From Lifeline Anxiety Disorder Newsletter. A post that went viral led to the creation of a youth-oriented only support group. Emily Aubé, a Ryerson journalism student and mental health activist from Barrie, Ontario, has regularly blogged about her struggles with and triumphs over panic disorder and generalized anxiety over the years since she was diagnosed in junior high school.
A blog post she wrote for the recent Bell Let’s Talk Day went viral on social media and led to the launch an her online support group, Anxiety Free Community.
The site, designed to help others struggling with anxiety and panic disorders immediately attracted teens and young adults from across the country and beyond. 10 to 20 percent of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or a mental health disorder according to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), but there are several barriers to treatment for students – not least of which include belief that an adult couldn’t relate and provide useful guidance and fear of stigma amongst peers. Aubé she sees a future in mental health advocacy and hopes to bring help to students from elementary to university level.
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