Mental Health Awareness Month
About the October Sticker
We wanted to create a sticker to remind us all to treat ourselves kindly. October is Mental Health Awareness month and we recognize that Mental Health is a huge component of overall wellbeing, and sometimes it’s a good idea to remind ourselves of that, and take a moment to reflect on some of the ways we practice mental health in our own lines.
Stories from Union WELL Staff:
Please note: Sometimes when exploring issues related to wellness and mental health, even in an academic or art setting, one can have strong emotional reactions. If in the process you feel overwhelmed or upset by emotional concerns, please remember Student Health & Counseling Services are available at (916‐278‐6461). Mental health support is available through individual, group, and peer counseling. Urgent Care Counseling is also available during business hours on the first floor of the WELL.
Please note, if you are in crisis, there are available Lifeline services such as the Crisis Text Line: Text BRAVE or STEVE (counselor of color) to 741-741 or Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8.
My name is Aric Sparrow, but I go by Ricky. I work as a Marketing Student Supervisor at The Well. My mental health history is shakey. I have had my fair share of years of ongoing depression, suicide thoughts, self harm, anxiety breakdowns. My journey has been long and hard. I was able to persevere with the indomitable human spirit and to those around me. I take care of my mental health by letting myself feel and creating. Either it being grief, sadness, anger. I give myself a heart to heart by being honest in the form of writing or visuals. It took me so long to realize that I was human. I learned when I overthink to write, when I don’t think, to read. I feel with visuals I am properly able to understand my feelings. Either with the use of storytelling in videos or rhetoric in photos it helps me feel like I have purpose. A big inspiration for me is the artist Porter Robinson. This artist’s song “Look at the Sky” always makes me feel better in times of need.
Mental health is as important as your spiritual and physical aspects. It’s important to realize there’s only so much you can do, only so much you can take. Life is very busy and as students we get so busy pouring our glass into other glasses. We later realize that we don’t have enough to pour to sustain ourselves. If you’re reading this I know you’re strong. You’re taking the time to read about mental health. You’re putting in the work. If you have poor mental health it doesn’t make you weak, if anything you’re as strong as can be. The strength to go on every single day is HUGE. You can be who you want to be and do what you want to do. What I tell myself when times get tough when I feel utterly hopeless is to make it to next year. A lot can change in a year. I know your future self will thank you and be proud of you if you keep going. Keep being you, keep being human.
I feel empowered and heard at Union WELL Inc because our faculty cares so much. Faculty and staff are here for the students with mentors and peers to listen when everything feels lost. I feel Union WELL Inc gives student leaders a safe place when it comes to professional development, mental health, and student voices. The Well is so innovative and even with this sticker project that has such deeper meaning to it is so inspiring. I come to work everyday feeling inspired and clock out even more inspired.
Utilizing The Well’s services and being active gives me a sense of purpose. Either hitting a nasty leg day, killer shoulder day, a hard back bi, etc. A body in motion keeps life moving. Working out is more than just picking up something heavy and putting it back down. It’s about determination and the indomitable human spirit. A body in motion, physical goals set/ completed, it makes me alive.
You can get there, but you can’t get there alone. I believe in you and there are people who believe in you too. Meet us halfway, live a life full of purpose and happiness and take care of your mental health with the resources you have. If you need help, The Well Student Health Services and Counseling provides Peer Counseling. We have people who want to help you. If you need help scheduling an appointment you can ask a friend or trusted faculty member to help you along the way. My advice to fellow hornets is to understand that you aren’t your mistakes and you aren’t your past. You can be who you want to be and do what you want to be. Spend time with the people you love. My advice to fellow hornets is to find your why. When times get tough remind yourself of your why. In the end everything will be okay, and if it’s not okay it’s not the end.
I just wanted to put a thank you note to those who have helped me throughout this hard journey with few names including, Josh, Zahin, Ryan, Brandon, Caitleen, Mercedes, Edmari, Clarence, Stanley
Aric Sparrow
Union WELL Inc
Growing up, Mental Health was not a priority and needing help was seen as a sign of weakness. In 2019-2020 I realized help is exactly what I needed, and led to a diagnoses of Depression & Anxiety. I started with some group classes & then switched to one-on-one talk therapy. Finding what worked for me & finding the right therapist is what helped me on my path to healing and today I am in Depression Remission (yes, its real & possible!). Working for Union WELL Inc has been a big help because Mental Health Days are accepted as sick days and everyone is understanding when its needed. No one makes you feel bad for needing to take a day off or just needing a break to take a walk and calm an anxious mind. Stupid walks for stupid mental health actually work & I appreciate being able to take that time for myself to then come back and continue with work in a better headspace. There's nothing wrong with needing help & sometimes the hardest part is just taking the first step. "People who wade into discomfort and vulnerability and tell the truth about their stories are the real badasses"-Brene Brown. If I can offer one piece of advice, it would be to choose vulnerability with yourself and those who care about you. Start by saying "hey, I'd like to be vulnerable and share this with you..."You're not alone.”
Union WELL Inc. Employee
After my second bout of deep depression as an adult, I dove into trying to find the causes of the pain and some sources of relief. I will try to explain the system of checking in with myself on a daily basis (Five card poker hand), which I believe helps maintain my life balance. I realize I need to actively do things differently, so now I make time for myself (almost) every morning for yoga stretching and meditation. This check in system lets me see what I can do to make myself feel better in my conscience mind each day. With the overall goal of gently trying to shape my unconscious mind in positive ways.
People who have never experienced depression may not understand, but it can be the very scariest when your life is actually going well enough, your needs are being met, but your mind can only feel extreme sadness. That is when intellectually, I really understood that my depression was mental illness, because even though I was doing well in life, my brain was only releasing negative chemicals, so my brain was clearly not functioning as it should. Was it physical or psychological? It's really absolutely both, and very important to realize the solution lies in both. Its what you do, AND what you think.
This led me to a few questions: How much control over those brain chemicals do I have? Can I find ways to reset some of the controls in my unconscious mind?
- Imagine being able to lower your threshold of experiencing happiness?
To start my research I needed a system to gauge my happiness. I found that I have five particularly important relationship groups that bring me joy and cause stress/pain. They are: 1. My home life/family relationships 2. Work life and working relationships 3. Financial health 4. physical health/mental health 5. My relationship to Music, my greatest passion (Am I practicing and recording?).
I started checking in with these five areas of my life every day and I just started thinking of it as my poker hand. How are my cards looking today? I quickly found that even if some areas were not going very well, I often still felt ok, because of the BALANCE of all five. I have always been one who liked extremes and I still do, and I realized that extremes can be ok, if you have balance overall. Just having this new self awareness of the most important areas in my life and where they currently stand, helped me get the feeling of control back. When I was in depression it felt like I had no control, feeling as if the floor would drop out from beneath me at any moment as I fall into the abyss of pain, no relief and no future, forever...
So now I have a way to check in with my current happiness and try to take measures to improve each area of my life. I find getting enough sleep and eating right has a huge effect on my daily happiness. I make small changes, sometimes just to be different... Remember the definition of insanity "continuing to do the same thing while expecting different results". This really drove me to do things differently and I found by trying new things and you will stumbled upon what works and what brings new joy. "New inspiration, turns to motivation, which causes less perspiration" my moto...
I don't know if this will be helpful to anyone... for me, it came down to self awareness and actively checking in with the most important relationships in my life daily. I don't think I have ever read a "blog" before so I don't know if I've achieved one here. I felt compelled to write today because I'm going through a particularly hard time right now because of too many family health situations, out of my control. I am carrying a lot of negative weight, without an end in sight or solution anytime soon, so this is a huge test of my self awareness and self help abilities... I will attempt to find my balance everyday, onwards we go!
I wish the very best for anyone in pain right now... When your brain says "You will feel like this forever" Your brain is lying to you!!!!
Union WELL Inc. Employee
On Campus Resources
Sac State Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS)
https://www.csus.edu/student-life/health-counseling/
Student Health & Counseling Services is offering most services, both virtually and in-person. We strongly recommend that students call first before coming in, so we can determine whether they can be seen virtually or need to be seen in person. Our phone number is 916-278-6461. Face coverings are required to enter the facility. Business Hours are 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Crisis Assistance and Resource Education Support (CARES)
cares@csus.edu | 916.278.5138
https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/crisis-assistance-resource-education-support/
Sacramento State CARES office provides support to students who are in crisis or experiencing unique challenges to their education. We coordinate referrals to campus and community resources and offer follow-up support to address a variety of issues including, but not limited to:
Transportation Barriers
Mental Health & Wellness
Physical Health & Wellness
Confidential Campus Advocate
weave@csus.edu | 916.278.5850
Phone Numbers
(SHCS) 916-278-6461
Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Mental Health Access team (916) 875-1055 or toll free (888) 881-4881
PDF Handouts