Advocacy & Awareness
How Gen Z Is Erasing Mental Health Taboos Through Conversations
I was fourteen years old when I was introduced to the space of mental health advocacy. At this time, I began training to become a hotline listener at Teen Line, a peer crisis line in Los Angeles. I was fascinated by this organization that not only served youth but actively centered their engagement. After all,…
Behind-the-Scenes of a Mental Health Initiative for Gen Z, By Gen Z
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…
How We Engaged Our Community in Suicide Prevention Through Fundraising
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…
Today’s Biggest Mental Health Challenges (And How You Can Help Solve Them!)
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…
How Four Young Adults Are Creating New Mental Health Resources for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ Communities
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…
Breaking Down the Biden Administration’s New Accessibility-Focused Mental Health Policy
In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, declared that mental health challenges had devastating effects on younger populations. Since then, The Biden Administration has shown a keen interest in addressing the mental health crisis in America through policy. And progress has been made — including expanded crisis response services and mental healthcare access in schools….
Breaking the Cycle: Challenging Mental Health Taboos In India
When I was 10 years old, my aunt used to take me for a walk to the nearby park, and before going there, I was always warned not to go near this lady. My aunt told me she had some “special unnatural problems.” Before learning about the different problems people may have due to their…
Combatting Stigma Surrounding Asian American Mental Health Using Language
Being Asian and Filipino, it was so challenging to talk about my mental health, particularly due to the stigma in my family and community. As a college professor currently visiting the United States (but who was raised in the Philippines, a dominantly Catholic country), I observed from a young age how mental health issues, such…
Taking Up Space: A Mental Health Accommodations Guide for Students
Being a student is no joke. Between classes, activities, work, and social life, things get overwhelming fast. And if you also live with a mental health condition like anxiety, depression, or ADHD, it can feel impossible to keep up. But you’ve got this! Resources exist to support you — accommodations for students managing their mental…
Three Actions You Can Take to Support BIPOC Mental Health
Mental health awareness and access to treatment have grown immensely in the past few decades. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that 47.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2021. Slowly but surely, actions are being taken to change the culture around mental health, but to continue we must address the…
Active Minds is the nation's premier nonprofit organization promoting mental health for young adults.