U-M launches campaign about men's depression

Updated 10:00 AM February 28, 2005

U-M launches campaign about men's depression

By Joel Seguine
Office of the Vice President for Communications

To encourage men in the campus community suffering from depression to reach out for help, and to reduce the stigma associated with the disease, the University launched a campaign today (Feb.21) called "Real Men-Real Depression."

There is increasing evidence of depression among students here and nationally, says Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, associate dean of students and lead coordinator of the three-month campaign.

"We want to help students especially to recognize the symptoms in themselves," she says. "And to educate them and all members of the campus community about depression to reduce the stigma associated with the disease, especially for men."

Campaigns to promote awareness about men and depression have been launched nationwide, but this will be the first time it will be tailored directly to students, says Pinder-Amaker.

The campaign is a collaborative effort among the Division of Student Affairs, two student organizations, U-M hospitals and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which developed the campaign.

Pinder-Amaker says that NIMH is working with the University on brochures, bus placards, table tents and posters that will be distributed across campus. A Web site, http://www.umich.edu/~mhealth, and hot line, (734) 647-4440, dedicated to the campaign have been launched.

"I want to give special thanks to Dr. Rachel Glick of Psych Emergency Services who has been instrumental in setting up the hot line," says Pinder-Amaker.

Rodolfo Palma, a former U-M student who has been willing to speak out about his depression, has been featured in the national campaign.

"I had seen a lot of male students who were depressed, but were undiagnosed," Palma says. "I got involved with NIMH so I could help guys like this to figure out how to deal with their depression."

Palma says he hopes that more men will speak out and seek help.

"There needs to be a change to a culture that doesn't see depression as an issue of manhood," Palma says.

The hot line will be staffed 24 hours a day by the Psychiatric Emergency Service of the U-M hospitals.

Pinder-Amaker says student input was vital in creating the campus campaign. She points to student group representatives Karen Latus, of Finding Voice, and Aaron Shansky of Share Student Health Advocacy Research Exchange (SHARE), as particularly helpful.

Latus says callers first will be looking for affirmation and the assurance that someone is there to help them.

"We've been helping to educate the people who will be responding to calls to the hot line how best to get information from students who call in a crisis," Latus says. "We need to close the gap between when the student asks for help and when they actually get it."

There will be a presentation on "Real Men-Real Depression" at the upcoming Third Annual Depression on College Campuses Conference, entitled "Fighting Stigma with Knowledge and Understanding." The conference will be held on campus March 22-23.

For more information about the conference visit http://www.med.umich.edu/depression/college_2005.htm.

U-M launches campaign about men's depression

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