mental health

Mental health conditions alarmingly high among children with autism

Nearly 78 per cent of children with autism have at least one mental health condition and nearly half have two mental health conditions or more, according to a new U.S. study from UBC’s department of psychology and the AJ Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University (Pennsylvania).

Jan 19, 2021

New national survey finds Canadians’ mental health eroding as pandemic continues

The second wave of the pandemic has intensified feelings of stress and anxiety, causing alarming levels of despair, suicidal thoughts and hopelessness in the Canadian population.

Dec 3, 2020

The unique mental health and brain impacts of COVID-19

As COVID-19 infections spike around the globe, with no end in sight for months, questions are beginning to arise around the long-term effects of the pandemic on our mental health and brain health.

Nov 6, 2020

Will we ever shake hands again?

Dr. Lakshmi Yatham, professor and head of the UBC department of psychiatry, explores the psychological toll of COVID-19 and offers his advice on combating stress and anxiety.

Oct 9, 2020

New UBC study reveals older adults coped with pandemic best

Adults aged 60 and up have fared better emotionally compared to younger adults (18–39) and middle-aged adults (40–59) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jul 22, 2020

COVID-19 survey highlights growing suicide and mental health risks across various groups

COVID-19 has significantly increased the suicide risk for Canadians with preexisting mental health challenges and experiences of marginalization, reveals a new survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) in partnership with researchers at the University of British Columbia.

Jun 25, 2020

Woman planking in bleachers. Credit: Julia Ballew/Unsplash

Pandemic provides opportunity for studying impact of exercise on mental health

The COVID-19 crisis has been hard on people’s mental and physical health. UBC’s School of Kinesiology is set to launch two separate studies that will examine the impact of exercise programs on mental health during the current crisis.

May 28, 2020

Emily Overholt, an Olympic bronze medallist in swimming and third-year kinesiology student at UBC, credits her recovery from depression with learning how to recognize the symptoms of the mood disorder.

Mental Illness Awareness Week: UBC swimmer sheds stigma of depression

When UBC Thunderbirds swimmer Emily Overholt won a bronze medal after competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, she should have felt like she was on top of the world. Instead, she faced debilitating depression.

Oct 7, 2019

Patty Hambler (left), director of health promotion and education at UBC Student Services, and Agnes d’Entremont (right), mechanical engineering instructor and faculty lead for a pilot project in UBC’s mechanical engineering program that teaches second-year students about mental health literacy and understanding the stress response. Credit: Paul Joseph/University of British Columbia

‘Help is available’: Student mental health services at UBC

Sitting on a bench outside Totem Park student residence, Kirsten Tarasoff remembers feeling an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.

Mar 25, 2019

Teach Mental Health aims to expand mental health literacy among those studying to be teachers, and among those they teach. Credit: Flickr

New, free online resource for teachers, teacher candidates, or anyone who wants to support youth mental health

Four Canadian universities, including the University of British Columbia, launched a new online curriculum resource earlier this month called Teach Mental Health.

Aug 30, 2018

The study showed that asking men to describe their experiences of grief and loss through photographs and storytelling could be therapeutic.

Self-care and social ties can help men recover from the suicide of a loved one

Recovering from the suicide of a friend, partner or family member can be emotionally challenging for men, largely due to masculine ideals that dictate men should remain stoic and keep their feelings bottled up.

Jun 20, 2018

Study sheds light on B.C. youths’ experiences with mental health services

It is 2012 and Smiley, a young woman in her early 20s, lives in a single room occupancy (SRO) building in Vancouver.

Feb 27, 2017

Movember-funded program to help men, veterans and prostate cancer survivors with depression, PTSD

Media availability upon request with UBC researcher and Afghanistan veteran recently funded by Movember to address men’s depression, prostate cancer recovery and PTSD in veterans. John Oliffe, health researcher and […]

Oct 31, 2013

Study paints complex health portrait of single-room occupancy hotel tenants in DTES

A new study is revealing multiple health concerns faced by an tenants in Vancouver’s SRO hotels.

Aug 9, 2013

First major study of suicide motivations to advance prevention

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Jun 13, 2013

Early screening for anxiety disorders in children helps prevent mental health concerns: UBC study

A University of British Columbia researcher has developed a simple two-question test to screen kindergarten-aged children for future anxiety disorders – the most commonly reported mental health concern among children.

Apr 16, 2012

UBC receives $1M from Bell for online youth mental health outreach and research

Vancouver, November 16, 2011 – Today UBC and Bell announced a $1M gift to establish the Bell Youth Mental Health IMPACT project. This initiative will enable researchers from the University of British Columbia to conduct mental health outreach to youth in need.

Nov 16, 2011

UBC announces largest ever gift to Faculty of Medicine: $15M towards Centre for Brain Health

A $15 million gift from Vancouver philanthropist Djavad Mowafaghian will help create a new facility that integrates brain research and patient care.

Apr 4, 2011