The voices in my head

To all appearances, Eleanor Longden was just like every other student, heading to college full of promise and without a care in the world. That was until the voices in her head started talking. Initially innocuous, these internal narrators became increasingly antagonistic and dictatorial, turning her life into a living nightmare. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, hospitalized, drugged, Longden was discarded by a system that didn't know how to help her. Longden tells the moving tale of her years-long journey back to mental health, and makes the case that it was through learning to listen to her voices that she was able to survive.

The world needs all kinds of minds

Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.

Mental Health for College Students: Learning to Speak up!

This talk shares the idea that we can refocus our lens, engaging in strategic interventions for situations in which a student’s mental health may be at risk. Making the transition from being a passive bystander to taking specific actions to intervene results in a more supportive, healthy campus experience, laying the foundation for a lifetime of socially responsible behaviors.

Why is it important to talk about student mental health?

We spoke to our Steering Group about why it’s important to talk about student mental health. Thank you to our Steering Group for taking part!

Breaking the Stigma and Shame of Mental Illness

Suicide leads to over 44,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Stigma against people with mental illness is a major contributor to this unacceptably high mortality rate. Kitty uses heartbreaking true stories and scientific facts to help the audience understand ways to challenge their thinking and join the fight to reduce stigma and shame.

Lessons from the Mental Hospital

Glennon Doyle Melton is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, CARRY ON, WARRIOR, founder of http://www.momastery.com, and creator of http://www.monkeeseemonkeedo.org. Glennon believes that life is equal parts beautiful and brutal, and writes about the "brutiful" she finds in marriage, motherhood, faith, addiction and recovery. Glennon unleashes her wit, courage and irreverence to call us to accept ourselves exactly as we are today, but also incidentally inspires us to live bolder, more meaningful lives for others.

I Am Not A Monster: Schizophrenia

Cecilia McGough puts a face to schizophrenia and helps empower college students through the upcoming non-profit Students With Schizophrenia.

Conquering depression: how I became my own hero

Hunter Kent, a senior at Cape Elizabeth High School, spent many of her teen years battling depression, a devastating condition that is often easy to hide and difficult to acknowledge. She courageously shares her profound journey from despair to peace, and how she now uses her past suffering to connect and empathize with her fellow students in need of encouragement and hope.

The best way to help is often just to listen

A 24-hour helpline in the UK known as Samaritans helped Sophie Andrews become a survivor of abuse rather than a victim. Now she's paying the favor back as the founder of The Silver Line, a helpline that supports lonely and isolated older people. In a powerful, personal talk, she shares why the simple act of listening (instead of giving advice) is often the best way to help someone in need.

This is what it’s really like to live with ADHD

At 32, Jessica McCabe's ADHD brought her to the darkest point of her life thus far. At 34, she was thriving both personally and professionally, producing a successful Youtube channel about living with ADHD. In this deeply personal talk, Jessica describes how she turned things around through community and education.