Eastern Michigan University’s chapter of Active Minds hosted the Send Silence Packing display on Monday on the lawn between Pray-Harrold and the Snow Health Center.
Each backpack in the display, which travels around the country to help reduce the stigma of mental illness, represents one of the 1,100 college students who die by suicide every year.
Many of the backpacks are donated in memory of a student and feature the story of that student on the backpack.
Chris Schrimscher, a graduate clinical behavioral psychology student, is the co-coordinator for Safe Now, EMU’s suicide prevention grant. He is also the display supervisor.
Schrimscher said the display is important because it shows students that suicide is a real issue.
“By having it with backpacks people can see that clear number and why it’s so important that people understand mental health,” he said. “And, that we actually start talking about it so that it’s not so stigmatized.”
Steven Cole, student body president, volunteered at the event. He said the purpose is to encourage a discussion about mental health.
“So as opposed to being seen as a taboo thing that no one talks about, we need to discuss it and address it and give people help when they give us signs,” Cole said. “As opposed to just saying, ‘they’re fine, they’ll get better.’”
Junior Marybeth Willey, majoring in secondary education, walked through the display.
“I think a lot of these people probably felt like they didn’t have anybody to talk to,” Willey said of students who commit suicide.
Melissa Randall, a junior in the physicians assistant program, said the number of backpacks is surprising.
“I think the display really helps people to see how many people have suffered with this,” Randall said.
Graduate clinical psychology student Truc Nguyen was a volunteer at the event.
“It seems like the people who were affected by this didn’t even see it coming because it’s an issue that is so well hidden because of a mental stigma surrounding it,” Nguyen said.
Besides walking through the display and reading some of the stories, students could also leave messages of hope.
For more information on Active Minds, go towww.activeminds.org. To contact EMU’s chapter, email activemindsemu@gmail.com.
