Honoring the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, Dr. Patty Noble came to Benet Academy to present on mental health and wellness. The presentation took place on February 29 in St. Daniel’s Hall. Dr. Noble is a Benet alumnus, now a Doctor of Psychology Working as Manager of Outpatient Services at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. Dr. Noble was kind enough to share important information regarding mental health stigma and more.

The presentation started with Dr. Noble talking about the stigma surrounding mental illness. She shared her insight on the matter saying: “Your head is attached to your body…anything that goes wrong in your head can go a little wonky, anything that goes wrong in your body can go a little wonky…it can cause illness.” She put emphasis on the fact that mental health is an important part of our body, even if it is not visible. She further stated that “mental health is a thing, it’s not made up, it’s not fake.” She made clear that mental health is something to take seriously. The presentation continued with some statistics. Dr. Noble shared a few eye-opening facts: one in five experience mental illness in their life and one in six youth experience a mental illness in their life. The statistics gave a new outlook. She noted that mental illness is all around and so many people may be battling it. Additionally, she said that 50% of mental illness begins at the age of 14 and 75% of mental illness will show up by the age of 14. These statistics also showed that mental health is more prevalent than we may think. 

Next, Dr. Noble talked about certain mental disorders. She started by addressing that being depressed is not just being sad and having anxiety is not just being stressed about a test. She stated that there are physical and mental symptoms of mental disorders. Mental disorders happen for periods of time, all the time. She explained that this is the difference between being organized and having OCD. Then, she explained the symptoms of depression and anxiety. She said the symptoms of depression are changes in appetite, tiredness, aches, pains and behaviorally crying for no reason. Moreover, she explained symptoms of anxiety mirror those of depression, but it also includes difficulty getting sleep. Dr. Noble also addressed the warning signs for mental disorders. The warning signs for mental disorders can be not wanting to hang out with friends or having an overwhelming sense of guilt or dread. Furthermore, she also emphasized the importance of others on those with mental disorders. She stated, “Think before you act, think twice before you speak, your words do matter…what you say matters and how you say it”.

Dr. Noble ended the presentation by giving important advice and tips. She emphasized the importance of self-care. She said that getting sleep, having a change of scenery, and taking a break is important. She explained that little changes to routine and lifestyle can make a tremendous impact on mental health. She presented that the mental health emergency number is always available. She stressed always being alert if somebody is struggling. Dr. Noble explained, “I’d rather be wrong about a friend that I think is struggling, than find out the next day that they were struggling and I didn’t do anything about it.”

Overall, the presentation put a close to Benet Academy’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Students were able to gain knowledgeable information and tips from the information from a reliable source.