What should we do for a mental health/eating disorders awareness week?

My friends and I are in charge of organizing a mental health and eating disorders awareness week at our high school. We are trying to come up with ideas to get students interested and educated on the stuff we're focusing on (EDs, self harm, suicide, self-esteem, etc.)

Do you have any suggestions? We are going to have things like petitions and a No-Diet Day, as well as information on resources, but I'm looking for interactive ways to get the school engaged.

I would have available on display,  the definitions of what is depression? What is ED's? Etc.  Also get questionnaires that say, for example, do I have depression?  Its great that you will have resources too. But let people know, maybe by percentage wise. How many people do suffer from mental Illness and that they are not alone. That mental illness doesn't discriminate. It can happen at any age. That it also can be hereditary.  Mention that fact that name calling does hurt.

And sometimes the people who are made fun of, it can have a long term negative effect. Let people know that if they think someone may hurt themselfs or threaten suicide that it is OK to go to a peer. Maybe they may not think the person is serious, or maybe its a cry for help. Teach that we all need to get involved. That Mental Illness is real. And to the suffer it can be very devastating.  That it is OK, to seek help. That seeking help is not a failure, but a step in the right direction.

Should the medical records of those with mental health disorders be made public?

If there had been a law requiring the public access to medical records for mental health disorders the Virginia Tech tragedy would never have happened. Also in a free country shouldn't we have the right to know that a lunatic may be living among us?

No, absolutely not. 

It's already difficult enough to go to a counselor or a doctor and talk about your problems and how life isn't working for you, etc.  If people knew that their secrets would be a matter of public record... then no one would ever seek mental health treatment!

Cho had not committed any crime... and he refused mental health treatment. Even if his records were public, that would not have prevented this tragedy. What would people have done if they had known about his mental health record? Sure, the school could have asked him to leave... but then he would have gone and shot someone else..The laws of this country cannot force someone to get mental health treatment or to lock them up in jail if they have not been convicted of a crime. And it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict someone's behavior or to predict violence.

What is the Christian view of the origin of mental health disorders such as depression?

As a psychologist, I am use to having to contend with Scientologists and their ignorant beliefs about mental health disorders but I recently had to argue with a Christian who argued that the devil causes depression and as such, those suffering with depression can be cured by Christianity....

Is this belief frequent through out christians?

Emperor - I didnt realise that all psychologists talked the same...especially considering that there are different specialist areas and roles

Oh, no, not at all. I thank God that I live in a time where beter treatment is available for depression. I am religious about taking my anti-depressant because I do NOT want to go to that dark, scary hole again, EVER. I'm a Christian, and part of my depression was feeling like God had abandoned me. I exercised regularly too, which is supposed to help avoid depression. I didn't want to take drugs, thinking I would pull myself up by my own bootstraps, but then came a time when I couldn't find my bootstraps. Zoloft saved my life.

Do you learn about mental health disorders in A level sociology?

This is a genuine question, but I was just wondering if you study about how mental disorders are in our societies, in A level sociology.

 I'm asking this question because, I'm really interesting in mental health disorders and I'm taking sociology instead of psychology for A level, so I was just wondering if you do study at least a little bit about mental health issues and how it affects our society.

not really - more likely in psychology