Promoting Positive Mental Health

Schools are a great place to open up the discussion and promote positive mental health. There are many ways schools can promote positive mental health. Teachers are able to create an open environment for talking about mental health within their classrooms. Such an environment can be created with various methods.

"When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." - Alexander Den Heijer

Overall health is an important aspect. Promoting active living through physical education, sports teams and DPA and teaching students about healthy eating can do this. Having a no sugary snack policy is a way to show healthy eating.

The environment of the classroom is an important aspect as well. Having spaces to let students relax and have a quite space within classrooms can be very beneficial. Furthermore, teaching skills such as for stress management and positive self-esteem is very helpful. A great way to do this with a PJ class is to have confidence cookies (link). Teachers can also display various materials and resources to allow students to educate themselves, a list can be found in the resource section of our website!

By creating an environment where students feel like they can talk about their problems it can open up the conversation about mental health. By implementing policies that creates a safe and positive environment, it can also contribute to opening up the conversation.

Taking Time Off: The Importance of Self-Care

Written by: Jake Bradshaw

“Mom I need to come home”.

It has now been two weeks since I made the decision to come home for the semester. Although barely anytime has passed, it feels like a lot has happened since I made that call to my parents, yet only one week has passed.

Despite the short period of time, I have learned a lot about myself, my friends, and the pressure that we are all under as university students. My hope is that in explaining my experience struggling with a mental illness it will allow other students to recognize it in themselves and take the appropriate steps to get better. This can mean either getting the help they need at school in the form of social supports, or counselling or making the decision to take a break. The important thing is to recognize that you are struggling and to prioritize your mental health.

If I was on campus, right now I would be in my fourth week of classes as a second year economics student. My first year was a little rocky and I struggled through lots of different challenges. There were moments where I felt alone, unsure of myself and hopeless about my future.

Looking back, what was I supposed to do? I was a first year arts student who hated all of the courses I was in. The challenges that I faced manifested themselves in different ways but I ended up with a lack of confidence in myself as well as in my future.

I had doubts about all aspects of my life. I doubted my major and career path, I doubted my friendships, I doubted my decision to go to Queen’s, and ultimately I doubted how well I actually knew myself. This led me into some dark times where I felt alone, unsure, and scared that I would feel this way forever.

Eventually, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety which proved to be a lot to deal with. While being away from home, I found it challenging to manage school work, a new social scene, finding time for myself and trying to take care of my mental illness. Nevertheless, I got through it and ended the year feeling happy about where I was at and proud about what I had accomplished.

The summer came with its own set of challenges. The lack of activity and not having people around me all the time was a large adjustment. Although I was happy to be home, I fell into slump that I was determined to get out of. I did just that.

At first, I started by running every morning. I meditated. I did cognitive behavioural therapy. I did everything I possibly could to get better and I had the time to do it. Alongside all of this was a solid nine to five job which gave me something to focus on during the day. Suddenly things started to turn around.

In the end, the summer flew by. Looking back on it, I was hopeful about my future and I was excited by the numerous opportunities that laid ahead of me.

By the end of the summer, I was raring to go back to school. I couldn't wait to live in my own house with my friends, participate in extra-curricular activities and learn as much as I could from my classes.

But it didn’t go as I had planned.

The first night back at Queen’s everything I had dealt with in first year came right back. I ended the night in my room anxious, and unsure about my ability to get through second year. I felt like needed to go home, I couldn’t go through what I went through in first year again.

The confidence that I felt in the summer disappeared. I felt unsure about my ability to accomplish my goals, get my degree and eventually get a job.

I tried to establish a routine like I had in the summer. I started going to the gym and meditating but it didn't seem to help. I didn’t know what to do, I felt helpless. I was in crisis and I knew that something had to change.

Looking back on those couple of weeks at Queen’s I can pinpoint the fact that my anxiety was focused around my doubts about being able to do well in my classes, finish my degree, and then eventually have a successful career.

When classes started, this anxiety would hit me out of the blue and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I would be sitting in class, not understanding something when my mind would tell me, “You’re a failure who will never amount to anything.”

These feelings would make me nauseous and my heart would start to beat rapidly. It was overwhelming. It got to the point where it would happen every morning in class, even if there wasn’t a reason behind it.

In my mental state I wasn’t okay with not understanding everything, perfectly, on my first try. I figured out that I wasn’t in the right mindset to learn.

Eventually, I realized I really wasn’t in a good place to be at university.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Queen’s and the people in it so this decision was really hard for me. But I decided that it would be better for me to take time off so I could go back feeling closer to 100 percent so that I would be able to enjoy it more. I know that at home I can prioritize my mental health just like I did in the summer and get back to my routine of running, meditating and challenging my anxious thoughts to feel like myself again.

When I told people at Queen’s about my decision I was met with a lot of different reactions, but one message seemed to repeat itself.

The large majority of people I told said that they had seriously considered taking a break on multiple occasions. They said that there were multiple times where they felt stressed and overwhelmed.

Everyone had their own way of dealing with stress, but for some people who were overwhelmed taking a break didn’t seem to be an option. That is because people think it isn’t a “normal” thing to do. Well I am here to tell you that it should be.

So please, if you are overwhelmed, struggling with a mental illness or just need a break then I would suggest taking some time off. It may feel like you’re the only one who has ever decided to take a break from university but you’re not. At the end of the day, your health is the most important thing and taking an extra semester isn’t the end of the world.

Looking back, it wasn’t an easy decision to make but I know it was the right one. Unfortunately, the right decisions tend to be the hardest.

So do whatever you feel you have to do, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It is your life not anyone else’s.

Originally posted in The Queen's Journal October 5th, 2017

Reposted with permission of author

Bell Lets Talk

Written by: Daniel Maheu

"The thing about a broken clock is that you can tell exactly when it stopped ticking. With people, it isn't so easy, and sometimes you can't even tell they're broken."

If everyone has mental health, then why is it so damned hard to talk about? The stigma that surrounds this topic is deeply rooted in ignorance, and initiatives like #BellLetsTalk do an excellent job of breaking down those walls. Through my experiences, I believe the key to solving this issue is education. While it requires a multifaceted approach, we have to start somewhere, and that is what today is all about. Making it known that having a mental illness is not a weakness and that asking for help is not shameful are core ideas that need to be brought from the margins to the forefront of society.

If it were not for my friends and family, who have taken immense time out of their lives to ensure my well-being, I can honestly say that I do not know where I would be today. All it takes is an open and listening ear to change someone's life. To everyone that has ever gone out of their way to make sure I was okay, I thank you with all my heart. I owe my life to the compassionate people that I am so grateful to have surrounding me in my daily life.

However, today is not about me, it is about spreading awareness, and making it known that regardless of what you are going through, it is not the end. As cliche as it sounds, your story does not end with your mental health. You matter. You are loved. You are not your illness. Despite how far we still have to go, this is an amazing first step, and I look forward to seeing it grow, tearing down the walls of stigma in its path.

Do not hesitate to ever go out of your way to ask a friend how they are doing. Something as simple as a text can go such a long way. 

You are not alone in your battles, you matter, don't ever forget that.