student, we've had multiple students take their lives and we try and represent them. Lydia, we got an athletic Ole Miss Backpack-
Cates:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Ruhl:
... last year just to represent those students. We didn't put anything on it, but everyone knew. It was just to represent them. But yeah, it's a very special day.
Cates:
Yeah. It's, we do request like Levy was saying, we request to do it kind of from the actual National Organization of Active Minds, and they're really conscientious about everything. They even work to put up trigger warnings before actually going to the exhibit. That way, anybody that does feel emotionally affected by it, they can take an alternative route or something like that.
Ruhl:
Yeah.
Cates:
But yeah, it's just nice to that... Well, it's just a good event to have. It's very sad event, but yeah. It's raising awareness and-
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
Yeah.
Low:
And that conversation is hugely important. I think it was the last podcast I did. No. Yeah. I think it was the last one I recorded. It was with the lady who lost her husband and her son to suicide within a span of five years. Every single person in this world has been affected by suicide. They know someone that has died that way. And so it's a huge, huge deal that needs to be talked about way more openly. So thank you guys. That's a great project. I have to ask this. You said you have to pay for it?
Cates:
Yes.
Low:
Or you have to raise money. Or do you guys raise money for this?
Buchanan:
Our events this year are funded by ASB, but usually we do. We fundraise.
Low:
Okay cool.
Buchanan:
But we have this whole system this year, but yeah. We would usually fundraise with t-shirts.
Low:
Okay, good. So do y'all have any idea how we're going to get rid of this stigma? Is it conversation?
Ruhl:
Yes.
Buchanan:
Yes.
Low:
Yeah. Okay. So I'm trying to get into COVID, but I really don't want to. So, I know that based upon the year you are in school, you're having a different experience with COVID and it's causing more stress and anxiety. And I mean, and these freshmen, they've never experienced anything but this. Let's talk about that a second. Anybody have any comments about what's happening here?
Cates:
Boy, do I have some things to filter? Yeah.
Low:
Okay. Well, you can filter it if you'd like.
Cates:
It's definitely weird, but we previously said, we're just all kind of adapting to what's kind of going on and everything and everybody's kind of dealing with this too and in their jobs and everything like that. But with students, I personally feel like the thing that I have felt the most effects from is that I feel kind of more estranged from people in a way. It's just like I feel like, or automatically have like the worst case scenario. I'm just like, "Hmm. I wonder if that person doesn't want to talk to me. Maybe they don't like me anymore or something like that. Maybe they're resentful towards me." But when in reality, we're just kind of quickly get to what, get what we need to be. Sorry [inaudible 00:27:15], but do what we need to get done. Sorry.
Cates:
And basically, I feel like everybody's just kind of, this is an example. Anytime I go to campus, I feel like I don't really have that much time to mingle with others and everything like that. It's just more like, go there and get my meal-
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
... go to class and get it done. Whereas I feel like in the past, there's more time to chit chat and everything. So that's kind of where I feel like I haven't really had as much time to really socialize and be able to talk to as many people as I could have because-
Low:
Yeah. Its-
Cates:
... the pandemic is going on. And it's just a weird time. And with classes everything's, basically all my classes are online. I have one in-person class it's on Mondays-
Ruhl:
Me too.
Cates:
And I know some people that are just completely online. One of my roommates, she's completely online. And so-
Low:
Livie is pointing to herself.
Cates:
Yeah. And its just of weird because those people kind of have to... We all have to create a new routine and adapt to this weird situation that we're in.
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
So, yeah.
Ruhl:
Yeah. Going off of that, I also think it's very hard for students too. It's hard for students because obviously we are in the middle of a pandemic and we don't need to be socializing. We don't need to be seeing each other and we need to stop the spread. But I think it's so hard to pull students back to their college towns and then tell them, "Don't do anything."
I promise you a freshmen who just got away from their parents and is now in a college town or far away they're not going to listen. And I think it's hard also because, I mean our mental health, kids' mental health, a lot of us are extroverts, so need people to energize ourselves, because they need people. And it's definitely been hard for me because it's just, I remember in the peak of quarantine, I was literally going insane.
I would go on seven walks a day. And that school is going on, it's like that plus school plus I'm around all of my friends, but I'm like, "What do we do here? I don't want to be ostracized from the Oxford community. Because I feel like there's a blow up is going to be our fault because I mean, it's always the students and the mental health of students is already deteriorating because of COVID and now we can't see our friends and blah, blah, blah. I mean, it's just, I think this is peak where we need mental health awareness is growing COVID for students, for everyone. Really. [inaudible 00:29:54].
Low:
Are y'all having a similar experience in Starkville, Alana?
Buchanan:
Yes, sir. It's the exact same pretty much. And then, there is a problem with people are just not really good at just we don't see people anymore. So, it's pretty much just all of us are just like, "How do I speak?"
Low:
Yeah. Your social skills dwindle if you don't use them just like anything else. Oh gosh, that's so hard. I've mentioned before, I couldn't have done... You guys, like you said, Levy you're going to have hiccups. And how can you expect someone in college, it's a social environment to stay put? Really, y'all have done a great job. And a lot of people think that. So, don't think we're being too hard on you. The press may say a few things, but we all are pretty impressed with what you guys have done in the midst of this odd, odd world. So, wrapping up, because I've gotten in trouble for going to 45 minutes, let's talk about... So, if there's a student out there listening, who's in need of support. Where could they turn? I know Active Minds is a place. What would you guys suggest? How would that look if someone needs to reach out?
Ruhl:
So, I'm going to let Lydia, we actually have a pamphlet. I'm going to talk for a minute and let her pull it up and read off some resources. One of the biggest misconceptions of Active Minds is students feel, obviously we are a mental health... We're all about mental health, but students sometimes get confused and come to us and try and talk to us about it, which, I mean, I'm great to sit here and listen, but also we are not professionals and we always try and, at any of that we have, we try and have professionals there to assist any students that need emergency help especially since [inaudible 00:32:00] islands packing.
Ruhl:
We also do de-stressing events where we have dogs and cute flowers and stuff. And we always have a professional there to talk and be there for somebody. So, we specifically, if someone comes up and starts to talk to us, we will direct them to resources. And last year, Lydia and I actually were on exec. And our number one goal was to make a pamphlet of this condensed pamphlet of places to go in Oxford, and what type of insurance they take? If they do any free stuff? So Lydia, do you have that pulled up?
Cates:
Yes. We just have a few here one second. Okay?
Ruhl:
Sure [crosstalk 00:32:37].
Cates:
Yeah. Basically we redirect the students to mental health resources. I know there's different ones for different things that you're dealing with such as sexual assault. We have sexual assault resources, obviously the Title IX office, contacting the police. And then there's confidential conversation. We have this whole little pamphlet that we kind of made with all the resources and everything, but basically we have those resources. We also have resources that deal with substance abuse, anxiety, basically counseling places. So Right Track Medical, Communicare Haven House, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, Oxford Treatment Center, and Oxford Wellness Center, just to basically-
Low:
That's awesome.
Cates:
That's where we just kind of redirect our students to these resources that we have in our community. Yeah.
Low:
Yeah. Cool. I assume that it's a similar gig in Starkville. Alana, is that right?
Buchanan:
Yes, sir. It's about the same there too.
Low:
Yeah. You guys, I've talked to a few people and Starkville. Y'all have done a great job in the mental health community, working together between the city and and the school. I've been very impressed with which y'all done. So let's... All three of you guys. I want you to, if someone wants to get involved with Active Minds, help you guys give you money, whatever, give me some information on how someone would go about that. Students, parents, alumni, whoever.
Ruhl:
So if you're a student, you are more than welcome to go onto the forum, the UM forum. And that it's basically just a place where you can find any and all organizations that are on the Ole Miss campus. You just type in Active Minds and you request a membership and you'll be accepted, and you will be a part of our other 350 or so members. We have a very active member base. They're really great. If you're a parent or alumni or whoever, you can always email us at olmissactiveminds@gmail.com, and we will get back to you ASAP.
Low:
Awesome. Excellent.
Buchanan:
Well at State, you can find us on a few accounts. We have a account for well, Twitter. And then we have the [inaudible 00:35:14] connect, which is what is our school forum for that. Just like-
Low:
Okay. All right. Great, awesome. And I'm sure that once they look you guys up online, they can find all that stuff. If they just Google Active Minds, Mississippi State, or Active Minds, Ole Miss. Easy to find that. Well, you guys are doing some incredible work and bringing awareness to this and being a resource base. That's cool. I didn't realize you guys listed all those resources for people to find help. You're telling them it's okay to find help. And then you're giving them the tools to do that. It's pretty amazing. Like I said, I'm highly impressed. Thank you guys so much. I know that y'all have a ton to do and I just thank y'all for giving me a second to chat. Be careful we may have you guys back in some regard, but that's about it. Anything final you guys want to say?
Cates:
Thank you so much for having us.
Ruhl:
Thank you so much.
Buchanan:
Thank you. Yes.
Low:
If you have questions about mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic that you'd like our providers to answer in a future episode, please email southoffine@righttrackmedical.com. And if you'd like more information about Right Track Medical Group or the South of Fine podcast, please visit righttrackmedical.com. Thanks to our production team, Kelley Hunsberger, Caitlyn Clegg, Carol Ann Hughes, Aleka Battista, and Rhes Low. Special thanks Squadcast for providing superior remote interview services.If you have questions about mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic that you'd like our providers to answer on a future episode, please email southoffine@righttrackmedical.com. And if you'd like more information about Right Track Medical Group or the South of Fine podcast, please visit righttrackmedical.com. Thanks to our production team, Kelley Hunsberger, Caitlyn Clegg, Carol Ann Hughes, Aleka Battista, and Reese Lau. A special thanks to Squadcast for providing superior remote interview services.
Rhes Low, Host:
Welcome to South of Fine, a podcast from Right Track Medical Group, dedicated to de-stigmatizing mental health in the South through genuine conversation about the challenges that we all face every day. For more information, please visit our website, @righttrackmedical.com\southoffine. Well, we hope you enjoy listening to our podcast. Please remember that this is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or for the treatment of any mental health condition.
All right guys. So we've spent a lot of time in recent episodes talking about the mental health of college students. Our guests for these episodes have included university leaders and healthcare professionals. Today, however, we're going straight to the source. I am joined by three leaders from the Active Minds chapters at Mississippi State and Ole Miss. If you're not familiar with Active Minds, it is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising mental health awareness among college students via peer to peer dialogue and interaction. Chapters can be found at high schools and colleges. Is that right guys? High schools too.
Lydia Cates, co-director, Active Minds, University of Mississippi:
I think it's just colleges.
Low:
Yeah. I did too. That's what I thought too. So, straight from the horse's mouth. You're not a horse Lydia, I promise.
Cates:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). It's okay.
Low:
But I'm old. So, that's an old saying. It is just colleges. Chapters can be found at colleges around the country and each year more than 50,000 students join a chapter to advocate for mental health and fight the stigma that is often associated with mental health, which is what we're trying to do on this podcast. So ladies, thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate it. We've talked a decent amount before, so I kind of know how awesome you guys are. More student than most college students I've made... I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. All college students who are listening, I just had to say that. I was an idiot in college.
Low:
So before we get started, I would really love each of you guys to introduce yourself and share your role with Active Minds, and also mentioning your university and your major in school and all of that stuff. Elena, would you like to start?
Alana Buchanan, co-director, Active Minds, Mississippi State University:
I can.
Low:
Great.
Buchanan:
Okay. So, my name is Alana Buchanan, and I am a psych major, and well, I am in my third year at State. So, I am a State student and I am the co-president of Active Minds in Mississippi State.
Low:
Cool. Excellent. Lydia.
Cates:
Hi, I'm Lydia Cates. I'm a junior at the University of Mississippi, and I'm one of the co-directors here at Ole Miss for Active Minds.
Low:
And Livie?
Livie Ruhl, co-director, Active Minds, University of Mississippi:
Hello? I am Livie Ruhl. . I'm a senior at the University of Mississippi. I'm a political science major, and I'm the co-director of Active Minds.
Low:
Super cool. Awesome. Well, thank you guys again for being here. It's really great to have you. And no back and forth about State and Ole Miss. We're all in this together right now. You guys wouldn't do that, would you?
Ruhl:
No.
Cates:
No.
Low:
Don't do it.
Buchanan:
Teamwork.
Low:
Did not get out of that right. I didn't get a school here so I can entice all that stuff. All right. So, let's get down to the heart of this. As I told you guys in the beginning, I'm going to try to stay on script, I promise you. Listeners probably do not believe me, but I am. All right. So, can you tell me a little bit about the goals of Active Minds on your campuses? Whoever wants to jump in.
Ruhl:
So at Ole Miss, our goals are to break the stigma around mental health and bring awareness to suicide prevention. Those are our two biggest things. And I think that that's just a reflection of the chapter, like the nationwide chapter's goal. So we just try and reflect that at Ole Miss.
Low:
Elena, is that similar at Mississippi State?
Buchanan:
Yes, it is just like that. And we also try to give people stuff just to be like, "If you need help, you have us, you have this, you have this and you have this." Just so it's like if you don't want to speak to us, you can speak to anyone or any source you really choose to. And it doesn't have to be face to face or anything. It can be through a phone call, a text message, so on and so forth.
Low:
Okay, cool. That's awesome. So, I think we know this or can assume this, but how does, Lydia, why don't you take this? How does Active Minds serve students?
Cates:
Active Minds serves students kind of like Alana was saying, we direct people to different mental health resources, and we're here so that students can have a community to freely talk about or freely feel comfortable about talking about their mental health and everything, and just kind of make everybody feel comfortable with that rather than feel like it's something to be stifled and just kind of be silent about. And we're kind of here to foster that conversation as well as provide stress relievers and different things to the students. And yeah, pretty much, yeah, redirect the students to the resources and foster the conversation of mental health and breaking that stigma around it.
Low:
Yeah. Good. Well said. That's cool. I mean, I really don't know your generation well, so can you tell me, I'm kind of skipping ahead here, but tell me, is there still a stigma from mental health? I know we're in the South, so probably so.
Cates:
Very much so.
Low:
Well, what's you guys' take on that for your age group?
Ruhl:
So, Lydia and I actually spoke about this last night. We spoke to a classroom of freshmen just about Active Minds. And I think the stigma around mental health is not our generation, and I don't want to make any listeners upset, but it's definitely the older generations, our parents' generations, boomers and Gen X. Yeah, that their generations, they always say they never had to deal with that and they didn't have anxiety when they were younger. But like, "Yeah. You probably did. You just didn't know that you had anxiety." When you would sleep for four days and you just thought it was your bender, "No. You were depressed mom."
Definitely that I think it's that perpetuated down to our generation. And so, I think our generation though has done a really good job of talking about it more and it is definitely a problem, Lydia and I, we talked about this last night. Mental health is, I wouldn't say it's a problem, and I'm doing air quotes. It definitely needs to just be talked about more. And I think people think that our generation has the most mental health issues and well, yada yada yada, but I don't necessarily think we do. I just think we talk about it more. We're way more open about talking about it. So, yeah, I don't think there's a stigma with us, I think with older generations.
Buchanan:
Agreed.
Cates:
I will like to add on to that.
Low:
Sure.
Cates:
I do believe that we definitely, there's less of a stigma with our generation because we're just more open to talking about these sorts of things. And I think that any type of uneasiness towards talking about mental health can kind of be a result of our parents basically telling us, "Oh, you're just having a bad day. You can get over it." But I also do think that we tend to see a lot of people that are kind of really afraid to open up about their emotions, especially in guys, which we talked about this in our meeting with the state presidents, Alana, of Active Minds. And we were talking about how it's kind of hard to get guys involved in Active Minds sometimes because, "Oh, I want to put up a front." Basically, looked strong and everything. And so, that's probably where I would see the most hesitation of opening up about mental health.
Low:
Excellent. Alana, do you have anything on that subject?
Buchanan:
Not really to add, but that's, yeah. That's pretty much it.
Low:
Yeah. I agree a whole heartedly with what you guys just said. That's very astute of you. I think that we did propound that problem. I mean, I'm prob... I'm Gen X, so I've learned through you guys and through paying attention to the importance of communication that my young kids that I have, right? We talk about everything. You guys live in a world where you're exposed to everything regardless of if we keep you away from it or not, it's going to find you somewhere. So yeah, there's no question. We have to be more open and communicate a little bit better.
Low:
And on the guy front, you're absolutely right. I was actually in entertainment industry for about 20 years and I'm supposed to be open with my emotions and all of that, but no, I'm not to my wife's chagrin. And let anger, we're good at anger. Guys are good at anger. That's the unfortunate thing. So yeah, that's actually really, really spot on guys. Thank you. So, why was it important for each of you to be a part of Active Minds and get involved with mental health advocacy and education on your particular campus? Elena at Mississippi State, why don't you start first?
Buchanan:
Well, I guess this can go back to my year one here, and it just goes back through well, at least a good chunk of my life. I had some stuff with stress and that was just who I was. And so now I'm just like, "I want to help people so that they don't have that, like I did," because it would get very, very bad for me. And I want to help people so that they don't have to face that alone, because my own personal parents were the ones that were just like, "It's just a bad day. You'll be fine." But they were good. It was just-
Low:
No. Yeah.
Buchanan:
... that mentality. So yeah, that's pretty much my reason.
Low:
Okay, cool. Anybody else?
Ruhl:
I'll go next? What was it? Okay, so basically Lydia and I also spoke about this last night.
Low:
Good. Fresh.
Ruhl:
Freshman year was amazing. I was like, " Oh my God. This is incredible. I love college. This is amazing, like yada yada yada. And then sophomore year hit. And I was like, "This is hell on earth. Sophomore slump is real. This is the worst year of my life." And it wasn't like nothing happened. And that's what made me so mad, is because when you, because I mean, I had intense anxiety, major panic attacks, but over nothing. Literally nothing was happening.
Ruhl:
Or I mean, my brain was just literally playing tricks on me, which is what a lot of mental health issues are. It's just your brain is sick. It's upset. And it really freaked me out because I was like, "No one else is experiencing this. None of my friends are going through what I'm going through. I literally feel insane. I feel crazy." And then I heard of Active Minds and I was like, "This is exactly what I need. I need just a space where I can learn that other people are feeling the same way that I am." And after getting involved in Active Minds, I was like, "Who doesn't feel like this?" Literally, I feel like everyone has something going on, and it really let me see everybody in a much more representative light. Like if someone's having a bad day or someone that goes off on me or it's just like [inaudible 00:12:22], I'm like, "Something's probably going on, like something..." And it's been such a great experience because it's really let me ground myself, but also see other people in such a different way. But yeah.
Low:
Great.
Ruhl:
So I joined sophomore year. Yeah. So, that was one.
Low:
Excellent.
Ruhl:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Low:
Lydia?
Cates:
Okay. So I joined Active Minds my sophomore year as well. Mental health awareness, it's always intrigued me and everything, and especially because I feel like our generation, we said it before, but our generation has kind of more willing to speak about things like this. But I do remember, there was still, I remember whenever I had a really bad anxiety attack, it was, I mean, I had a couple panic attacks before, but I remember one summer, it got really bad because one night I just woke up and I just kept, my mind just consistently was just racing with all these different thoughts. And they were not good thoughts to be thinking. And it was really scary for me. And I just remember waking up my mom and being really, really scared about what was happening and everything.
Cates:
And that was kind of the moment where she actually did suggest, because in the past I've dealt with it before, but this night she was just like, " You should probably go and see a therapist and try to get this all situated and everything." And I was initially really scared to do that, but I remembered, I was like, "This is a normal thing. There's tons of people that have a lot of anxiety and deal with different issues, even if I feel like my situation is unique, which everybody's situation is different." But I felt like, "Oh no, the doctor is really going to think I am a wacko or something."
Cates:
But I actually did go. And I did find a community at Ole Miss, which was Active Minds, who helped kind of facilitate that conversation and kind of reminded me, "Oh, I am normal. These thoughts may not be normal, but I am normal and everybody kind of deals with something else. Something weird and random." Or something like... There's something, I don't know how to explain it, but something very odd, any kind of weird thoughts, but everybody deals with something different And that's okay, and it's normal for you to be dealing with these weird situations. So yeah.
Low:
I am so impressed by you guys' age, the wherewithal and the fearlessness to seek mental health help. I mean, based upon things that, like you said, parents taught them. My parents were the same way. They're older than your parents, but we were told, "Fix it. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and tough through it." But anxiety is really, really terrible for you. And you're trying to control things you can't control. And it's pretty amazing that you guys have figured out how to get a handle on it. Not a hand... I mean work through it in a healthy way at such a young age. I'm really, really impressed. I do... I am going to sidetrack here because I have you guys, and you're of a certain age group that I've mentioned on the show quite a bit.
Low:
And I've mentioned it in terms of, yeah, from an older generations view, we look at what you guys deal with. And we think it's a really stressful world. There's stuff that you guys encounter and deal with that we never had as part of our lives. Now, you don't know anything different, but based upon that, do you think that's true? And do you have a lot of friends that are going through exactly the same things that you are? I think you guys have kind of touched on that, because everyone has anxiety and stress. But do you think that you have more on you than other generations have had? Because of the ability to get on your phone and do whatever you want, because some people can reach out and touch you on social media so easily and make you happy and make you sad within split seconds. That's a roller coaster. There's very little silence. I mean, am I crazy? Or?
Ruhl:
No. I don't think you're crazy.
Low:
I am actually [crosstalk 00:17:10].
Ruhl:
[inaudible 00:17:11] thinking about it the whole time. I don't know. I think it's harder with social media and the internet, because you see a different reality than what is real. But I also think it's changed the conversation and it's shown people that, "Okay. I need to raise my children to know that they're beautiful and they need to love themselves. Just it's helped in that department so that when kids do grow up in this day and age and they do see those things online, they're like, "Okay, well, I'm beautiful too." Because I think that's where it really digs in and then see.
Ruhl:
And like, "I'm smart too." You see all these people getting into wherever and doing [inaudible 00:18:04] and traveling, and I think it's just all about teaching and learning that not everything you see on the internet is truth. Not everything you see is reality. So I mean, I think, I wouldn't say magazines were the same, but I definitely think that it was starting out to be that way in the eighties and nineties of obsessing over these people that are more beautiful, I'm doing air quotes, more beautiful and smarter and yada yada yada. And I think with the-
Low:
With no conversation about it in our history.
Ruhl:
... Yeah. And so it's just amplified that, but I also think it might be a good thing because it has changed the conversation that into a more love yourself. Yeah.
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
Yeah. I think-
Low:
[inaudible 00:00:19:00]. Go ahead.
Cates:
I think that there's good and bad aspects about being surrounded by technology, obviously with anything there's good and bad aspects, but kind of what Livie was saying, I feel like there's more, what is it called? More encouragement to kind of embrace your beauty and everything just like that. And also I feel like there's more of raise self-awareness, if that makes sense. So just being very aware of your actions and how it can affect others, kind of how Levy was saying, like, "If I have a daughter, I want to tell her that she's beautiful." And basically, positively influence her and different things like that. And kind of just also train you to kind of see habits that aren't good and things that you shouldn't be doing. We see flaws, and I don't mean to keep bagging on the older ones. But-
Low:
Thanks a lot, Lydia.
Cates:
I'm not. But it's just like you see different things where I don't want to do that in the future. I don't to do that with my kids or with anybody else's kids or anything like that. I don't want to be hidden with my emotions and not choose to express myself and stuff like that. Just kind of be more open basically. I kind of went off on a tangent and now I ....
Low:
No. It's a good tangent. Hey, look, I'm the king of tangents. I got ahead of myself more than anybody, but that note, that's what I want to hear. That's what everyone wants to hear it.
Cates:
Yes.
Low:
I love this platform because it gives you guys a voice to an older generation that needs to hear stuff like this.
Cates:
But also-
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
... I do agree, Oh, I'm sorry to cut you off.
Low:
No. Go ahead. You're good.
Cates:
But I do agree that, with accessibility, we have our phone, everything's on our phone, everything's there at the drop of a hat. I feel like we do kind of have shorter attention spans and stuff like that. Just kind of, because we're just constantly trying to distract ourselves from different things.
Buchanan:
I agree.
Cates:
And so I guess, that's definitely a negative aspect to living in kind of a faster-paced world, but also I feel like, we're just kind of adapting and figuring it out and so.
Low:
Yeah. That's what we do as humans. So Alana maybe kick this off. The conversation about the Send Silence Packing. There's an event that you guys all do. Do y'all do that at Mississippi State as well? I assume you do.
Buchanan:
Yes, sir. We do.
Low:
.. Yeah, I'd love to hear about... I've read a little bit about it, but I'd love to hear you guys tell me about it, and tell the audience about it.
Buchanan:
Okay. So, the main point of it is just, we have a whole bunch of bags out on our field and we have stats, facts, and just the well, the life and the impact of a person who has passed on because of suicide. And so we'll have that story and we'll have the stats and then help numbers and so on and so forth.
Low:
Cool. Yeah. You guys do the same thing on at Ole Miss. Right?
Ruhl:
We do.
Low:
It's every campus. Right? It's every campus that has Active Minds chapter.
Ruhl:
Well, you can request them to come, because it's not free.
Low:
Oh.
Ruhl:
But more common. Yeah. It's just the same thing. And we're a very low key group at Ole Miss. This is only our fifth year to be active at Ole Miss. But the thing that really got our name out there was Send Silence Packing. And everyone always knows us. I'll be like, "Oh yeah. Blah, blah, blah. Active Mind." [inaudible 00:22:58], "What's Active Minds?" And I'm like, "You know the backpacks in the Grove? And they're like, "Oh yeah." And I'm like, "Yeah. That's what I am."
Ruhl:
But yeah, like Alana was saying, it's just the ones that are lining the sidewalks, they have stories of people that have fallen to suicide. It's a very somber day, but it brings so much awareness to something that needs to be seen, because I don't know about the Mississippi State campus. I'm sure there, because every single college campus in the United States is plagued with just children because we are for children that fall to suicide. And Ole Miss is definitely one of those campuses. Since I've been a student, we've had multiple students take their lives and we try and represent them. Lydia, we got an athletic Ole Miss Backpack-
Cates:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Ruhl:
... last year just to represent those students. We didn't put anything on it, but everyone knew. It was just to represent them. But yeah, it's a very special day.
Cates:
Yeah. It's, we do request like Levy was saying, we request to do it kind of from the actual National Organization of Active Minds, and they're really conscientious about everything. They even work to put up trigger warnings before actually going to the exhibit. That way, anybody that does feel emotionally affected by it, they can take an alternative route or something like that.
Ruhl:
Yeah.
Cates:
But yeah, it's just nice to that... Well, it's just a good event to have. It's very sad event, but yeah. It's raising awareness and-
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
Yeah.
Low:
And that conversation is hugely important. I think it was the last podcast I did. No. Yeah. I think it was the last one I recorded. It was with the lady who lost her husband and her son to suicide within a span of five years. Every single person in this world has been affected by suicide. They know someone that has died that way. And so it's a huge, huge deal that needs to be talked about way more openly. So thank you guys. That's a great project. I have to ask this. You said you have to pay for it?
Cates:
Yes.
Low:
Or you have to raise money. Or do you guys raise money for this?
Buchanan:
Our events this year are funded by ASB, but usually we do. We fundraise.
Low:
Okay cool.
Buchanan:
But we have this whole system this year, but yeah. We would usually fundraise with t-shirts.
Low:
Okay, good. So do y'all have any idea how we're going to get rid of this stigma? Is it conversation?
Ruhl:
Yes.
Buchanan:
Yes.
Low:
Yeah. Okay. So I'm trying to get into COVID, but I really don't want to. So, I know that based upon the year you are in school, you're having a different experience with COVID and it's causing more stress and anxiety. And I mean, and these freshmen, they've never experienced anything but this. Let's talk about that a second. Anybody have any comments about what's happening here?
Cates:
Boy, do I have some things to filter? Yeah.
Low:
Okay. Well, you can filter it if you'd like.
Cates:
It's definitely weird, but we previously said, we're just all kind of adapting to what's kind of going on and everything and everybody's kind of dealing with this too and in their jobs and everything like that. But with students, I personally feel like the thing that I have felt the most effects from is that I feel kind of more estranged from people in a way. It's just like I feel like, or automatically have like the worst case scenario. I'm just like, "Hmm. I wonder if that person doesn't want to talk to me. Maybe they don't like me anymore or something like that. Maybe they're resentful towards me." But when in reality, we're just kind of quickly get to what, get what we need to be. Sorry [inaudible 00:27:15], but do what we need to get done. Sorry.
Cates:
And basically, I feel like everybody's just kind of, this is an example. Anytime I go to campus, I feel like I don't really have that much time to mingle with others and everything like that. It's just more like, go there and get my meal-
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
... go to class and get it done. Whereas I feel like in the past, there's more time to chit chat and everything. So that's kind of where I feel like I haven't really had as much time to really socialize and be able to talk to as many people as I could have because-
Low:
Yeah. Its-
Cates:
... the pandemic is going on. And it's just a weird time. And with classes everything's, basically all my classes are online. I have one in-person class it's on Mondays-
Ruhl:
Me too.
Cates:
And I know some people that are just completely online. One of my roommates, she's completely online. And so-
Low:
Livie is pointing to herself.
Cates:
Yeah. And its just of weird because those people kind of have to... We all have to create a new routine and adapt to this weird situation that we're in.
Low:
Yeah.
Cates:
So, yeah.
Ruhl:
Yeah. Going off of that, I also think it's very hard for students too. It's hard for students because obviously we are in the middle of a pandemic and we don't need to be socializing. We don't need to be seeing each other and we need to stop the spread. But I think it's so hard to pull students back to their college towns and then tell them, "Don't do anything."
I promise you a freshmen who just got away from their parents and is now in a college town or far away they're not going to listen. And I think it's hard also because, I mean our mental health, kids' mental health, a lot of us are extroverts, so need people to energize ourselves, because they need people. And it's definitely been hard for me because it's just, I remember in the peak of quarantine, I was literally going insane.
I would go on seven walks a day. And that school is going on, it's like that plus school plus I'm around all of my friends, but I'm like, "What do we do here? I don't want to be ostracized from the Oxford community. Because I feel like there's a blow up is going to be our fault because I mean, it's always the students and the mental health of students is already deteriorating because of COVID and now we can't see our friends and blah, blah, blah. I mean, it's just, I think this is peak where we need mental health awareness is growing COVID for students, for everyone. Really. [inaudible 00:29:54].
Low:
Are y'all having a similar experience in Starkville, Alana?
Buchanan:
Yes, sir. It's the exact same pretty much. And then, there is a problem with people are just not really good at just we don't see people anymore. So, it's pretty much just all of us are just like, "How do I speak?"
Low:
Yeah. Your social skills dwindle if you don't use them just like anything else. Oh gosh, that's so hard. I've mentioned before, I couldn't have done... You guys, like you said, Levy you're going to have hiccups. And how can you expect someone in college, it's a social environment to stay put? Really, y'all have done a great job. And a lot of people think that. So, don't think we're being too hard on you. The press may say a few things, but we all are pretty impressed with what you guys have done in the midst of this odd, odd world. So, wrapping up, because I've gotten in trouble for going to 45 minutes, let's talk about... So, if there's a student out there listening, who's in need of support. Where could they turn? I know Active Minds is a place. What would you guys suggest? How would that look if someone needs to reach out?
Ruhl:
So, I'm going to let Lydia, we actually have a pamphlet. I'm going to talk for a minute and let her pull it up and read off some resources. One of the biggest misconceptions of Active Minds is students feel, obviously we are a mental health... We're all about mental health, but students sometimes get confused and come to us and try and talk to us about it, which, I mean, I'm great to sit here and listen, but also we are not professionals and we always try and, at any of that we have, we try and have professionals there to assist any students that need emergency help especially since [inaudible 00:32:00] islands packing.
Ruhl:
We also do de-stressing events where we have dogs and cute flowers and stuff. And we always have a professional there to talk and be there for somebody. So, we specifically, if someone comes up and starts to talk to us, we will direct them to resources. And last year, Lydia and I actually were on exec. And our number one goal was to make a pamphlet of this condensed pamphlet of places to go in Oxford, and what type of insurance they take? If they do any free stuff? So Lydia, do you have that pulled up?
Cates:
Yes. We just have a few here one second. Okay?
Ruhl:
Sure [crosstalk 00:32:37].
Cates:
Yeah. Basically we redirect the students to mental health resources. I know there's different ones for different things that you're dealing with such as sexual assault. We have sexual assault resources, obviously the Title IX office, contacting the police. And then there's confidential conversation. We have this whole little pamphlet that we kind of made with all the resources and everything, but basically we have those resources. We also have resources that deal with substance abuse, anxiety, basically counseling places. So Right Track Medical, Communicare Haven House, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, Oxford Treatment Center, and Oxford Wellness Center, just to basically-
Low:
That's awesome.
Cates:
That's where we just kind of redirect our students to these resources that we have in our community. Yeah.
Low:
Yeah. Cool. I assume that it's a similar gig in Starkville. Alana, is that right?
Buchanan:
Yes, sir. It's about the same there too.
Low:
Yeah. You guys, I've talked to a few people and Starkville. Y'all have done a great job in the mental health community, working together between the city and and the school. I've been very impressed with which y'all done. So let's... All three of you guys. I want you to, if someone wants to get involved with Active Minds, help you guys give you money, whatever, give me some information on how someone would go about that. Students, parents, alumni, whoever.
Ruhl:
So if you're a student, you are more than welcome to go onto the forum, the UM forum. And that it's basically just a place where you can find any and all organizations that are on the Ole Miss campus. You just type in Active Minds and you request a membership and you'll be accepted, and you will be a part of our other 350 or so members. We have a very active member base. They're really great. If you're a parent or alumni or whoever, you can always email us at olmissactiveminds@gmail.com, and we will get back to you ASAP.
Low:
Awesome. Excellent.
Buchanan:
Well at State, you can find us on a few accounts. We have a account for well, Twitter. And then we have the [inaudible 00:35:14] connect, which is what is our school forum for that. Just like-
Low:
Okay. All right. Great, awesome. And I'm sure that once they look you guys up online, they can find all that stuff. If they just Google Active Minds, Mississippi State, or Active Minds, Ole Miss. Easy to find that. Well, you guys are doing some incredible work and bringing awareness to this and being a resource base. That's cool. I didn't realize you guys listed all those resources for people to find help. You're telling them it's okay to find help. And then you're giving them the tools to do that. It's pretty amazing. Like I said, I'm highly impressed. Thank you guys so much. I know that y'all have a ton to do and I just thank y'all for giving me a second to chat. Be careful we may have you guys back in some regard, but that's about it. Anything final you guys want to say?
Cates:
Thank you so much for having us.
Ruhl:
Thank you so much.
Buchanan:
Thank you. Yes.
Low:
If you have questions about mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic that you'd like our providers to answer in a future episode, please email southoffine@righttrackmedical.com. And if you'd like more information about Right Track Medical Group or the South of Fine podcast, please visit righttrackmedical.com. Thanks to our production team, Kelley Hunsberger, Caitlyn Clegg, Carol Ann Hughes, Aleka Battista, and Rhes Low. Special thanks Squadcast for providing superior remote interview services.
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