A recent article at Canadian University Press on binge drinking (http://newswire.cup.ca/articles/51651) inspired me to write this one. The article deals with the level of drinking at a maritime university and comments on the fact that drinking is higher in the Maritimes (a fact I can attest to as that was where I did my undergrad). The article also goes on to talk about the link between drinking and mental health issues, a topic close to home.

I remember a lot of students I knew were on one form of medication or another while in University. I can cite at least one time the topic came up at a study group. Of the 7 people in the group, 6 people admitted to having been or being on an anti depressant during their time of study. I am impressed with UNB for including the idea that mental health is a contributing factor in university students drinking. With mental health awareness becoming more prevalent I hope to see more universities embrace the concept of mental health issues within that community.

In my time at School, I did find that there were a few things that I as a student did to improve my depression:

1. I admitted to myself I had depression. This seems really obvious but
after years of faking happy (to any degree), the shield you have built up can get in the way of your own health.

2. I told someone, for me it was family and a few friends, for you it can be whoever you want but a support structure is hugely important.

3. Take time to work on you. I found that if I worked out, ran, skateboarded, or hung out with friends and watched a movie, these things could really bring my mood up and I tried to do one of them or multiples every day.

I’m not claiming to be a medical or psychological expert but I am saying that I have been there and it affected my studies and my life in general.  If you think it is affecting you talk about it.