蓝莓视频

Avonae听Gentles听thought everything was under control.听

As a busy third-year Faculty of Health student, Gentles was juggling multiple responsibilities when her family was dealt an unexpected blow听鈥斕齢er father鈥檚 diagnosis with lung cancer.听

With her father听now听off work听and听her听mother solely supporting the family, Gentles took on a part-time job while continuing to manage volunteer and听school听work听full-time. With midterms and assignments on the horizon, stress levels were mounting.听听

The turning point, Gentles says, was when she was听sitting in听蓝莓视频鈥檚 Science and Technology Complex (STC)听reviewing cue cards听and her听vision became blurred with tears.听

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to lie, it wasn鈥檛 until I had reached that point where it was almost too much that I started to say, 鈥榳ell, I need support,鈥欌�� Gentles recalls. 鈥淭hat was the only option left,听and that鈥檚 when I started looking to see what鈥檚 available to me. What is the most immediate care that I can get?鈥澨�

颁辞苍迟补肠迟颈苍驳听Campus Wellness, Gentles was relieved to secure an appointment within minutes of her call. That in-person session turned into follow-up phone calls once the pandemic hit.听

鈥淚f I hadn鈥檛 been able to speak with someone that day, in that moment, I don鈥檛 know what would have happened.鈥澨�

Letting her experience be a lesson to others听

One year later, Gentles says she feels fortunate to be able to share her mental health story with others. Recognizing days like听, Gentles is using her experience as the catalyst to speak up.听

鈥淲e keep everything packed up. We don鈥檛 talk about it or think that it鈥檚 real. But, with events like Bell Let鈥檚 Talk, you realize there鈥檚 actually a community of people going through the exact same thing,鈥� Gentles says. 鈥淎nd what that presents you with is an opportunity to hold each听other up, create a stronger foundation and move past each day as a community rather than an individual.鈥澨�

According to Statistics Canada, Canadians have reported听a听decrease in their mental health since the pandemic.听Youth aged 15 to 24 reported the greatest decline in their mental health,听from 60 per cent reporting positive mental health (pre-COVID) to 40 per cent during the pandemic (July 2020).

鈥淭he data speaks for itself,鈥澨齭ays Walter听Mittelstaedt, director of Campus Wellness.听鈥淚t鈥檚 for these reasons that Campus Wellness has continued to proactively pivot and polish our services. No one, especially right now, should go without the support they need. This pandemic can feel especially isolating,听and we want faculty, staff and students to know our community is ready to help.鈥澨�

The road to recovery听

For Gentles, working on her mental health remains听a听top priority, even when she feels fine.听听

This shift in mindset has allowed her to continue focusing on her future goals, which is to pursue medical school where she can focus on female health and female reproductive health for marginalized communities.听

鈥淚 feel so fortunate that I can share this experience with those around me,鈥� Gentles says. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to maintain a strong exterior. You don鈥檛 have to maintain any form of strength because being strong isn鈥檛 what makes your mental health 鈥榞ood.鈥� It鈥檚 about being resilient and coming back to better understand yourself and your limits.鈥澨�

Students, faculty and staff can benefit from听Campus Wellness services by visiting their website. If you are听in听crisis or worried about hurting yourself or others, call 911.听听

听can be accessed outside of regular office hours at 1-833-628-5589,鈥痺here counseling is available via phone, video and in-person听24听hours a day, seven days a week听and听across听twenty-two听countries.听