Experiencing and Building Empathy for Mental Health

KAREN: WELCOME BACK. THE DEMAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES CONTINUES TO RISE, PUTTING PRESSURE ON HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO RESPOND. THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS HAS FOUND ONE IN FIVE ADULTS EXPERIENCE MENTAL ILLNESS EACH YEAR. OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION. THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE IS HOSTING AN EXHIBIT DESIGNED TO HELP BRING AWARENESS TO MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS CALLED MENTAL HEALTH, MIND MATTERS. JOINING ME NOW IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUMS CENTER FOR LIFE SCIENCES AND PUBLIC LEARNING. TELL US ABOUT THE EXHIBIT AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE VISITORS WILL GAIN FROM WALKING THROUGH AND VISITING. >> WE KNOW IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT PAST FEW YEARS FOR EVERYBODY. MENTAL HEALTH IS A TOPIC EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT. WE THOUGHT THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE HAS TO RESIGNED — RESPOND BY ENCOURAGING CONVERSATION ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL, DIFFICULT TOPICS. A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT IS TO BRING IN A TRAFFIC — TRAVELING EXHIBIT CALLED MIND MATTERS, WHERE VISITORS CAN LEARN HANDS ON, WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE A MENTAL CONDITION, TO SPEAK FREELY ABOUT IT AND HEAR FROM THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED THESE CONDITIONS AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE TREATMENTS FOR IT. IT IS AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT. IT IS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE FAMILY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THESE TOPICS AND DESTIGMATIZE THE TOPIC OF MENTAL HEALTH. KAREN: IT’S AN INTERESTING CHOICE. WE TALK ABOUT IT IN MANY PLACES LIKE SCHOOL, WORK AND MEDICAL SETTINGS. AT A MUSEUM. DR. HYUN: IT WAS A BOLD BUT THE RIGHT CHOICE TO MAKE. WE HAVE SEVERAL COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ADVISING US ON THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD ON THIS INITIATIVE. WHAT I TALKED ABOUT — WHEN I TALKED ABOUT IT, THEY SAID THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO PRE-THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE. THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE IS A TRUSTED INSTITUTION FOR RELIABLE SCIENCE AND HEALTH INFORMATION. IT IS ALSO AN ENTERTAINING PLACE TO BE TO LEARN. THIS NEEDS TO BE UP FRONT AND CENTER FOR CONVERSATION FOR FAMILIES. EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO IS DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES SPAN THE ENTIRE LIFESPAN. IT WAXES AND WANES. EVERYBODY HAS SOME. KAREN: NOT ALWAYS ON THE SEVERE END OF THE SPECTRUM. SOMETIMES IT IS NOT AS NOTICEABLE. YOU TALKED ABOUT IT BEING AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT, HOW DOES THIS EXHIBIT HELP ADDRESS STIGMAS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH IN A WAY THAT CHILDREN CAN RELATE TO? DR. HYUN: PART OF UNDERSTANDING SOMEONE’S EXPERIENCE IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE IN THAT SITUATION. WE HAVE THESE SPECIAL HEADPHONES THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE ON WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS SAYING TO YOU. MAYBE THERE IS A SITE — PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER WHERE IT IS HARD TO FOCUS ON THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU. THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXPERIENCES. KAREN: YOU ARE TRYING TO SIMULATE IN SOME WAY WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE TO HAVE A PARTICULAR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION. DR. HYUN: EVERYTHING THAT BUILDS EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING. WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE EXHIBIT WILL WE ARE CAPPING IT OFF — BUT WE ARE CAPPING IT OFF WITH A THEMED WEEKEND CALLED OLD IN BALANCE, A MENTAL WELLNESS EVENT. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE EXHIBIT BUT WE HAVE A DEDICATED WEEKEND COMING UP IN TWO WEEKS WHERE FAMILIES CAN COME AND PARTICIPATE IN ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES, FUN AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THAT DESTIGMATIZE CONVERSATIONS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES AND, HOPEFULLY, GET PEOPLE SPEAKING FREELY TO ONE ANOTHER. KAREN: ARE THERE WAYS THAT VISITORS CAN CONTRIBUTE THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS EXHIBIT? DR. HYUN: ABSOLUTELY. IT IS INTERACTIVE IN EVERY RESPECT. WE HAVE AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN WRITE DOWN EXPERIENCES WITH MENTAL HEALTH, PUT IT IN A SAFE BOX AND BASICALLY SHARE WITH OTHERS AT THE MUSEUM SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES. WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO WRITE DOWN A WORRIED ON A PIECE OF PAPER. IT IS CALLED THE WORRY SHREDDER. YOU DROP IT INTO THIS MACHINE AND AT SHREDS UP YOUR WORRIES AND IT IS CATHARTIC. THERE ARE TWO WAYS, A CONFESSIONAL WAY OF JOTTING DOWN YOUR THOUGHTS AND ANOTHER WAY OF LETTING THINGS GO. KAREN: WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO IF THEY ARE EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, ARE THE RESOURCES PROVIDED? DR. HYUN: WE HAVE THESE GROUPS OF ADVISORS WHO ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR EFFORT. WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION. WE HAVE GRASSROOTS DOORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY — LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO HAVE HELPED US COMPILE A MASTER LIST, OF RESOURCES ONLINE WHO WANT MORE INFORMATION AND NEED RESOURCES. WE HAVE QR CODES THROUGHOUT THE EXHIBIT WHERE WE TAKE THAT INFORMATION. WE WANT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE BUT ALSO EMPOWER THEM. KAREN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM CENTER FOR LIFE, SCIENCES. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO TELL US ABOUT IT. THE MENTAL HEALTH, MIND MATTERS EXHIBITION RUNS THROUGH JANUARY 22 AT THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE. WE WILL POS

Mental Health: Mind Matters

The Museum of Science is hosting an exhibit that help us better understand mental health, Mental Health: Mind Matters.

Updated: 12:32 PM EST Jan 8, 2023

The Museum of Science is hosting an exhibit that help us better understand mental health, Dr. Insoo Hyun Director of the Museum’s Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning tells us what visitors will experience at Mental Health: Mind Matters.If you are someone you know is in need of help please reference the following resources: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline- 988Immediate Medical Emergencies- 91124/7 Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 // Texto con la palabra AYUDA al 741741NAMI Massachusetts (National Alliance on Mental Illness) ResourcesNAMI Massachusetts Compass Helpline:1-800-370-9085 Monday-Friday – 9am to [email protected] Textline: Text 62640Boston Emergency Services Team crisis line: 800-981-4357 (HELP)American Psychiatric Association – Mental Health Explainer Videos

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

The Museum of Science is hosting an exhibit that help us better understand mental health, Dr. Insoo Hyun Director of the Museum’s Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning tells us what visitors will experience at Mental Health: Mind Matters.

If you are someone you know is in need of help please reference the following resources:

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline- 988
Immediate Medical Emergencies- 911
24/7 Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 // Texto con la palabra AYUDA al 741741
NAMI Massachusetts (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Resources
NAMI Massachusetts Compass Helpline:
1-800-370-9085 Monday-Friday – 9am to 5pm
[email protected]
NAMI Textline: Text 62640
Boston Emergency Services Team crisis line: 800-981-4357 (HELP)
American Psychiatric Association – Mental Health Explainer Videos