Tina Chan, a student at Canada’s University of Waterloo, has created an innovative first-aid kit for mental health, in response to her own struggles with panic attacks and depression in her first year at university.
Her university has now incorporated PASS Kits – short for ‘Panic, Anxiety & Stress Support’ – into its wellbeing strategy, handing them out to all first-year students.
An instant tool for common mental health scenarios
Chan designed the kit to provide an instant set of tools for students who are suffering with poor mental health. The kits include flashcards with evidence-based tips for tackling mental health, a foam stress toy, and earplugs and sleeping masks to block out triggering lights and/or sounds.
The kits are intended only to help in certain situations, such as panic attacks, and are not a replacement for robust mental health support from professionals. They retail at $15 CAD each.
