Blog Posts by jessicamayorga
#WhatIWouldSay – Active Minds at William & Mary
#WhatIWouldSay… if I knew a loved one was struggling with mental health issues. William and Mary students shared messages of hope for Mental Health Awareness Week (October 2018) through their #WhatIWouldSay campaign. From one of our new members, Sayran Ihsan, who is a freshman at the College: “It was particularly heartwarming to hear the…
#MenForMentalHealth – Active Minds Western
#MenForMentalHealth is a campaign the Active Minds Western chapter produces every November to shed light on and open discussion about men and mental health. Each day of the month, one man’s experience dealing with the silence and stigma that surrounds mental health is shared on the chapter’s social media platforms. To learn more about the backstory…
New Fall Gear from the Active Minds Shop!
Bright, blue, and here for you We heard from a lot of folks who wanted to sport the words “Here For You” on a t-shirt, so now is your chance to snag this bright blue v-neck! Buy one for yourself or gift one to a friend who’s always been there for you. Even more #HereForYou…
My First Steps Towards Resilience
I woke up for what felt like the hundredth time to the nurse asking me if she could take my vitals. In a rehearsed choreography, I sat up in my bed, placed the thermometer in my mouth, held my arm out, slipped my finger into the sensor, and waited until I heard the beep. The…
Mental Health is Intersectional
Hello, My name is Armando Zaragoza and I currently serve as the chapter president for CSU San Marcos’ Active Minds Chapter, and over the past year my fellow Active Minds ambassador and Vice President, Becky Calica, and I had the pleasure of facilitating an event that focused on mental health challenges within marginalized communities, specifically…
Where do we go from here?
Each year, millions of high school graduates make the transition into college life. Encouraged by parents and peers, the next few years are sure to be some of the best times of their life. While this may be true for some, mental health is a growing concern that is rising among college campuses across the…
Be There For Your Significant Other
Your partner may be struggling with their mental health and you might not know how to help. It’s ok, they’re not at fault and neither are you. A relationship alone can be a challenge, but when one or both partners are struggling with their mental health it can become a bigger challenge. I’m not here…
Meeting Criteria
I was immune to Medical Student Syndrome. Even after completing all of my preclinical coursework and core clinical rotations, not once did I go running to Student Health thinking a headache was a brain tumor or that a peculiar bruise was most certainly a curious anemia. In fact, my time in medical school had nearly…
Helping the Helpers
Every September, as part of National Suicide Prevention Month, our Active Minds chapter partners with our campus’ Wellness Resource Center and University Counseling Services to hold the Alive Mental Health Fair. The day-long event attracts thousands of students and uses interactive activities to teach about various aspects of mental health, suicide prevention, and accessing campus…
We all need a therapist
I was seven when I had my first panic attack. It was a Thursday night; I had just gotten home from a Girl Scouts meeting. I was in the living room with my parents. My dad was sitting in his recliner watching TV, and my Mom and I were at the bar, studying my spelling…
Active Minds is the largest nonprofit in the United States mobilizing youth and young adults to transform mental health norms across society.