LAS VEGAS — For years, the silence surrounding mental health was not just a lack of sound; it was a heavy, tangible presence. For Faria Tavacoli, a student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and a member of the Active Minds Student Advisory Committee, that silence was a constant companion following the loss of a loved one to suicide. Today, as Mental Health Awareness Month takes center stage, Tavacoli is part of a growing movement of advocates arguing that the "polished" narratives of the past must give way to a more raw, unedited honesty if the tide of the national mental health crisis is to be turned.
In an era where college students face unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, Tavacoli’s journey from "acting fine" to advocating for "collective care" offers a blueprint for a new approach to public health—one that prioritizes presence over perfection and survivorship over stigma.
Main Facts: Breaking the Veneer of Strength
The core of Tavacoli’s advocacy lies in the deconstruction of "strength." In the wake of personal tragedy, she found herself adhering to a societal script that equates resilience with silence. For years, she maintained a convincing exterior, excelling in school, work, and community responsibilities while internally grappling with the "heavy and disconnected" reality of grief.
"I think I spent years trying to make difficult experiences appear smaller so other people would feel more comfortable around them," Tavacoli notes. This phenomenon, often referred to by psychologists as "masking" or "smiling depression," is a significant barrier to treatment. When individuals feel pressured to "package" their pain into motivational lessons, the underlying trauma remains unaddressed.
Now, as a double major in Public Health and Neuroscience, Tavacoli is leveraging her academic background and personal experience to challenge these norms. Through her work with Active Minds, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health for young adults, she is highlighting a shift in how students interact. The traditional, sanitized language of "awareness campaigns" is being replaced by "human moments"—students admitting they haven’t been okay for months or pausing mid-sentence to decide if they are "allowed" to tell the truth.
Chronology: From Private Grief to Public Advocacy
The evolution of Tavacoli’s perspective mirrors a broader shift in the national mental health discourse over the last decade.
The Early Years of Silence:
Following her loss, Tavacoli’s understanding of mental health was shaped by observation. She watched those around her "continue functioning through grief" without open discussion. This created an implicit rule: grief is a private burden, and "strength" is the ability to hide it.
The Transition to Advocacy:
As she entered higher education at UNLV, Tavacoli began to engage with community health work and advocacy spaces. It was here that she noticed the first cracks in the silence. Especially over the last few years—exacerbated by the global pandemic and a heightened awareness of social stressors—she observed a newfound willingness among her peers to drop the "busyness" and "jokes" that served as shields.
The Shift in Perspective:
The turning point came when Tavacoli realized that her role as a "supportive person" could become its own trap. By trying to have the "right" or "perfectly worded" response to others’ pain, she was inadvertently maintaining the very barriers she sought to break. Grief taught her a fundamental public health lesson: people remember presence more than advice.
Present Day:
Today, Tavacoli serves on the Active Minds Student Advisory Committee, helping to shape national policy and campus-level interventions. Her focus has shifted from "neat lessons" to "unfiltered honesty," encouraging others to share their stories not as inspirational speeches, but as acts of survival.
Supporting Data: The Rising Need for Campus Intervention
Tavacoli’s observations are supported by sobering statistics regarding the state of mental health on American campuses. According to the Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed over 90,000 students across 133 campuses, nearly 44% of students reported symptoms of depression, and 37% reported anxiety disorders.
Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies suicide as the second leading cause of death for people aged 10–24. The "silence" Tavacoli describes is a statistically significant factor in these outcomes; the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that the average delay between the onset of mental health symptoms and treatment is 11 years, often due to stigma and the fear of "saying the wrong thing."
In the context of Public Health and Neuroscience—Tavacoli’s fields of study—research shows that "collective care" models are more effective than purely individualistic approaches. Social support and the reduction of cortisol levels through empathetic "presence" can physically alter the brain’s response to trauma, validating Tavacoli’s assertion that "honesty enters a room and people tend to breathe differently."
Official Responses: The Role of Active Minds
Active Minds, the organization through which Tavacoli conducts much of her advocacy, has responded to this need by launching a massive storytelling initiative. The organization maintains that "your mental health journey could be the blueprint someone else needs."
"We see students across the country moving away from the ‘polished’ version of mental health," an Active Minds spokesperson stated. "Advocates like Faria are essential because they bridge the gap between academic theory—like public health and neuroscience—and the lived reality of being a student. When a student leader says ‘me too’ or ‘I’m tired in a way sleep cannot fix,’ it carries more weight than any textbook."
The organization’s current campaign for Mental Health Awareness Month encourages students to submit their stories to their blog, aiming to "mobilize" mental health awareness into tangible community action. They emphasize that these stories do not need to be "inspirational" in the traditional sense; they simply need to be honest.
Implications: Toward a Survivorship-Centered Future
The implications of Tavacoli’s work extend far beyond the month of May. By advocating for "survivorship-centered approaches to care," she is pushing for a systemic change in the healthcare and research industries.
1. Redefining Professional Standards:
As Tavacoli pursues a career as a health professional and researcher, her approach suggests a future where clinicians value "collective care" as much as clinical intervention. This involves recognizing that healing is not a linear process and that "some things just change you permanently."
2. Breaking the "Supportive Person" Paradox:
Tavacoli’s realization about the "pressure to package" pain highlights a critical issue for caregivers and advocates. If those providing support feel they must appear "endlessly capable," they risk burnout and perpetuate the cycle of masking. Future mental health policies must include support for the supporters.
3. The Power of "Micro-Moments":
The shift from "polished campaigns" to "smaller moments" suggests that campus resources should focus less on high-production marketing and more on creating safe, informal spaces—like the therapy-bag-making sessions Tavacoli describes—where vulnerability can happen naturally.
4. Storytelling as a Public Health Tool:
When individuals recognize themselves in another’s story, the "strangeness" of struggling evaporates. This recognition is a primary driver in reducing suicide ideation. By encouraging unedited storytelling, organizations like Active Minds are essentially creating a "social vaccine" against isolation.
"I no longer feel the same pressure to package every painful experience into something motivational before I am allowed to speak about it," Tavacoli concludes.
As Mental Health Awareness Month continues, the message from advocates at UNLV and beyond is clear: The most powerful thing a person can do is not to "get over" their struggles, but to stop editing them. In the quiet "me too" and the admission of exhaustion, a new, more resilient form of strength is being born—one that doesn’t require a mask.
Get Involved:
Active Minds is currently seeking submissions for their blog. If you have a story about your mental health journey, you can find submission guidelines at activeminds.org/blog/guidelines/. Your story could be the blueprint for someone else’s healing.
