Share: Content Warning: mentions of gore, death and combat I was eighteen, less than a year out of high school and in a remote village in the Arghandab River Valley in Southern Afghanistan. I was less than a month into a yearlong deployment and I found myself shoveling up the brain matter and skull fragments of a buddy who had killed himself. Follow:
PRO/CON: Appeal against overturning physician-assisted suicide law
Share: On May 21, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra filed an appeal against Riverside County Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Ottolia’s ruling overturning the state’s physician-assisted suicide law. Should this have been done? Two of our staff writers weigh in on the issue. Follow:
Campus efforts bring student health to the forefront of discussion
Share: Last week, various campus organizations hosted events that promoted awareness in the name of student health and safety. Student Health Services brought Health and Wellness Week to the quad with booths and vendors ready to educate students. It drew representation from various programs on campus including personal counseling that offered meditation, as well as athletic trainers and nursing students with physical health tips. Beyond conventional notions of health, the fair also featured booths for the Lancer Pantry and Veterans Resource Center. “It’s a way …
PCC organizations fight to de-stigmatize mental health
Share: In light of the student suicide last semester, and amidst stigmatized conversations about mental health following the recent school shootings, Associated Students and Student Health services collaborated last week on the second Mental Health Awareness week of the school year. The events included showings of Pixar’s “Inside Out” and the documentary film “A New State of Mind,” as well as a mindfulness workshop that was held in the Circadian. “It’s very important that we let those students know what can be done to help …
Stigmatizing mental health detracts from gun control debate
Share: If pop culture is a reflection of the values and mentalities of a given era, none is more ironic nor more authentic in its depiction of mental illness in teenagers than the 1988 dark comedy “Heathers.” Follow:
‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’: Deconstructing the rom-com tropes
Share: The crazy ex-girlfriend trope has survived for so long in romantic comedy media. The CW musical show with the same title is not about perpetuating this belittling label, it’s about deconstructing it. Follow:
Recent campus suicide inspires Mental Health Awareness week
Share: Associated Students promoted Mental Health Awareness week at Pasadena City College from Tuesday through Thursday, with activities including informative self-care workshops, peer talks and suicide prevention training. This October, a former student committed suicide on campus. The death sparked a healthy conversation on mental health and has prompted the college to publicize the mental health services offered for students. “It is important to bring awareness to mental health with the recent suicide,” said Associated Students Vice President of Public Relations Natalie Lau. “We think …
Recent PCC suicide provokes awareness campaign
Share: In Nov. 3, PCC Health and Wellness held a suicide prevention training workshop presented by Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and hosted by project manager, Sandri Kramer. Kramer spoke about the statistics of suicides, reasons as to why people attempt and described the steps to take when approaching someone you believe to be suicidal. Follow:
Former PCC student’s suicide reignites concern for veterans
Share: Veteran and former Pasadena City College student Efren “Ren” Celestino took his own life last week at 31 years old, emphasizing the nation’s epidemic of veteran mental illness and suicide. Follow:
PCC suicide prevention efforts informative, but out of public eye
Share: Tree-like street lamps line the road, their green iron trunks and ornate branches bear glowing orbs, guiding dog walkers and drivers alike. Most recently it was featured in the film “La La Land,” providing the romantic backdrop on which the main characters shared an intimate stroll. The flat, widespread road is a striking juxtaposition to the intricate curvatures and pattern of arches that make up the base of the concrete wonder. Follow: