Fact: one-in-four people will be affected by a mental illness throughout their lifetime. It is actually one of the leading causes of disability in North America. The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite all the recent talk going around about spreading…
Source Last Saturday, Partners for Mental Health held a screening for To Write Love on Her Arms, a film that tells the story of Renee Yohe, a nineteen year old struggling with addiction, depression, self harm who attempts suicide, and how it inspired Jamie Tworkowski to create the organization “To Write Love on Her…
{Source} Mental health awareness is something I have been passionate about for almost 4 years. It started when I saw close friends suffer from depression and anxiety, and I felt helpless since I did not know how to rightfully approach their situation. It’s so easy to feel like your words of comfort and support are…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about mental illness, it’s that it targets everybody. On the outside, most people seem so happy. But beneath the smiles and laughter is often something darker. In fact, I used to think that mental illness only found a home in those who were the type of people who don’t…
To end off the year, Bishop Carroll‘s Mental Wellness committee did a project on labels. We asked various people to finish the sentence “There’s more to me than…”. From some people we received one word answers, and from others we were able to film them telling us what’s truly on their mind. It’s amazing how insightful teenagers and…
On a sunny Tuesday morning, four enthusiastic students sat down for an interview about WHOLE Churchill. WHOLE Churchill is a community created by Haroon M., Megan C., Rahul A., and Sidharth S., to promote awareness of mental health for all youth, starting with the students of Sir Winston Churchill High School. Shruti: What is…
See this post for an introduction to this series, and this post for the second week of 5 Happy Things! Ignoring society’s labels and expectations Quirky socks Glitter tattoos (preferably reflective of my favourite fandom) Flower crowns/headbands Dollar-store boredom busters/crafts Now ask yourself: who in your life can you count on to bring a smile to…
First, check out this post for an introduction to my goal of spreading happiness! Discount books Playing an instrument and singing just for the fun of it Finishing a complex puzzle Super cute tea cups (preferably with delicious tea inside) Blowing bubbles (and yes, I am a teenager) Now ask yourself: what’s one thing that you…
Mental health shouldn’t be a topic only talked about in the safety of the shadows in a dark alley. It’s a big topic and sadly enough it is also a big taboo in our society. Suicide is whispered about, depression is often thrown under the rug, panic and anxiety attacks are becoming increasingly normal for students.…
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…
“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…