Help is just around the corner
Sometimes life hits rock bottom, it happens to the best of us and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. The important thing is to seek out a helping hand, be it a family member, a friend, a religious figure or a support worker.
London is full of warm hearts and friendly faces willing to sit down and help those struggling with mental health issues, the hardest part is just reaching out for the first time. No one is going to judge you for having small problems because there’s no such thing as a small problem. Struggling isn’t something that can be measured and compared, it can only be resolved.
Fanshawe’s main campus is home to a diverse counselling department ready to help with any number of issues that come up during your academic career. From dealing with a loss, to anger management and even relationship troubles, Fanshawe’s counsellors are here to ensure that no student struggles alone.
The counselling office can be found in room F2010 or reached at 519-452-4282.
If you would rather find a program or community that specializes in a specific area of mental health, the following organizations are a good place to start.
For those who may not feel comfortable enough to leave the house, remember that you can always call any of the hotlines listed below. Not all of them are local but they’re all 24-hour hotlines because no one should struggle alone.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
London Distress Line: 519-667-6711
Good2Talk: Post-Secondary Student Helpline: 1-866-925-5454
First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP)
Address: 860 Richmond Street
Contact: 519-646-6000 ext. 65178 / FEMAP@lhsc.on.ca
College is the first time many students are away from home. The high academic pressure and lack of a close support system can lead many students to develop issues with anxiety or mood swings. This program is dedicated to helping young adults who are experiencing these issues for the first time.
London Mental Health Crisis Service
Address: 862 Richmond Street
Contact: 519-433-2023
If you ever feel like you’re in a situation where an early exit on life looks appealing, please head to the LHSC crisis center. If you’re contemplating harming yourself or others there is a team of skilled psychologists here willing to work through things with you.
If you don’t see a group that focuses on your own mental needs, call the Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600. This helpline offers support, a person to talk to and information on all the mental health services in the city.
Learning Disabilities Association of London Region
Located: 303 Richmond Street Unit 205
Contact: (519) 438-6213 / ldainfo@ldalondon.ca
College can be hard, but dealing with an attention deficit disorder makes it all the more difficult. You don’t have to struggle alone. London’s Learning Disabilities Association offers one-on-one coaching as well as a peer group that meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Group
Address: 648 Huron Street
Contact: 519-434-9191 / info@cmhamiddlesex.ca
Many people neglect to acknowledge that OCD is a mental illness just as much as anxiety or depression is. The OCD peer-support group meets on the second and fourth Monday of every month and while it doesn’t accept drop-ins, anyone can RSVP by calling in.
Survivors Of Suicide (SOS)
Address: 648 Huron Street
Contact: 519-434-9191 ext 244 / info@cmhamiddlesex.ca
Dealing with the loss of a loved one or a friend is difficult, but even more so if they’ve taken their own life. It’s important to talk with others in the wake of a loss and to not internalize or bottle up any feelings of guilt or responsibility. SOS is a free eight-week group program for people dealing with the loss of someone to suicide. The group covers topics such as shame, anger, denial and helplessness.
London Shyness and Social Anxiety Support Group
Address: 648 Huron Street
Contact: 519-668-0624 / picklelardface@gmail.com
If social situations or densely packed spaces make you feel uneasy, this support group might be able to alleviate some of that nervousness. The group welcomes new members and strives to maintain an inviting and stress-free environment. They meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month.
London and Region Mood Disorders Self Help Group
Address: 534 Queens Ave
Contact: 519-434-9191 / info@london-md.org
If the thought of sitting down with a psychologist makes you uncomfortable, this is the perfect alternative. The peer-support group meets every Wednes-day and is open to drop-ins. By meeting away from a doctor’s office the support group creates a relaxed environment where the participants are more ‘family’ than ‘patients’. The group meets on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and on the fourth Wednesday of every month, participants are encouraged to bring friends and family along.
London is full of warm hearts and friendly faces willing to sit down and help those struggling with mental health issues, the hardest part is just reaching out for the first time. No one is going to judge you for having small problems because there’s no such thing as a small problem. Struggling isn’t something that can be measured and compared, it can only be resolved.
Fanshawe’s main campus is home to a diverse counselling department ready to help with any number of issues that come up during your academic career. From dealing with a loss, to anger management and even relationship troubles, Fanshawe’s counsellors are here to ensure that no student struggles alone.
The counselling office can be found in room F2010 or reached at 519-452-4282.
If you would rather find a program or community that specializes in a specific area of mental health, the following organizations are a good place to start.
For those who may not feel comfortable enough to leave the house, remember that you can always call any of the hotlines listed below. Not all of them are local but they’re all 24-hour hotlines because no one should struggle alone.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
London Distress Line: 519-667-6711
Good2Talk: Post-Secondary Student Helpline: 1-866-925-5454
First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP)
Address: 860 Richmond Street
Contact: 519-646-6000 ext. 65178 / FEMAP@lhsc.on.ca
College is the first time many students are away from home. The high academic pressure and lack of a close support system can lead many students to develop issues with anxiety or mood swings. This program is dedicated to helping young adults who are experiencing these issues for the first time.
London Mental Health Crisis Service
Address: 862 Richmond Street
Contact: 519-433-2023
If you ever feel like you’re in a situation where an early exit on life looks appealing, please head to the LHSC crisis center. If you’re contemplating harming yourself or others there is a team of skilled psychologists here willing to work through things with you.
If you don’t see a group that focuses on your own mental needs, call the Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600. This helpline offers support, a person to talk to and information on all the mental health services in the city.
Learning Disabilities Association of London Region
Located: 303 Richmond Street Unit 205
Contact: (519) 438-6213 / ldainfo@ldalondon.ca
College can be hard, but dealing with an attention deficit disorder makes it all the more difficult. You don’t have to struggle alone. London’s Learning Disabilities Association offers one-on-one coaching as well as a peer group that meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Group
Address: 648 Huron Street
Contact: 519-434-9191 / info@cmhamiddlesex.ca
Many people neglect to acknowledge that OCD is a mental illness just as much as anxiety or depression is. The OCD peer-support group meets on the second and fourth Monday of every month and while it doesn’t accept drop-ins, anyone can RSVP by calling in.
Survivors Of Suicide (SOS)
Address: 648 Huron Street
Contact: 519-434-9191 ext 244 / info@cmhamiddlesex.ca
Dealing with the loss of a loved one or a friend is difficult, but even more so if they’ve taken their own life. It’s important to talk with others in the wake of a loss and to not internalize or bottle up any feelings of guilt or responsibility. SOS is a free eight-week group program for people dealing with the loss of someone to suicide. The group covers topics such as shame, anger, denial and helplessness.
London Shyness and Social Anxiety Support Group
Address: 648 Huron Street
Contact: 519-668-0624 / picklelardface@gmail.com
If social situations or densely packed spaces make you feel uneasy, this support group might be able to alleviate some of that nervousness. The group welcomes new members and strives to maintain an inviting and stress-free environment. They meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month.
London and Region Mood Disorders Self Help Group
Address: 534 Queens Ave
Contact: 519-434-9191 / info@london-md.org
If the thought of sitting down with a psychologist makes you uncomfortable, this is the perfect alternative. The peer-support group meets every Wednes-day and is open to drop-ins. By meeting away from a doctor’s office the support group creates a relaxed environment where the participants are more ‘family’ than ‘patients’. The group meets on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and on the fourth Wednesday of every month, participants are encouraged to bring friends and family along.
