General

July 30, 2018 — 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 […]

July 19, 2018 — Depression is blind. It doesn’t see your color. It doesn’t see your privilege. It doesn’t see how well your life is going. It doesn’t see anything. It just hits you.   Getting diagnosed with depression was a very interesting journey for me. I have been involved with Active Minds for a while, not because of […]

July 17, 2018 — I remember when I saw a mental health pamphlet in Spanish at an Active Minds Conference in California. It was so exciting, fascinating and surprising to me. Yes I wrote that right… a pamphlet! That was the first time I ever saw anything advocating for mental health in Spanish. I am a first generation Mexican-American […]

July 5, 2018 — 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 […]

July 3, 2018 — 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 […]

June 21, 2018 — There is a hidden beauty that mental illness carries. A beauty that is humbling and fills one with a feeling of gratefulness that is challenging to articulate. Accompanying the racing thoughts and the frightening nights are the people who lend themselves to those in need. When agitation takes hold, when pressured thoughts turn into headaches, […]

June 18, 2018 — June is Men’s Mental Health month! To be frank, mental illness among men is a public health concern that begs attention and should be addressed year-round. Here are just a few of the issues concerning men, especially while in college – all while studying and attending classes: Stress of being on your own, possibly for […]

June 13, 2018 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. Whenever someone famous dies by suicide, I see my social media feeds fill with the numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) and the Crisis Text Line (741741), and while that information is incredibly important to share, I am always left with a feeling that we […]

June 12, 2018 — Summer is in full swing! It’s time to find out if months of waiting and planning will pay off to make this summer one to remember! Like an over-reviewed blockbuster, sometimes summer can be overhyped. I know for me, while struggling with anxiety and depression, summer would sometimes become an anxious scramble to have as […]

June 5, 2018 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. I sit in the foothills of the Sierras, looking out at the mountains in the distance while reflecting on this tour that is now behind me. 18 displays. Hundreds of conversations that shook me, that made me feel everything at once. Countless amounts of individuals whose tireless […]