Mental Health Awareness Week at Buffalo State

The seventh annual Mental Health Awareness Week is taking place at Buffalo State through Saturday, September 12. Events held throughout the week focus on ways to get the campus community to talk openly about the issues surrounding mental health and mental illness. Buffalo State will participate in a suicide prevention walk on Saturday, September 12, to conclude the program.

"Mental health concerns common in college, notably stress, anxiety, depression, and alcohol and substance abuse, can significantly impair a student’s ability to learn,” said senior counselor Suzanne Johnson. “At the Counseling Center (and at Buffalo State), we care about all aspects of student achievement. Being mentally healthy is an important part of college success.”

Each year, the Counseling Center collaborates with various campus departments, offices, and organizations to coordinate mental-health activities. Tabling and presentations in the Campbell Student Union this week include information about QPR (question-persuade-refer) for suicide prevention, learning about SafeZone, LGBT ally training, therapy dogs' impact on mental health, Evergreen LGBT health services, yoga, and expressive-writing learning experiences.

Download the complete schedule of activities. 

Mental Health Awareness Week gets people thinking about their own mental well-being and reaching out to others. Caring for yourself involves eating well, getting enough rest, exercising, having fun, and being with friends. Connecting with others, positively engaging with your community, and being compassionate can all make a big difference in the quality of your mental health.

“Students have busy lifestyles and it can be easy to cut down on sleep and spending quality time with others,” said Johnson. “Having a lifestyle that encourages self-care is a great way to manage the stress that is inherent to the college experience and can make all the difference in having a fuller, more meaningful, and successful life, personally, academically, and spiritually.

The Buffalo State Cares UPStanders, a 25-member team composed of students, faculty, and staff, will join the Buffalo community at Saturday’s Out of the Darkness walk, sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The team has already successfully surpassed its original fundraising goal, but continues to accept donations.

For more information, please visit the team's webpage or contact Johnson at (716) 878-4436.