The New Jersey Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services visited Drew on Monday, Feb. 24, and tabled in the Ehinger Center for most of the day.
DMHAS staff members were stationed in front of Crawford Hall, and distributed stickers, brochures, wristbands and flyers to passing students. Students could also scan a QR code to take a mental health survey using their phones.
Those interested could take a mental health-themed quiz which posed various issues to participants and asked them how they would handle or process such a scenario. Staff members had also set up a game of Connect Four next to the table into which students could deposit a piece each.
Wristbands at the table bore fun slogans such as “You Got This” and “Slay Queen.” The brochures being distributed included a guide to “Stress & Worry: What Young People Want to Know,” which provides resources on how to deal with anxiety. The brochure also goes into detail on how to recognize and manage symptoms of stress, such as fight or flight response as well as physical side effects like headaches, sleep issues and increased irritability. “Worry can signal there is a problem that needs attention…[but] if your mind gets stuck in the worry mode, it can increase your stress levels and affect your well-being,” it notes.
The brochure provides suggestions for coping mechanisms as well, such as breathing exercises, taking necessary breaks and time to process emotions and consciously naming feelings. It notes that “when people take a moment to name what they are feeling, it can turn down the intensity of those feelings.”
Another brochure, titled “When You Feel Lonely,” provides suggestions for coping with feelings of disconnection and encourages those struggling with loneliness to take steps to reach out to whomever they would like to reconnect with.
According to the DMHAS staff members at the table, there will be another tabling event later this month in the Ehinger Center, followed by intermittent presences at Drew at different points during the semester.
Sabr Keres-Siddiqui is a sophomore majoring in sociology and minoring in journalism.
