Learner Mental Health Empowerment for Health Students Scholarship

Knowing the realities of mental health is both a blessing and a curse: I get the opportunity to help others through their struggles, but I have to face the reality that regardless of its dangers, mental illnesses are still heavily stigmatized in our world. Society views those with mental disorders and diseases as weak and responsible for these problems. But, just as any other disease or injury, mental health can be genetic or environmental, but most of all, not anyone's fault. Society's tendency to judge and think less of those who struggle with mental health will never cease to baffle me. It's almost as if when we are unable to see the injury, we simply believe it cannot exist. But as science has proved time and time again, there is a world of truth beyond what we can "see." We simply don't believe in it because we're scared of not knowing. I have chosen to pursue a degree in healthcare because now that I know this information and the harshly devastating realities of mental health, I feel it is a disservice to let this problem go unnoticed. Every person deserves equal treatment and support, and I hope to study brain health and brain injury to better help and understand people who are suffering with mental illnesses. I additionally hope to conduct research that will help people to understand the reality of mental health - It is not simply a "made up" issue; it is the injury/disease stemming from our body's most complex organ, the brain. With time, I hope that we as a society can begin to try understanding mental illness better, and perhaps offer more support to those who are struggling. For example, I implemented the Green Bandana Project at my school, a program that promotes mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The ambassadors of this program, including myself, are all certified in QPR training, and our school is now working towards raising awareness for these issues. This project was incredibly fulfilling for me, and it inspired me to continue on the path of helping those struggling with mental health. I am attending Washington University in St. Louis, and I will be majoring in an interdisciplinary major titled Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology. I hope to combine all of these approaches of thought into one to better comprehend the truths of mental disease and illnesses, as well as using modern brain scanning technology to promote more efficient diagnoses.