Last Sunday I had the pleasure to meet May’s blogger of the month, Kandance Peroramas, to discuss topics ranging from writing to music. Though having only been writing at YAA for over a month now, Kandance has already established herself as someone who posts quality material about many different topics. What struck me from our…
“You never know the full story behind the smile that you bring to someone’s face.” – Cristina, 16 & Julie, 17 Come out on Sunday, May 3rd and join us for the last day of Youth Week Calgary at Globe Cinema for a screening of “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” ! Tickets cost only $2, and…
The battle between the advocates for mental health awareness and the prevalent stigma surrounding the issue has become clearer than ever. I’d just like to take a moment and ask – why the stigma in the first place? While the habit to classify and categorize things is helpful in understanding them… taking the next step means acknowledging the…
”I just want everyone to have hope. It might not be the same as The Shawshank Redemption, but I’ve escaped death so many times. Thoughts of suicide is a serious thing and shouldn’t be ignored. You deserve to live and make memories until you’re satisfied. Have confidence in yourself. It’s easier said than done, but…
For this weeks blog, I will be talking about depression. This mental illness is common in today’s society, and it can lead to scary outcomes if people don’t get the help they need in time. Actor Robin Williams passed away during the summer of 2014 as a result of his lost battle with depression. His…
Having an anxiety attack is bad enough. Feeling like you’re weak because of it or being told that you need to try better to “push through it” does not make the situation easier. At all. We all get anxious sometimes, and those of us who are teenagers seem to be extra skilled at having anxiety. Tests, relationships,…
Sometimes, I like to imagine a world where mental health can be talked about as freely as the weather, or say, physical health. That’s the thought I had when I opened up on Facebook about some of my mental illness struggles, and that’s the thought I had all day on Monday, March 16, as I…
The scary truth is… these days, seeing someone in class or in the hallway with scars on their arm is no longer a rare thing. Each individual that I see with self-harm scars hits my heart, because I know they must be struggling deeply inside. Everyone experiences struggles in different ways, and everyone acts upon…
“To me, belonging is when one can comfortably and fully express their unique self without being judged. It’s about not having to worry if you’re ‘good enough’ to be with someone or a group of people. Belonging shouldn’t ask for change, but rather encourage a person to be who they are. You shouldn’t have to…
“I believe good mental health is a key thing that allows people to be successful. Currently, there has been many discrepancies on how mental health should be handled. We have fairly good organizations and programs that can help people get through their adversities and help them manage their mental and emotional health, but there isn’t…
“So many people in my life have struggled with mental illness and the stigma around it has held them back from being able to properly address their mental health. I wish that this wasn’t something that is so hard to talk about, but the fact is that it’s a real, significant issue. We can’t just sweep this…
Sleep can be a tricky thing for many people. Students, especially, may feel the burden of having to balance school and other social obligations on the plate. Studies show that teenagers need about 8 1/2 to 9 hours of sleep each night. But the reality is that, on average, teens manage only 7 to 7 1/4 hours…
“It definitely isn’t the easiest thing to talk about. There is so much stigma regarding mental health (especially since mental illness isn’t always visible), which prevents many individuals from reaching out and getting the support that they need. My advice to anyone struggling is to find someone you trust and start talking about it. Ask…
We’ve all seen the pictures of skeletal teenage girls looking in the mirror, standing on the scale, or eating nothing. I’m here to tell you that those visuals do not properly capture an eating disorder. Too many people in today’s society are suffering from this deadly mental illness, and too often that struggle is worsened…
Am I the only person that had never heard of Blue Monday until this year? When my Twitter stream was clogged up with a flurry of articles and quips on the subject a few days ago, it certainly seemed that way. A quick Google search revealed that the third Monday of each January is supposedly the most…