Mental illness on university and college campuses has been of increasing attention recently and as a result, many schools have begun searching for ways to better support the mental well-being of their student body. One initiative that has arisen out of this is #MyDefinition, a poster and social media campaign that originated at UNB Fredericton.
Through the use of photographs and personal stories from students, the campaign strives to demonstrate the wide spectrum of mental health disorders, in addition to increasing awareness of mental health on campus, and encouraging students to seek support and help by combating stigma and letting students know they are not alone. Most especially, the project also emphasizes the message that though "mental health is a part of me, it does not define me".
Since it's initial development, #MyDefinition has continued to evolve and has expanded to other post-secondary schools on the east coast, including St. Thomas University (New Brunswick), Cape Breton University, and most recently Dalhousie University.
"Recovery isn’t black and white. It’s not a simple classification of sick and recovered. It’s a spectrum, and a lifelong battle. It doesn’t come overnight. Every day I still battle with my mental illness. Some days I struggle to get out of bed, sometimes I dissolve into a puddle of tears when someone looks at me wrong, but those days are outnumbered by the days that are easy" - Caitlin (Dal Student).
To learn more about the project and read student's stories of their own lived experiences with mental health visit: http://www.mydefinition.ca/
Through the use of photographs and personal stories from students, the campaign strives to demonstrate the wide spectrum of mental health disorders, in addition to increasing awareness of mental health on campus, and encouraging students to seek support and help by combating stigma and letting students know they are not alone. Most especially, the project also emphasizes the message that though "mental health is a part of me, it does not define me".
Since it's initial development, #MyDefinition has continued to evolve and has expanded to other post-secondary schools on the east coast, including St. Thomas University (New Brunswick), Cape Breton University, and most recently Dalhousie University.
"Recovery isn’t black and white. It’s not a simple classification of sick and recovered. It’s a spectrum, and a lifelong battle. It doesn’t come overnight. Every day I still battle with my mental illness. Some days I struggle to get out of bed, sometimes I dissolve into a puddle of tears when someone looks at me wrong, but those days are outnumbered by the days that are easy" - Caitlin (Dal Student).
To learn more about the project and read student's stories of their own lived experiences with mental health visit: http://www.mydefinition.ca/
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