An Austin, Texas-based podcast hosted by students from the University of Texas celebrated World Mental Health Day with the announcement of the College Student Mental Health Advocacy Coalition on Oct. 10, 2022.
The “Hi, How Are You?” podcast was born from a non-profit organization and project dedicated to removing the stigma around mental health through nuanced conversations about mental well-being. The podcast is named after Daniel Johnston‘s 1983 album “Hi, How Are You?”
Despite his success as a talented musician and gifted visual artist, Johnston struggled with several mental illnesses. With the support of his family members, the podcast was launched in 2018 to create “thoughtful media, events and peer-to-peer training programs that encourage open and ongoing dialogue on mental well-being,” according to the project’s website.
Open and frank conversations around mental health are often overwhelming, to begin with, and with the added weight to succeed academically, this is especially true for college students. The coalition’s start comes at a time when one in four college students report being diagnosed with a mental illness and one in five have had thoughts of suicide, according to a study by the Association of American Universities.
Mayo Clinic reported that up to 75% of struggling students are reluctant to seek help, which increases the risk of harmful outcomes such as dropping out of college, poor academic performance, suicide and substance abuse.
In a statement made on their first episode, Hi, How Are You Project executive director and co-founder Tom Gimbel noted that the conversations had on the podcast are not “clinical chats,” and that the podcast is not “looking for answers or cures.”
“We were looking for new ways to tell stories about people’s journeys and challenges in life and to make others feel connected rather than isolated,” Gimbel said.
Every year on Jan. 22, Johnston’s birthday is recognized by people being encouraged to reach out to a neighbor, friend, co-worker, family member or loved one and ask, “hi, how are you?”
In an interview with Buisnesswire, Sonia Krishna, a board-certified psychiatrist said, “The college experience should be one in which all people thrive, learn and develop in healthy, safe and positive environments.”
According to their website, the project is teamed up with American Campus Communities and Ipsos to provide mental health and wellness resources to over 800,000 college students across North America.
The final episode of their first season closed with a special interview featuring WizTheMC and American musician David Ramirez, where both opened up about their mental health journeys.
Other episodes featured conversations with diverse creators including rapper/singer Toosii, Canadian rock band Mother Mother, TikTok sensation Jessie Murph, British singer/songwriter Jade Bird and many others.
All 12 episodes from season one of the “Hi, How Are You?” podcast are now available on their website and Spotify.