In order to raise awareness of mental health illnesses, Active Minds and the counseling center will be hosting an educational activity called ‘Stomp Out Stigma’ at 9 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the Long Student Center.

“The idea is to reduce the stigma so that people who need help can get it,” Counseling Center Director Tim Hodges said.

Hodges said that one out of four college students have a diagnosable mental health disorder, but most don’t get help. For those who do get help, around 80 percent get better.

During “Stomp Out Stigma,” students write stigmatizing words related to mental health illness on balloons and they talk about what those particular words mean to them or how they have affected themselves, family members or friends, and then they stomp on the balloon.

The main purpose of “Stomp Out Stigma” is to make sure people are not ashamed of having a mental illness and also to educate them on mental illnesses, not only for their own sake, but also for people around them who are affected by mental illnesses.

Active Minds member Brittney Harmon said one of the biggest benefits students got from attending “Stomp Out Stigma” last year was the understanding that mental health illnesses can be talked about openly so that it does not have a negative connotation.

Active Minds is hoping to get more students involved in awareness activities and continue to educate people about mental health.