In Canada, January 30th is Bell Let’s Talk Day, which encourages conversations around mental health. For every text, call, tweet or snap that Canadians make using the #BellLetsTalk hashtag or filter, 5 cents are donated to mental health initiatives that are challenging the stigma around mental health. In light of this event, one of our staff writers shares his experience with mental health in this personal essay.
As I close my eyes and begin to reflect on my mental health journey, the images of tenth grade flip through my mind like snapshots from an invisible reel. When my classmates were enthusiastically answering questions in class, I sulked in my seat. When my classmates were sparking conversations with strangers and befriending them, I felt overwhelmed and crushed being around people I didn’t know. In addition, the heavy workload of the International Baccalaureate program I was in was draining my energy. I struggled every day — in classrooms, during lunch breaks, in the midst of homework assignments — in isolation.
I chose to sit in the very left corner of my classroom where I was least visible to the teacher and most of my classmates. I chose to eat lunch beside my locker, while spending the rest of the break hiding in the restrooms. I chose to pretend that I was sick on quiz and test days. I felt helpless and lost. Books didn’t interest me anymore. My grades dropped. I was stuck in my own prison of thoughts. I was afraid to talk to anyone. I was afraid that people would judge me. I was afraid to fail. I wanted to break away from this prison and free myself. But it was not easy and I gave up. I didn’t know what to do.
It was on one of those dark days that I thought back to something that had once brought me real joy: a sport that I was passionate about in middle school. I could still feel the smile that had spread across my face that day that I had won the junior tournament. But after entering high school, everything that I was passionate about, including this beloved sport, were left to the wayside as I tried to adapt to a new environment. Realizing this, I snapped out of my thoughts, and locked eyes with the badminton racket in the corner of my room. I reached out for the racket, cleaned the dust off of it and I made the decision to join my high school’s badminton club.
When my racket hit the shuttle and a satisfying smashing sound filled the gym, I could feel the euphoric sensation- a rush of endorphins – liberating me from my stress. I felt surprisingly rejuvenated. My muscles were aching but I had a renewed desire to play badminton every day. I did not know how I was going to manage my time but I had to give it a try for a week. I just knew I had to do it.
A few weeks later, I found that I was pushing myself to do better after every strong stroke and every small win. I slowly but surely, regained my confidence, especially after having won a highly anticipated badminton tournament. This was truly a eureka moment for me. It made me think back to a speech Michelle Obama had made, where she stated that “for me, exercise is more than just physical, it’s therapeutic.” Exercise became my therapy. I could focus more on my academics and my grades improved.
My own mental health struggle made me wonder if we were over-diagnosing and over-treating mental health disorders or if lifestyle changes alone could boost mental health. This led me to research the benefits of physical activity in managing mild-to-moderate mental health concerns, especially depression and anxiety. The more I learned, the more I wanted to share this information with others. So much so that I metamorphosed into a mental health advocate.
I also decided to take an even more proactive role in the matter by founding a student-led provincial organization the Active Mental Health Initiative (AMHI), with the goal of raising awareness of the benefits of physical activity on mental health. Bringing students from across the province of Ontario, Canada together, AMHI organizes symposiums and workshops to address the increasing rates of mental health problems that students currently face. With AMHI, we want to change the misconception that mental health is separate from physical health. In reality, both mental and physical health are deeply intertwined. Kate Middleton rightly said, ”A child’s mental health is just as important as their physical health and deserves the same quality of support.”
Seeing that January 30 is #BellLetsTalk day, I find myself thinking back to my own mental health experiences and those of other students quite often. It’s my hope that through the work we do with AMHI, everyone will have the opportunity to feel well, find time for self-care, sense the strong waves, develop and use their coping skills to surf the high tides and seek timely help. Please visit our website and our Facebook page for more information. Anyone interested in this initiative can start AMHI clubs in their high schools and facilitate “Healthy Mind Healthy Body” workshops at middle schools. Join us in these ongoing projects and advocate for the cause of mental health.
Ishaan Sachdeva
Please note that opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
