Creating a Healthy Community

Harvard professor Robert Putnam first coined the term “social capital” in his book “Bowling Alone,” in which he described the importance of a network, or community, for individuals.  Social networks foster a sense of belonging and increase one’s engagement in the community. In an age of technology, college students naturally think of Facebook or gchat as central to our social networks.  Beyond the cyber social circle, our networks may include entryways, teams, classmates, or extracurricular groups.  Each and every circle contributes to a network that builds social capital.

Two weeks ago, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Putnam spoke about that critical sense of belonging and its central importance to mental health. Psychological research in mental health shows that sound social support has demonstrable benefits, including greater longevity, greater functional ability, and better treatment outcomes. While the connection between community and mental health may seem obvious, it is a concept that the Harvard community needs to value more.

College years are challenging, and many people are vulnerable because of the pressure to meet exceedingly high expectations coupled with the first move from home. One of the best ways to deal with stress or difficulties is to share concerns with someone—whether it’s a counselor or just asking a friend for help when overwhelmed. A 2008 survey of Harvard students revealed that 77 percent turn to other students when they are feeling troubled.  Nearly 40 percent of Harvard students will have used services at University Mental Health Services or the Bureau of Study Counsel by the time they graduate. Having an accessible and trustworthy professional in one’s community is undeniably important.  These components of a social network are crucial to well-being and sense of belonging.

Not all is well when it comes to mental health awareness in the Harvard community.  The 2009 Freshmen Well-Being survey asked current Harvard freshmen a series of questions regarding their emotional well-being including, “How many people do you have in your life that you can really open up to about your most private feelings without having to hold back?” While a large majority of freshmen could name at least one person, there were 69 students who did not have anyone to share their feelings with.  Furthermore, students without any supportive relationships represented half of the small percentage of students who reported any suicidal indicators.  Loneliness and isolation are two of the risk factors for depression and can place people at risk for suicide.  Both this data and research purport that students with adequate social support have greater protection from major life stressors, and also adjust better to those stressful situations. A reduction in social support may explain some of the symptoms of depression. While these numbers may seem small, if it is you who is faced with a mental health crisis—your own, your roommate’s, or your friend’s—the risk factor is unacceptable. The well-being of individuals ultimately will affect the well-being of the community at large.

Even though students are educated and counseled about matters such as risky sexual behavior or substance abuse, awareness of mental health issues and ready access to resources seem to fall off of the radar. Every member of the Harvard community should be informed and empowered to confront mental health issues.  Harvard provides by-appointment mental health services through the BSC and UHS as well as 24-hour urgent care for students who need more immediate help than the appointment process can provide.  In addition, students from Harvard’s peer-counseling groups—Room 13, ECHO, Response, and Contact—are readily available for trained peer-to-peer support.  A system-wide approach to promoting mental health awareness has been initiated through the Student Mental Health Liaisons.  This student group organizes and presents the annual Mental Health Awareness week.  The purpose of the event is to widely share knowledge about issues of mental health, the importance of students’ mental and emotional well-being, and increase sensitivity to those who may suffer silently. The Student Mental Health Liaisons work within each of the Houses to provide a safe space for discussing mental health issues and help locate appropriate mental health resources for peers.  Informed students are empowered to reach out to friends in distress, and easily find a clear and accessible path to resources.  In an effort to increase awareness and education, the Student Mental Health Liaisons have broken ground to provide informational sessions on the available mental health resources as part of every freshman’s orientation next fall.

Fostering a sense of community, as Putnam suggests, leads to healthier individuals, and stronger communities. Our community must actively work to reduce the stigma surrounding issues of mental health and look out for signs of emotional distress in our friends.  By supporting efforts to increase the transparency and accessibility of campus mental health services, Harvard can be a place where each student feels confident, safe, and a sense of belonging.

Elizabeth A. Goodman-Bacon ’10 is a psychology concentrator in Dunster House and the Director of Student Mental Health Liaisons.