Tips to Overcome “Coming Out” Anxiety From Someone Who Did
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Sadie Schaecher
6M ago
Three years ago, I came out as a lesbian. Spoiler alert — that is no longer the label I identify with. And that’s okay. But for a long time, I didn’t think it was okay. And that fear of “misidentifying,” of coming out and then changing my mind, of just being what I perceived as wrong, kept me isolated, and my mental health suffered because of it. As a teenager, I kept my true feelings hidden for so long out of fear that I only had one shot to “come out,” and that if I prescribed to the wrong label my true identity would never be seen as legitimate. It was only once I recognized how unfair this ..read more
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Embracing My Fluidity: The Intersection of Sexuality and Mental Health
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Leona Woodland
6M ago
Growing up, I always felt like an outsider. The world seemed to operate in binary terms, forcing me to choose between being straight or gay. This can be a difficult path for anyone, but it becomes even more arduous when faced with the complexities of identity and acceptance. As someone who doesn’t identify as gay or straight, the intersection of sexuality and mental health is a complex and undeniable issue provoked by society’s narrow-minded views. As a person of color with a parent who solely understood hetero- and homosexuality as strict binaries, my upbringing was marked by unique struggles ..read more
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Behind-the-Scenes of a Mental Health Initiative for Gen Z, By Gen Z
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Niku Sedarat
7M ago
In the face of a youth mental health crisis, the urgency for inspiring mental health change has never been more apparent. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy has sounded the alarm, highlighting that a youth mental health crisis is already brewing. Startling data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that more than one in five youth ages 13 to 18 grapple with serious mental illnesses at some point in their lives. We have heard these statistics over and over again, and it is time that we take action. Introducing Unité: a youth-based mental health initiative focused on desti ..read more
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Breaking the Cycle: Challenging Mental Health Taboos In India
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Shriya Biswas
8M ago
When I was 10 years old, my aunt used to take me for a walk to the nearby park, and before going there, I was always warned not to go near this lady. My aunt told me she had some “special unnatural problems.” Before learning about the different problems people may have due to their mental health and how the stigma associated with it discourages people from seeking treatment, I had no idea what she was trying to convey to me. It became clear to me that the lady my aunt cautioned me about was suffering from a mental health issue and thus alienated from our community in India.  I have always ..read more
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How My PTSD Diagnosis Helped My Childhood Self Heal
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Gabriela Agulair
9M ago
Trigger Warning: Discussion of physical and sexual abuse.  I wasn’t diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) until a couple of years ago. There was no real point that I recall where the symptoms started because in reality, for me, living in fight-and-flight mode was the way I’ve lived as long as I could remember. My culture did not regularly discuss PTSD; however, those around me normalized substance and physical abuse as a way of coping and discipline. I experienced physical abuse and sexual violation in so many instances that I cannot pinpoint when I developed symptoms. Beca ..read more
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How to Manage Loneliness During College from a Gen Z Graduate
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Tanvi Paritala
11M ago
Change is difficult and isolating. The transition from high school to college was no different. Leaving home and moving to a different state while experiencing a complete social reset certainly impacted how I understood mental health. When I started college, I did not prioritize mental health due to my simplistic understanding of it — I did not know the value of genuinely connecting with others on a deeper level or the impact that loneliness would have on my ability to manage my mental health during college. I have learned a lot from the natural changes I experienced during my undergraduate ed ..read more
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“Home is Where the Heart Is”: Protecting My Mental Health as a Third-Culture Kid
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Imani Kerre-Mongi
1y ago
Before the age of 11, I traveled frequently between Kenya, my home country, and the United States. I also switched schools four times. At the time, I considered all of this constant change and movement to be normal. I rarely took the time to form strong friendships with those around me because I knew I’d be changing schools soon. Not only that, but my mother’s inability to be fully present in my life compared to the parents of my peers as a result of her demanding work for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) left me a very reserved child. I knew from an early age that my ..read more
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Why I Advocate for Open Conversations and Culturally-Competent Care
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Ayushi Jain
1y ago
“Log kya kahenge?”, which translates to “What will people say?” is a phrase often explicitly or implicitly brought up in conversation in response to individual actions or words that do not align with the cultural norms of the South Asian community. As a South Asian woman, I have observed that mental health is still viewed as taboo to a certain extent; feelings tend to be talked about on a superficial level within families and friends, but interpersonal and systemic barriers to seeking and receiving care still exist in many minority communities. If we want to see change, we have to work on both ..read more
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How to Get Involved in Mental Health Advocacy As a High School Student
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Jaylen Waithe
1y ago
Are you a high school student looking to become more involved in mental health advocacy in your community? Chances are, if you’re reading this, you fit this description or know someone who does. Well, allow me to tell you some amazing news: the Active Minds Mental Health Advocacy Academy is gearing up to take on its next class of mental health advocates! What Even Is the Mental Health Advocacy Academy? Okay, now that we’ve established that you should be ecstatic about this breaking news, you’re likely wondering something along the lines of “What should I be excited for exactly?”  Was I ri ..read more
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Your Guide to Talking to Student Athletes About Mental Health
Active Minds » Student Stories
by Active Minds
1y ago
The relationship between physical and mental health is one that is becoming increasingly apparent — including among top-performing athletes. Professional athletes like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka have made clear the impact their mental well-being has on their athletic performance, and we are better understanding how we can support student athletes in protecting their mental health in the same way we work to safeguard their physical well-being every day.  Active Minds is proud to have partnered with OptumHealth to host a golf clinic with LPGA player Mariah Stackhouse where middle and ..read more
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