Mental Health Resources

Fighting New Year’s depression
Seeing the falling ball, decorations, and the smell of the Christmas tree is enough for the mood to automatically decrease, taking us into a state that we experienced in the past. Read this article

Fighting New Year’s depression
Seeing the falling ball, decorations, and the smell of the Christmas tree is enough for the mood to automatically decrease, taking us into a state that we experienced in the past. Read this article

Mental health first aid training offers support and strategies for crisis
Similar to when physical aid is needed for an injured person before medical treatment can be done, mental health first aid will be replicating that care for mental health crises. Read this article

How you think about food can change your mental health
You shouldn’t be beefing with your food; it may be negatively contributing to your mental health. Read this article

How to find the balance between working from home and home life
Over the past year, many people, including students around the world, had to shift their lives to staying at home, which also meant they would need to work from home. With working from home, it has become a lot harder for people to find the balance of relaxing and working from home. Read this article

Mental health issues: body image
The first and the most important fact to remember is that our body shape doesn’t influence your intelligence and ambitions. Read this article

MENtal health: Cry about it
Masculinity on its own is not a barrier to men’s mental health. However, orthodox masculinity limits the parameters culturally defined in what a man can be and has often been portrayed as men not showing weakness, suffering, or pain. Read this article

How the FSU plans to prioritize mental health
The Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) promises to implement activities with greater emphasis on mental health, diversity, and student leadership in the upcoming 2021/2022 academic year. Read this article

Mental health stigmas exist in cultural and ethnic communities
Mental health stigmas still exist today and are influencing people from seeking the help they need. Read this article

It's okay to reach out for the ear of a peer
The pandemic is causing so much stress for so many individuals. The environment we are in is unique, plaguing us with our own set of struggles. Read this article

Coping with mental health on the job hunt
We are no strangers to stress and its best friend anxiety, but it can be even more difficult to handle while on the hunt for a job. Read this article

Developing a healthier relationship with social media in 2021
To me, it always sounded a bit absurd to plan a series of goals for a New Year because you never know how the next year will be. Read this article

Mind your mind over the holidays
I have heard it time and time again now, that the one thing that we need now more than ever is a message of hope - especially with everything that we have been dealing with in the past year. Read this article

Stress and sleep make for strange bedfellows
It is a bit of a universal struggle in dealing with stress: that push for deadlines, the constant distractions of working from home, and more importantly in today's world of the new normal, making that distinction between work and home. Read this article

Mental Health services on and around campus
Post-secondary schooling can be a difficult time for everyone, with assignments and classes that can pile up, causing stress or anxiety. On top of everything else, we're all trying to carry on as normal while the world undergoes drastic changes. Read this article

Inferiority complex: A bigger problem than considered
Opinion: If you ever feel that you are inferior compared to others, ask yourself - so what? Read this article

Dealing with graduation anxiety
Opinion: Graduating is a significant milestone you should be proud of, so take the time to breathe before worrying about your next steps. Read this article

Province launches new mental health strategy
The Ontario Government has launched their Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario's Mental Health and Addictions Systems. Read more

Why care about self-care?
Take care of yourself, be kind to yourself and watch over yourself. Great words to live by in theory, but what is self-care and how do we actualize it in our own life? Read more

Borderline personality disorder: A tumultuous relationship filled with love (author’s perspective)
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is one of the least talked about mental illnesses despite the complexity and commonality of it. Read more

Job hunting while living with a mental illness
At some point in everyone's life, they will be struck by a mind-consuming mental health problem. It could be minor, it could be life-altering, but everyone gets a dose. The question is whether or not you will let it control your life. Read more

Interrobang Podcast Season 1 Episode 1: Welcome to Blue Monday
For our first podcast episode, Interrobang interviewed Suzanne Book, director of Fanshawe's Counselling and Accessibility Services, to discuss what students can do to cope with mental health issues at this time of year. Read more

I must be dreaming: How I cope with dissociation
Imagine. You look in the mirror and you see yourself, you're looking into your eyes but at the same time, you’re just looking straight through. Read more

Student resources available on World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day raises awareness of mental health issues across the global community. Read more

How physical activity can improve your mental health
We've been told from a very young age that being physically active is an important habit to get into. It's no secret that living an active lifestyle is good for your overall health. Read more

Five tips to boost your mental health
Mental health is a complicated, confusing and different journey for everyone. Coping mechanisms differ from person to person, but general tips to improve your general mental health can prove useful. Read more

Books to help with your mental health
Reading fictional books can help you escape to a new world and focus on the characters' problems, while forgetting about your own for a second. Read more

VR as mental health therapy
Virtual reality (VR) is a unique experience where the player can feel like they are a part of a video game. Read more

Six tips for a happier, healthier mind
Life can be tough sometimes and college work does not make things easier. However, here are a few tips I used to keep my mind on track during my year at Fanshawe College. Read more

Get professional help for your mental health - even if you think you don't need it
After getting treated for my own issues tied to anxiety and depression through therapy, I can confirm getting help made a difference in returning to who I want to be. Read more

How to support your significant other if they are mentally ill
The prevalence of mental illnesses seems to be increasing more and more in today's society. Not only can it be difficult for the person with the mental illness to deal with, but also their boyfriend or girlfriend. Read more

An overuse of social media can lead to mental health problems and a lower quality of life
While social media is a good way to connect with friends and feel part of a community, it does have several negative effects in terms of mental health and the overall quality of life. Read more

Bathroom stall art raises mental health awareness
The Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) is using bathroom art to send messages of hope and positivity. Read more

How to cope with the holiday blues
Although the holidays are often deemed the most wonderful time of the year, some people do not feel the Christmas spirit like others do. Read more

Four coping mechanisms for anxiety
According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada, 12 per cent of Canadians experience anxiety each year and people age 15 to 24 are more likely to have a mental illness than any other age group. Read more

Six wellness apps to add to your devices
Wellness is a part of life that people may think they don't have time for. However, there is an app for everything including wellness. Read more

Mental health services in and around campus
Post-secondary schooling can be a difficult time for everyone, with assignments and classes that can pile up, causing stress or anxiety. Read more

What you should know about eating disorders
According to Statistics Canada, 725,800 to 1,088,700 Canadians meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder at any given time and the prevalence of full or partial eating disorders is two per cent in males and 4.8 per cent in females. Read more

Don't let homework take over your soul, mind and health
Homework can be stressful for students at times and it can feel like you have no control over your emotions once you get to that point. Read more

Weather changes and so does your mood: Seasonal Affective Disorder
Weather can influence the way people feel and perceive. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mental illness that occurs over a short period of time during the year. Read more

Drawing your way to a better future
With the rise of adult colouring books, many people are looking at non-medicinal forms of treating mental illnesses. One of the rising methods of treatment is art therapy, which combines fine arts and counseling psychology. Read more

My experience with antidepressants
For a little back story on my mental health, growing up I was known as a happy but shy kid. Read more

How social media isn't all bad for your mental health
Social media has had a huge impact on people's lives. From starting careers to creating friendships, social media does a lot of good. Read more

Mental Health: Are you in isolation?
Making the right choice doesn't always come easy, but if you listen to the word of God, the process of morality may be a bit clearer for you. Read more

Yoga: a way of life
Yoga, although misconceived as just a form of physical exercise that is too slow for a lot of people's liking, is a form of exercise that works towards not just achieving personal fitness goals, but also experiencing the movements and achieving. Read more

An unmentionable crisis: Suicide on campus
On Feb. 7, the Western Gazette reported that students at Western University voted overwhelmingly in support of prioritizing mental health over other on-campus concerns moving into the future. Read more

Mental illness: what you should know
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), approximately 10-20 per cent of youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder and roughly 49 per cent of people who believe to suffer from depression or anxiety have never visited a doctor about the issue. Read more

How to fight the stress monster
There is not one person in the world who hasn't experienced some sort of stress in their lifetime. With small amounts of stress, it can help you feel more awake, alert and concentrated. Read more

How to be a good friend to someone with a mental illness
When someone close to you has a mental illness, it can be hard to know what you can do to help and if there is anything you can do. A lot of people feel the pressure of making their friends feel better which can be a lot of responsibility for one person. Read more

Celebrities Help Breakdown The Stigma Against Mental illness
Mental illness is a stigma in society that can be broken down by the people we admire; celebrities. Most people know Johnny Depp from his role in Pirates of The Caribbean, but some may be surprised to learn that he actually suffers from social anxiety disorder (SAD). Read more