I remember when I was beginning to struggle with my borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. I asked my psychiatrist, “What is my diagnosis?” and she refused to tell me. I later learned that I fit the criteria for BPD, but my psychiatrist did not want to label me. When I went on the internet searching…
Change is difficult and isolating. The transition from high school to college was no different. Leaving home and moving to a different state while experiencing a complete social reset certainly impacted how I understood mental health. When I started college, I did not prioritize mental health due to my simplistic understanding of it — I…
Self-care has become one of the most talked about topics in the conversation of mental health. It dominates the online discourse, has found niches in countless industries, and has helped remove some of the stigmas around taking care of your well-being, whether it be through therapy, journaling, or even just resting. Self-care is critical to…
Graduating from high school and college are monumental milestones in life, marked with enthusiasm for the future and bittersweet moments of closing one chapter in life before moving to another: adulthood. A defining moment of adulthood is deciding on a career path to pursue. Thousands of young adults in the Active Minds network graduate from…
When I founded Active Minds nearly twenty years ago, a few things were clear to me. First, we needed to open up the conversation about mental health — stigma was incredibly pervasive, and far too many people were struggling in silence. Second, I knew where I had to start: college campuses. Young adults were going…
Editor’s Note: While this blog was originally published on April 30, 2019, the advice on supporting survivors of sexual assault remains true to this day. Additionally, please be advised that this blog does contain mentions of sexual assault and rape. According to RAINN, an American experiences sexual assault every 92 seconds. One in six women…
Before the age of 11, I traveled frequently between Kenya, my home country, and the United States. I also switched schools four times. At the time, I considered all of this constant change and movement to be normal. I rarely took the time to form strong friendships with those around me because I knew I’d…
What happens when you link creative art therapy with a revolutionary treatment that helps people navigate their mental health? You get Alyse Ruriani’s The Big Feelings Survival Guide! From scribbling out angry impulses to embracing confusion by working through an intricate maze, the illustrated workbook is packed with practical, creative exercises designed to improve your…
The numbers are staggering: it’s been revealed that 82% of LGBTQ+ students reported experiencing first-hand bullying or harassment. The impact of this behavior, coupled with a lack of safe spaces, contributes to LGBTQ+ youth reporting higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Creating inclusive spaces for historically oppressed communities, like individuals who identify as LGBTQ+,…
Nobody knows stress better than students — and at the same time, no one knows better how to help young adults manage stress than other young adults. April is Stress Awareness Month, a time to check in on what we’re doing each day to mitigate stress and manage negative emotions surrounding productivity, burnout, and fear….
Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults.