BLOG POST #2

 

  Brayan J. Castillo Lorenzo

Miami Dade Collage

"Happiness All Around"

💙 Recently I had the opportunity to hear several group presentations that were part of our project called “Happiness All Around”. Each group discussed issues that were very relevant to today's society and to day-to-day life. I was enriched and reflective through the exercise as each of the presentations offered a window to reflect on issues that we find ourselves with and solutions that we can all aim to have as a society. Today I would like to present some of my thoughts regarding two issues that struck me: mental health and family. These two topics fascinated me since even though they are traditionally addressed in isolation from one another, they have a lot to do with one another. We live in an era that is dictated by the rhythm of life, obligations, and societal pressure that influence us in numerous ways. Mental health and family constitute an integral component of our well-being, particularly in a city like Miami with cultural diversity and various social realities that dictate every day.

💙The initial speech that I would like to highlight was that on mental health. I was impressed that my peers engaged with this sensitive but timely topic. They talked about how over recent years mental health has become something that has become a priority with many people and governments. It was something that wasn't ever discussed in previous years, but now we hear more people talking more openly about it and more provision being made available to those who require it. Among some of the issues that struck a chord with me was their explanation of how social media and technology have affected emotional life. They explained that daily exposure to social media tends to increase instances of stress, anxiety, and depression among people, especially young people. On the other hand, they also admitted that technology has presented doors to the formation of self-help groups and access to online therapy sessions—something that a few years ago would have been inconceivable.

💙Their second key point was government intervention in all this. The government, their research discovered, has started coming up with assistance programs in mental health, but additional can be done. In Miami-Dade County, some initiatives were initiated to bring in free or low-cost psychotherapeutic help, especially to schools and community centers. My peers suggested that even so, additional budget and resources must be allocated to those initiatives because demand keeps increasing. They also said that Miami Dade College (MDC) can do more to help with the mental health of the students. Some of their suggestions were that more workshops can be provided to them, that safe spaces can be created to have open discussions, and that more professionals can be on campus to assist immediately. My sentiment is that this would be an amazing tool to have available to a lot of students who may not want to reach out for fear or don’t even know to reach out. The second lecture that I liked best was that of family. My peers spoke of the fact that family has changed over recent decades. They spoke of the fact that today we have diverse families and that all of them must be respected and valued. The traditional family is no longer one alternative, and although it is possible that this transformation can be perceived as requiring effort, it does also indicate a free and diverse community.

💙I enjoyed that they discussed this subject with respect to the financial and social condition that we have. They discussed that financial troubles, long working hours, and tensions on a daily basis have had their toll on family relationships. In several instances, parents do not have enough time to spend with their children and distance and communication gaps open up. But they also told us that several families have managed to adapt and consolidate their relationship in adversity. One insightful comment they had was regarding the support and programs that Miami-Dade has to assist families. They informed us that there are some local organizations that provide resources such as food, legal aid, and emotional support. However, they also mentioned that most families lack access to such resources or just are not aware that they exist. Their suggestion was that national and local government must invest more in programs that build more stable families through parental education, healthcare availability, and housing that is affordable. They also recommended that MDC can act as a bridge to help bridge students with such services by making information available and making arrangements with local agencies. Listening to those talks reminded me of my life and other people's lives around me. It's living with such a great mix of cultures and family life here in Miami. We have people living day to day with different issues that's why it's essential to talk about such issues and attempt to settle it together.

💙Family and mental health are among the core pillars of happiness and well-being. The two disciplines are related in that a stable and united family can be the greatest assistance to having good mental health while an individual with stable emotions can be a very good helper to his or her family as well as to society. I also liked their idea of a class project. It offers us a platform to become actively engaged with people and to have a positive impact. I believe that if we do something class-related that is related to mental health or assistance to families then we will both learn more and do good to people around us. Overall, I learned a lot from those presentations. We must continue to tackle such issues and find ways to become a better society. Mental health and family both deserve our time and energy because they play a very important part in our happiness. As Miami students and members of Miami's population, it is up to us to become engaged, educated, and take action to create a brighter tomorrow.