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September 29, 2023 — Welcome our fall 2023 interns, some of our community’s biggest champions for mental health! Each semester, the class of interns at Active Minds plays an integral role in everything from program development, marketing and communications, fundraising and development, and so much more. We couldn’t do our work without our interns, and our team at Active […]

September 23, 2023 — 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 identifies as fluid, the […]

September 17, 2023 — Self-care is something that everyone talks about — but what does it actually mean, and how do you create a routine that is both effective and sustainable? As a student, self-care isn’t always easy to fit into my schedule, but it remains an important part of taking care of our mental health. As I’ve learned […]

September 13, 2023 — Last year, more than 49,000 people were victims of suicide, the highest ever recorded in U.S. history. Although talking about mental health and suicide can be challenging, it is a conversation that we can’t avoid. Every year, too many young lives are impacted by mental health challenges, making suicide a significant concern. That’s where what […]

September 6, 2023 — 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 […]

September 1, 2023 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. Life for us turned upside down on Feb. 12, 2022. Our dear son Sanjeev Panja lost his life to suicide at the very tender age of 20. Sanjeev was caring, loving, funny, goofy, and an extremely motivated kid — always laughing and making others laugh. The pain […]

August 30, 2023 — From middle to early high school, I struggled with suicidal ideation, depression, disordered eating, and other mental health challenges. I felt especially isolated in my rural community, where conversations about mental health were nonexistent and access to care was limited. I also dealt with the stigma associated with men’s mental health, further complicated by my […]

August 23, 2023 — It’s no secret that youth and young adults across the United States are currently experiencing a mental health crisis, and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ young people are disproportionately affected. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 42 percent of high school students experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness — a 13.5 percent increase […]

August 21, 2023 — The Active Minds Student Advisory Committee (SAC) is made up of fifteen young adult leaders who represent the Active Minds student voice nationally through media and other student forums. They also advise Active Minds national staff on student engagement, community building, program planning, Chapter engagement and management, National Conference planning, and program promotion. Powered by […]

August 17, 2023 — Pencils? Check. Notebooks? Check. The planner you were obsessed with that you’ll use diligently for one week and then forget about? Also, check. As you prepare to head back to school this fall, it’s just as important to check in with your mental health (and the well-being of your friends and peers!) as it is […]