Mental Health Matters

Author: Anonymous

My STEM journey has had its fair share of ups and downs. I was raised by a single mother who immigrated in hopes of giving my brother and I a better life. I grew up with multiple mental health struggles, and due to stigma around mental health, I was never able to seek intervention. Once I moved away for university, the issues festered and ultimately led to me almost failing my first year, with not much valuable takeaway from that time.

Despite majoring in STEM, I had absolutely no interest in it nor was I succeeding either. Fast forward to second year, I got myself the help I needed mentally, found a routine that worked for me, and discovered that I really enjoyed research. I declared a specialization in neuroscience and fell in love with every part of it. The PhD student who is still my supervisor today saw something in me two years ago when I didn't, and she has given me endless opportunities and support, and changed the trajectory of my life.

I have since been a part of three research labs and have developed a deep appreciation for research, and am currently applying to master's programs. I truly believe that I am where I am today because of my journey, and it has made me a better student, human, and researcher. The values I was raised with and the support I have been given have helped shape who I am today, and I can say that I am proud of who I am.

My advice to other students finding themselves in positions like these would be to never lose hope—and to give yourself grace. Don't try to rush into something or force a passion—these will come in time. And things always have their way of working out, even if it's not in the way or timeline you imagined. You will succeed in time and I am rooting for you!

Mental Health Resources Curated by Research Girl, Inc.

• Find confidential resources at samhsa.gov/find-help including the mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment finder, and disaster crisis counseling resources for survivors of natural or human-caused disasters.

  
  

• For emotional support, call or text "988" or online chat with caring crisis counselors at 988lifeline.org. The 988 Lifeline website offers prevention and crisis resources for you and/or loved ones, and resources for minoritized and marginalized communities, including youth; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals; neurodivergent and disabled individuals; and veterans and service members.

  
  

• If these resources do not meet your needs and you are still at risk for harm from yourself or others, call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

  
  

• International mental health helplines and resources in more than 130 countries are available at findahelpline.com.