Woman who struggled with anxiety creates kit to help other cope with this condition

The first-year students from 2018 at UW got a mental health first aid kit for the first time, during orientation.

The kit is called PASS (panic, anxiety and stress support) was created by Tina Chan, who suffered from anxiety.

They have been distributed to small groups and UW students, workplaces and veterans since 2015. UW bought 7100 PASS kits and gave them to first-year students in 2018.

Each PASS contains a squeezable stress star, earplugs, a sleeping mask, a pack of gum and a deck of 25 flashcards with steps a person can take when they are experiencing anxiety or stress symptoms. The kits and small so that the user can carry it with them all the time. Also, every kit has a personalised message from each faculty dean.

"It's really nice to know that something my company has created is recognized as a useful tool and that down the road it can help one or two people get through their mental health problem," Tina explained.

The goal of these kits is to help students have a smoother transition from high school to university, by helping them to manage their anxiety.

The PASS kit can be bought online for 15 CAD.

Adapted from: https://bit.ly/2w525AH

More info: http://www.mypasskit.com/