#SEMOsecrets video aims to get people to open up about mental illness

Southeast Missouri State University graduate students Timothy Hakenewerth and Heather Williams want to start a conversation about mental health.

Because May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the students have spearheaded #SEMOSecrets, a call to action on campus and beyond to normalize mental illness.

"One in four adults have mental-health diagnoses, but we don't talk about it," Williams said. "The goal of the campaign is to make people feel comfortable talking about mental illness -- with each other and with their doctors, without fear of judgment."

Hakenewerth and Williams, mental-health counseling students and members of the honor society Chi Sigma Iota, sought to collect mental health "secrets" on campus: thoughts, ideas, concerns, fears and confessions people might be too embarrassed to say publicly. In a collaborative effort with others departments, they distributed "Secret Packs" to various mental-health organizations, fraternities, sororities, psychology clubs and professors on campus. The manila envelopes contained card stock and instructions so those who felt inclined could write down their "secrets" and submit them anonymously.

And more than 150 people did.

More than 150 mental-health secrets are displayed in Southeast Missouri State University's University Center on Friday.Laura Simon

Then, with the help of the university communication and marketing department and digital image specialist Aaron Eisenhauer, they created a video to share online, to spread their message and continue the conversation. The video features a small sampling of handwritten submitted secrets.

"My friends say they love my positivity. I'm fighting depression" is written on a blue card with hand-drawn rainbows and clouds.

"I fought for my country ... why can't I cry about what I endured," reads another.

In multiple colors another card reads "New Years Eve reminds me of my suicide attempt. My friends wonder why I don't party."

In the video, members of Chi Sigma Iota read the secrets aloud, and make their plea to talk about mental health.

The video, which may be watched at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ik-SLdSsvQ and www.vimeo.com/164590017, was made by the university, and the project was done with Chi Sigma Iota, but it was not an assignment. It was done simply to raise awareness, start a conversation and help normalize mental illness.

"We're just very passionate about reducing the stereotype of mental illness," said Williams, who is also a substance-abuse specialist for the integrated dual disorders treatment team at Community Counseling Center.

"I work at one of the clinics on campus, and that's one of the things we struggle with constantly: getting people to even make that first appointment," said Hakenewerth, who is also president of Chi Sigma Iota.

"Statistically, mental illness and mental-health diagnoses start around age 14, and three-quarters of people of it are diagnosed by age 25. That's this age group. That's college students," Williams said. "People have to start treating mental illness the same way they would physical illness. No one says 'Oh, you have cancer? Suck it up.'"

On Friday, the anonymous submissions were put on display in the University Center on campus. "I've already heard from people walking by, professors even, looking at this display and saying 'me too,'" Hakenewerth said. "And that's so cool, because that starts the conversation, and that's the whole point of this."

The video has been making the rounds on social media, reaching further than they had expected in just a short time. Hakenewerth and Williams are thrilled with the response and excited to see how far it goes. But they realize a video can only do so much, and it's up to others to continue the conversation.

"It can't stop there," Hakenewerth said. Though thousands of people may see the video encouraging people to start talking, "If no one does open up, then it doesn't have an effect."

bbrown@semissourian.com

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