Ever woken up not feeling like yourself? Welcome to the club. So has the rest of Canada.

It's nothing to be ashamed of. Almost every single person in every community across this country has felt anxious, stressed, even depressed at some point, including many of your friends. So you're in good company.

What's important is to pay attention to those feelings. That's part of dealing with your mental health. And the more you look after it, the healthier your life will be.

Sadly, some people live with those feelings all the time. You may even know someone. Now imagine having to live with the shame, discrimination and lack of treatment and support that goes with it.

It's time for change.

The University of Manitoba recognizes the importance of raising awareness of the issue and encourages you to find out more with Partners for Mental Healthhttp://www.notmyselftoday.ca/. They are a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to transform the way we think about, act towards and treat mental health in Canada.

If you're looking for support, we provide counselling services to students on campus. Find out more at: http://umanitoba.ca/student/counselling Dr. Lynn Smith Executive Director, Student Services