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It took just one class period to change how a group of college students view mental illness.

In a 50-minute class activity, FIU psychology professor Meghan Owenz started with a simple premise—roughly 80% of people will experience a psychiatric disorder at some point in their lifetime.

She knows stigma can reinforce the idea that mental illness is something that happens to "other people" and discourage people from seeking help.

Throughout the class, Owenz challenged these common misconceptions about mental health. By the end, FIU psychology students were less likely to view people with mental illness as different from everyone else.

The students were also more likely to see mental health conditions as treatable.

"We're not talking about them, or those other people," Owenz said. "We're talking about us, because this is everybody."

She had 79 of her students participate in an inquiry-based learning activity that asked students about their beliefs surrounding mental health and mental illness.

They then participated in a series of questions designed to show how common certain traits and everyday behaviors are, including having brown eyes and not keeping New Year's resolutions.

Students moved around the room based on their responses, allowing them to see how many of their classmates shared the same experiences.

Owenz used the students' responses to show that certain psychiatric disorders are surprisingly common, comparing them to everyday experiences that the students discussed in class.

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