Using drugs or alcohol is a personal choice. Some students don’t use either, while others choose to use one or both recreationally, or more often.

If you are choosing to use drugs or alcohol, it’s important to keep in mind how they can affect you. It’s also important to know that if you think your drinking or drug use is problematic, that there are many resources available to you.

Only you can truly know whether or not your consumption of alcohol and drugs is a problem. If you’re not sure if you have a problem but want to try taking more control of your alcohol or drug use, here are some strategies that may be helpful.

• Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of your alcohol or drug use. Which list is longer? Do you want the disadvantages list to shrink?
• Keep a journal of your alcohol or drug consumption. At the end of two weeks, look back at what you wrote down. Did you consume more or less than you expected? How does this information make you feel?
• Get some feedback from someone you really trust. Do they think there is cause for concern?
• Try limiting your exposure to social events that involve alcohol and drugs. How do you feel about not being there? Do you miss hanging out with friends, the alcohol or drugs, or both?
• Think about what emotions trigger your alcohol consumption and drug use. Do you tend to drink or use drugs when you feel certain emotions? Are there any alternatives to dealing with these feelings?
• You may want to try a month of abstinence. Is it easy or difficult for you to stop your alcohol or drug use?

Counselling and Accessibility Services is there to help if you are dealing with substance abuse or addiction. If you would like to make an appointment, please complete the online intake form and someone will contact you to set up an appointment.

Being true to yourself

Coming out as gay or lesbian is an amazing time because it means you’re ready to be 100 per cent true to yourself. But it can also be scary for some people.

It’s important to accept and like yourself for who you are. Your sexual identity is a part of you, but it’s not everything about who you are. You are still the same person you always have been, you are now just sharing another piece of your identity that was always there.

Preparing to come out

When you are coming out to your family and friends, sadly, there are some things you should consider in order to protect yourself. Unfortunately, some people may not accept you right away and others may not want to continue a friendship with you. If you are coming out, look for hints about what people’s beliefs systems are ahead of time. Do they know other LGBTT* people? Have they demonstrated openness and acceptance of the LGBTT* community or have they shown intolerance and discrimination? The answers to these questions can give you clues about how people might react, but keep in mind that some people who you thought were accepting may show they are not, and people who you thought were discriminatory might surprise you.

Preparing yourself emotionally for whatever the outcome might be is important. Sometimes you end up having to be a support to people that might become emotional themselves, so when you are coming out, it is important to be in a place where you’re comfortable with who you are and are strong in your sense of self. This is one of the few times in life when a special moment that should be all about you (coming out) can turn into a moment that’s all about them! Be ready to be a support or offer people you are coming out to more information.

Something else to consider when coming out is your safety. Safety comes in many forms — this can be your physical safety but also safety in terms of housing and support. If you come out to your family, will they be accepting? Will you be allowed to stay at home or is your housing at risk? Are you financially dependent on your family? Will this be cut off? If you think these things may be at risk, consider this in your decision to come out to your family and how you may need to make plans that will ensure your safety and well-being.

Supports at RRC

At the College, you will have a lot of support if you choose to come out. Counselling and Accessibility Services has counsellors who are available to support students around personal issues such as coming out, as well as academic issues.

Red River College also has an LGBTT* Initiative Program that identifies, trains and supports allies at the College. The Initiative works to create a safe and inclusive environment at the College so all students have the opportunity to learn and feel supported.

There is also a new LGBTT student group that has formed at Red River College. Information on this group can be found on their Facebook page.

Supports in the community

Outside of the College, there are many great supports and ways to get involved in the LGBTT* community. The Rainbow Resource Centre provides counselling and support, access to resources and a library and ways to get involved in social events and with volunteer opportunities. The Centre can also help connect you with other community groups, supports and services outside of the College.

What kind of supports did you find helpful when you were coming out? Tell us in the comment section below!

It may sound simple, but one way to help maintain a balanced mood is to eat healthy. Just as there is a relationship between food and our bodies, there is a connection between food and our minds.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is always good for us, but there are also other foods containing important vitamins and minerals that contribute to our overall mental health. Here are some to be sure to grab the next time you’re out grocery shopping!

• Beans, peas and lentils 


Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that’s linked to the “feel good” chemicals in the brain — serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. This is why people with a folate-deficiency have been found to experience symptoms such as irritability, fatigue and depression.
B vitamins including folate are destroyed by substances such as alcohol, refined sugars and nicotine and are not stored in the body long-term so you have to make sure to consumer them regularly.

• Nuts and seeds

People with low levels of selenium, an important mineral for overall brain functioning, tend to feel more anxious, depressed and tired. Brazil nuts as well as pumpkin and sunflower seeds are a great source of selenium, so head out to Bulk Barn this week and stock up! Your mood will thank you.

• Whole grains


Zinc plays a role in modulating the brain and body’s response to stress and a zinc-deficiency can lead to symptoms of depression. Whole grains such as whole wheat bread and pasta, wild rice and quinoa contain high levels of zinc.

Whole grains are also naturally rich in an amino acid called tryptophan, which your body needs to produce serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin, the “feel-good hormone,” improves mood and relaxes brain and body, while melatonin helps establish and maintain steady sleep cycles. All in all, whole grains are pretty awesome so make sure you’re getting your three to five servings per day!

• Salmon and tuna


Studies suggest that Omega-3 Fatty Acids have a mood-stabilizing effect and may protect against depression and other mood disorders. Other sources of omega-3 Fatty Acids include canola, flax seed or walnuts.

Click here for more information on the relationship between food and mental health.

Thanks to Kathleen McClinton, registered dietician, for sharing information and insight that helped to create this blog post.

Rebels Athletics and Recreation Services are excited to bring the Lunch and Learn series to the college this school year. Come participate and interact with fitness, exercise, and wellness professionals as they present on wide array of active living topics.

2015 Spring Session

First Session – Nutrition Myths Busted

Date: Monday, March 30
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Green Lecture Theatre
Host: Janelle Vincent

Whole grain bread or rye bread? Butter or margarine? Gluten or no gluten? If you’ve asked yourself these questions, come and join us for this exciting Lunch and Learn, where we will discuss healthy eating and bust nutrition myths!

About the Host

Janelle is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for sport! She completed a Kinesiology degree prior to her Human Nutritional Sciences degree and recently completed the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition. She was a Bison athlete in Cross-Country and Track and Field and is also a Competition Development (Level 3) trained coach in Athletics. She currently works with various athletes and teams representative of various levels of competition, from endurance to strength/power to precision/skill sports.

Her goals in sport nutrition are to combine both university degrees and her sporting background to help high performance athletes achieve their athletic goals by guiding them in properly fuelling their bodies.

Second Session –
Running Efficiency: How to Train: Best practices!

Date: Wednesday, April 22
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: North Gym
Host: Sheldon Reynolds

Whether you are training for soccer, ultimate Frisbee or a marathon there are basic similarities in running strides. Participants should wear running attire. Dress in layers. Shorts, t-short, sweats or tights and a sweatshirt or light jacket. You will learn, technique, training, and nutrition in preparation for competition. If you have any specific questions regarding specific training for a 10km, ½ marathon….bring them!

About the Host

Sheldon Reynolds, a lifelong runner will facilitate this active session. He has coached learn to train athletes as well as adult instructors in the Athletics Canada Run, jump and Throw program. Sheldon is an endurance athlete in the Active for life stage that has competed in races from 1,500 meters to the marathons and completed Ironman Wisconsin in 2010.

Third Session – Biking 101-Part 1

Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Green Lecture Theatre
Host: Dave Elmore

Biking basics: Sizing and purchasing advise on where to get a bike and as well where to purchase bikes from. Basic maintenance and preparing for your bike ride also discussed.

About the Host

Dave Elmore is a certified CAN-Bike Master Instructor and was a founding member of Bike Winnipeg. He served as the Director of Safety and Education for over 6 years and remains active serving on several committees. CAN-Bike is a national program run by Cycling Canada offering a variety of courses on all aspects of cycling safety and skills. An avid road and commuter cyclist, Dave has been commuting by bike from Charleswood to downtown for over 25 years. He is also the project manager for Bike Week Winnipeg and the former project manager of Bike to School Winnipeg (now coordinated by Green Action Centre). A regular volunteer at The WRENCH, Dave enjoys building and repairing bikes of all kinds.

Fourth Session – Biking 101-Part 2

Date: Wednesday, May 27
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: PH Staff Parking
Host: Dave Elmore

Taking it on the road: ABC Quick Check – how to quickly check that your bike is safe to ride. Skill component: learn some basic and often overlooked skills that can help you be more confident and safe on your bike. (straight line riding (w/shoulder checks and signals), rock dodge, quick turns, panic stops). Please bring your own bike to this session. Rec services has a limited amount of bikes that can be used.

Everyone experiences guilt at one time or another during their life. While some guilt can induce positive change, it can also become self-destructive, wasting energy and adding unnecessary stress to your life.

Read on for some tips on processing these feelings so that you can eliminate, or at least minimize, your guilt.

• Choose not to rehearse guilt. 
Do you find yourself repeating the same guilty thoughts over and over again? They won’t go away on their own. You must choose to make them stop. 

To do so, make an effort to catch yourself when you find yourself wandering down that painful mental path. Put up a mental stop sign. You can also choose a physical action, such as snapping your fingers, to remind yourself to change direction. Then, deliberately focus on something else, such as your plans for tomorrow. Focusing on something positive in the future is a conscious reminder that there is more to your life than negatives from the past.
  
• Choose to accept what cannot be changed. 
Chances are you’ve already changed anything that needed to be changed about the situation so a self-imposed “penance” for past mistakes accomplishes nothing. It doesn’t change or make up for the past, it simply ruins your future. The proactive thing you can do now is accept that the only thing you can change is your future.
• Choose balance. Guilt keeps us focused on the times we imagine we failed. It blinds us to all the other times when we were successful. So the next time your mind drifts into unhappy, guilty thoughts, choose to refocus. Actively remind yourself of times where you made good decisions, were responsible or did something you were proud of. Write down a list of the things you did. Force yourself to remember what went right. Recognize that there is, and always has been, a balance between your failures and your successes.
  
• Choose forgiveness. 
Forgiveness is a necessity in any relationship, including the one you have with yourself. Treat yourself with the same degree of love and acceptance that others give you and that you give others. Only then will you be able to heal.

The world benefits from individuals who choose to learn from their mistakes and move on to make a difference. Don’t let guilt keep you locked in a lifetime of misery. Choose to forgive, to love, and to move forward.

Sam Chisick is the director of Yoga Public and a yoga instructor. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with an honours B.Sc. in Human Nutritional Sciences.

If you’ve never done yoga, Sam Chisick may just convince you to give it a try.

The director of Yoga Public not only runs the studio but is passionate about teaching classes and practicing yoga herself. She also happens to have a background in nutrition. So basically, if you want to know about health, Sam is a pretty solid bet.

She can also relate to being a student since she was one herself not that long ago.

“I first started going to yoga daily to get away from the stress of school. It made me feel so good..I never stopped!” says Sam. “Eventually, I ended up starting to teach yoga and then helped to open a yoga studio.”

So what’s so good about regularly standing in tree pose or bending over in downward dog? Sam says there are too many benefits to list them all but the most important physical and psychological benefits include:

Psychological

• better mood
• greater attention span
• improved concentration and memory
• decreased anxiety, depression and stress

Physical

• muscular strength
• flexibility
• decreased pain
• increased energy levels and endurance
• normalized blood pressure

She says many people will also gain greater self-acceptance and awareness from practicing yoga. This can be especially beneficial for people with depression who may at times feel disconnected from themselves and others.

“Sometimes its just a matter of taking time for yourself, working with your breath and clearing your mind through silence and movement,” says Sam. “As you re-enter the world after class, you’ll feel more clear, aware and comfortable. I’ve experienced an increase in self-acceptance through yoga first-hand.”

Another great thing about yoga? Anyone can do it.

“There is a suitable class for every type of person — regardless of your age, gender or ability level,” says Sam. “Some classes use yoga as a workout and other classes help you increase flexibility by stretching and then there’s classes that just help you relax and let go. It’s just a matter of finding the class that works for you.”

What benefits have you experienced from doing yoga? Tell us below!

Tessa Blaikie has her bachelors degree in sociology from the University of Winnipeg and a masters degree in Political Economy from Carleton University. She is a youth mental health promotion worker at the Canadian Mental Health Association Winnipeg and was Winnipeg’s official champion of the Clara Hughes events in Winnipeg during Clara’s Big Ride for Bell Let’s Talk.

Many of you probably took first aid or CPR training through school, summer camp or work, so you know what to do if someone sprains their ankle, starts choking or experiencing chest pains. But what if you came across someone having a mental health crisis? Would you know what to do?

Why Mental Health First Aid?

Unlike physical injuries, mental health issues aren’t always obvious, which can mean they get overlooked. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches us how to recognize when others are struggling with a mental health problem and equips us with tools and information so we can help. At the same time, MHFA also helps reduce mental health stigma as accurate information is shared about people with mental health issues including risk factors, symptoms and more.

MHFA is important because mental health issues are so prevalent in our society. One in three Canadians will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life. Professional help is not always on hand so even if we want to help someone in crisis, we may not know how. MHFA teaches us how.

Helping a friend

Here’s an example of how MHFA training can be useful. You notice one of your friends has been irritable lately. Then they confide in you that they’ve been drinking a lot of coffee to stay up and study and then drinking alcohol to fall asleep. From your MHFA training, you recognize that what they’re doing is not safe or sustainable. You’re training has also taught you how best to approach them with your concerns and make suggestions for how they might go about changing their behaviour. You talk to them about the different stages of change that you learned about through MHFA and direct them to the right resources.

This is the kind of aid MHFA will teach you how to provide until appropriate professional connections are made for the person in crisis or until the crisis resolved. MHFA will also give you the knowledge and skills to be able to assess the person’s safety to determine if he/she is at risk for suicide.

In this example, your friend may want to connect with a counsellor in Counselling and Accessibility Services to get help with gradually slowing down their caffeine and alcohol consumption. Or they may want to take a study skills workshop to learn how to better manage their school workload and stress.

Want more information?

If you think you might be interested in taking MHFA training or just want to learn more, visit the Canadian Mental Health Association Winnipeg for upcoming courses including basic MHFA and MHFA for adults who interact with youth. Check out www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca for MHFA courses offered by other organizations throughout Canada.

Some people are simply more resilient than others. Whether it’s genetics or something they learned growing up, we all know of someone who takes challenges in strides, shrugs off disappointment and perseveres in the face of stress.

If you happen to be someone who is less resilient (you find yourself dwelling on problems, feeling overwhelmed or having trouble coping with stress) — know that you’re not alone. Also know that there’s good news! There are many things you can do to build your resiliency. It may take time but eventually, you can feel confident in your strengths and abilities, manage your emotions and handle stressful situations in healthy ways.


Here are our top 10 tips for building resiliency:


1. Think of stressful situations as temporary. You can’t change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you perceive these events and the way you respond to them. Try to picture several weeks or months into the future when the stressful event or crisis has passed. Are things really that bad? In most cases, probably not.

2. Accept that change is a part of living. Things change around and within us all the time. Try to accept change will happen and focus on the ways the new circumstances could be positive.

3. Identify realistic goals. Set regular goals — even if they seem like small accomplishments. This will give you motivation to work toward bigger goals. To do this, ask yourself each day what you can accomplish today that will help you move in the general direction of where you want to go.

4. Take action. If a stressful or adverse situation occurs, don’t isolate yourself or detach from the problem and hope it goes away. Think about what you can do to make the situation better and the effective action you can take as soon as possible.

5. Learn from experience. There is potential for us to learn from every experience we go through — positive and negative. When going through a difficult time, think of how you’ve coped with hardships in the past. Try writing down what happened and how you solved a the situation. This exercise can help you identify what skills and strategies were helpful and that you should use again.

6. Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very stressful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion by reminding yourself that it will pass. Ask yourself, “Will this matter a few months or a year from now?”

7. Make every day meaningful. Do something each day that gives you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Try setting goals in the morning right after breakfast. Doing so can help you feel motivated and productive — a great feeling at the beginning of a new day!

8. Be proactive. Don’t ignore your problems. As hard as it can be to do, addressing situations head on will help you feel much better in the end. Know that whatever the setback or difficult situation is, it will improve if you create a plan and start taking action.

9. Make social connections. Whenever you’re dealing with a problem, it is important to have people who can offer support. Talking about the challenges you are facing can be an excellent way to gain perspective, look for new solutions, express your emotions and problem solve.

10. Take care of yourself. No matter what you’re going through, it’s important to have love and respect for yourself. If you’ve made a mistake or done something wrong, don’t beat yourself up. Try and think about your past successes or situations where you’ve done the right thing. You may want to try some stress management and relaxation techniques such as a yoga or meditation class or deep breathing. At least make sure that you’re eating regular meals and getting enough sleep.

What has helped you become more resilient? Share your tips in the comment section below!

Last week we posted some tips on handling feelings of anger. Along with those immediate coping mechanisms, it’s also worthwhile to consider some longer-term solutions for managing anger.

Here are some things you might want to try if you’ve been feeling a lot of intense anger.

• Explore what is making you angry. Is it something you have control over or not? If your anger is related to school, keep in mind that we all have different academic abilities, but are there are things that can help you reach your goals. Connecting with Tutoring Services, talking with your instructor, developing good time management or maybe even reducing your course load may help.

• Learn your triggers. What tends to set off your anger? Do you find you are quick to anger when you are feeling time pressured, when you feel like things are unfair, when you don’t understand something, when you hear about situations of injustice or when you are feeling guilty or shameful about something. Knowing what might trigger your anger will help you prepare for it.
• Learn your warning signs. This could include a racing heart, clenching your jaw or just feeling tense. Whatever your warning signs are, try to identify what it is you feel right before your anger comes on so you can learn to manage your anger before it escalates out of control.
• Have an anger management plan. Come up with a clear plan you can put into action if your anger starts to escalate. Your plan might be as simple as 3 steps – step 1 leave the situation, step 2 take 10 deep breaths and step 3 think about something else. Other parts of your plan may involve things such as relaxation strategies to help you feel calmer or regular eating, sleeping and exercise. Let’s face it, we all cope better when we’ve moved our bodies around, eaten a good meal and had a good night’s sleep.

Chronic anger or irritability combined with other symptoms can be associated with other mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety. If you have any concerns that you might be struggling with one of these things, you may want to book an appointment with one of counsellors in Counselling and Accessibility Services.

People’s experiences with grief don’t follow orderly or predictable stages. Each of us copes with loss in our unique way and our grieving changes over time.

Sometimes our “own way” of grieving doesn’t always work and we can find ourselves overwhelmed. There are things we can do to help us work through our grief when this happens.

• Journaling
  Expressing our feelings to other people can be really hard, especially about something so personal as going through a loss. Writing about our feelings is much easier because it’s private. We don’t have to share what we write if we don’t want to.

Buy yourself a notebook that will fit in your purse or backpack. When you’re feeling some emotion bubbling up, get out your notebook and write whatever comes to mind — a letter, poem, words, random facts about the day. Many people are surprised at what comes out when they sit down to write and how therapeutic this exercise is.
• Meditation
  Find yourself a quiet and comfortable place where you can be alone with your thoughts for about ten minutes. Sit quietly or listen to your favourite music. Let your mind go and see where it leads you. It’s OK to cry or feel emotional. You’re working through the grief.
• Join a support group
  How many times have you wished you could talk to someone who would understand? Support groups are a great way to connect with people who can relate to what you’re going through. If you don’t want to commit to attending meetings, online support groups such as onlinegriefsupport.com are also a good option.
• Talking about it
  When you feel ready, open up to someone you trust. This may be your best friend, partner or classmate, or it may be a counsellor.

Allowing yourself time to grieve is very important for your overall mental health. If you want to talk to someone about what you’re going through, you can meet with one of the counsellors in Counselling and Accessibility Services. To book an appointment, complete the online intake form.