Sponsored by Millikin’s NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, on Tuesday, April 19th at 7pm in Millikin’s LRTUC, Mike Veny stood outside the doors of a conference room greeting and shaking the hands of every person who entered that room to listen to his presentation. As 7 o’clock rolled around Veny’s business card was being passed around stating how he is a public speaker and avid drummer. A peculiar combination the audience began to wonder about.

At the very beginning of Veny’s speech he began stating that he often asks himself the question, “Why do I have to be here?” due to his recurring performance anxiety. The blunt and obvious answer to that question is that he is simply under contract. However, when Veny begins to think more about the question, he realizes the reason he gives any of his speeches is for the reason of audience and the purpose of his speech. Veny eases his performance anxiety knowing that he can bring some insight to his audience about “Transforming the Stigma on Mental Health.”

Veny defined “stigma” as “a mark of shame.” As well, the stigma is a cycle which repeats and repeats and get worse with self-destructive behavior.  Veny then discussed as how with mental illnesses, no one wants to show their weaknesses.

OCD, anxiety, and anger are a few things Veny deals with. Veny stated his OCD has him rethinking, his anxiety has him almost constantly nervous, and with his anger, he never knows when he’ll snap. When all these things are put together Veny says it’s like a pressure cooker of “weaknesses” ready to explode.

Veny had behavioral issues since he was a child. He punched a nun, threw a desk at a teacher, and when a doctor asked him why, his response was simply, “they just pissed me off.”

In his presentation, Veny talked a lot about how important issues go unsaid, especially the ones regarding mental health. For example, Veny compared his experiences when sharing about being in a mental hospital to the reaction people get when they are admitted to a regular hospital. Veny stated, “Nobody talks about it” When someone is admitted to a regular hospital, friends and family typically ask questions. But when someone is admitted to a mental hospital no one asks and are told to keep that information hushed. Just like when someone self harms.

Veny has dealt with self harm in his life as well. A subject that is often told to be kept quiet and hidden from others. Those that self harm usually don’t tell others due to a lot of people who don’t self harm asking the question, “Why would someone cut themself anyway?” Veny answered that question that night with three reasons. 1. Pain reduces emotional pain (just like when you ask someone to step on your foot when you have pain in your arm- a pain replaces another pain) 2. It’s an addiction. Veny gave the example of when he shops at a store for a razor and has to redirect himself from buying a razor that would be best for self harm. and 3. For much needed attention.

Another part of Veny’s life besides giving presentations on mental health, is drumming. When his mother understood his son’s love for drumming, she enrolled him into a performing arts high school to play drums. Being 50lbs lighter, long hair, sideburns, a goatee, and a shirt that said, “Girls Suck,” Veny began his education at the high school he’d stay at the longest. Drumming became Veny’s medication.

Once living in New York, trying to find a girlfriend, Veny ran into the problem where he couldn’t say anything about his childhood due to scaring away people. Veny soon realized the only solution to this problem was that you “you can transform shame when you learn to take care of yourself.” From that point, Veny vowed to introduce himself to everyone he met for a year with the statement, “Hi, I’m Mike Veny and I’m mentally ill.”

The lesson he learned and shared to his audience that night was “when you discuss your issues, you take the elephant out of the room.” From this, the audience learned that one can never know who they make comfortable when they disclose their issues. As well, when you’re going through pain, look for a teachable moment. And finally, be comfortable being yourself and sharing with others.