In the fall of 2015, I was heading off to graduate school at the University of Washington in Seattle. I saw this opportunity as a rebirth, a time to start over, and with that came the all too common thought that my mental health was under control, that I no longer required the self-care or…
It’s one of the toughest times of the year: papers and projects are due, you’re running solely on caffeine and there just isn’t enough time for sleep. That’s why Active Minds is hosting Stress Less Week from April 17-23. We’ve developed tons of resources and programs to help you get through finals with as little…
Active Minds is accepting applications for the 2015-2016 term of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) through January 10. Thinking about applying? Here are 5 reasons to join the SAC: 1. Represent your peers and engage in the national conversation about mental health. As a student-serving organization, the Active Minds national staff and Board of Directors rely…
Everyone has different opinions about the New Year. Some people think it is a fresh start, a new chapter, a time to reflect on life. But others may find the new year hard, like a reminder of past failures or “just another day.” As 2016 starts, it’s no doubt that we will be inundated with…
Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. One of the last conversations I had with my father was him pleading, “Help me. Please, help me.” My dad came to this country from Cuba when he was just 15, speaking no English and having no family in the states. Over the course of a few…
One month ago today, my partner Rich and I stood under a big tent during the loveliest late-summer rain storm and did a really wonderful thing: We got married. Our wedding was beautiful and special and fun and silly — all the things we had hoped it would be during the months of planning. We stood under the alter…
Active Minds is proud to announce that the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a winner of the 2015 Active Minds Healthy Campus Award, which recognizes the University as one of the healthiest campuses in the nation. University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) was recognized for its cohesive, innovative public health approach to student health and…
This post is part of a Suicide Prevention Month blog series. Read the other blogs here. Please note: This piece talks about a specific experience regarding suicidal thoughts and hospitalizations. Not all experiences will be or are the same. When someone is actively suicidal, we often tell them to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call…
This post is part of a Suicide Prevention Month blog series. Read the other blogs here. Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. According to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Van Orden et al., 2010), desires for suicide arise from a combination of perceived burdensomeness (i.e. “the world would be better off without me”)…
A new school year is upon us, and we’re pretty excited. To help you get ready for the semester, we’ve put together five tips that you can use to have a great start to the year. Relax. Starting a new year back at school can be exciting, but with new classes, adjusting to campus life…
Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults.