When I walked into my first substance abuse recovery meeting, "one day at a time" had no meaning to me. Because of my anxiety, I always thought days and even years in advance, future tripping and wanting alcohol to cope. I thought of never being able to have a drink ever again, and it terrified me. It wasn't until someone with multiple years of sobriety told me that all I had to do was live one day at a time that immediately, miraculously, I found a sense of relief.

Hello, my name is Samantha U’Ren and I am a 22-year-old college student who lives in Ottawa, Ontario. I enjoy going to the gym, thrift shopping, and trying to live as much of a “normal” life as possible. I am also pleased to announce that I am the new blogger for the Mental Health for the Digital Generation blog. Being in college is challenging; I think everyone can agree to that. However, my journey through college is a little different because I am a recovering alcoholic who also suffers from major depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

How do you make a relationship work when you have mental health issues? It's a big question and I've learned some important things via my own experiences throughout the years since being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. The first tip I'd like to share is: make sure your partner is well educated about your mental health condition. Do not expect them to understand your symptoms or what you're going through. Keep in mind, most people do not have a good working understanding of mental illness.

I realized the importance of a psychiatric crisis plan when I needed one and I did not have one in place. A few years ago, I was hospitalized and I don't feel that I was given the proper care by the hospital and I was certainly not in any state to take care of myself. If I had a crisis plan in place, my family could have worked with my doctor to make sure that I received the proper treatment and care at the hospital and that I had a plan in place for after I was discharged.

If you are already a member of the HealthyPlace community, then you know how beneficial online support groups can be. If not, I invite you to check out the mental health forums and chat on HealthyPlace.com and get involved. I have been a member of the online mental health community for the past two years making video blogs and participating in forums. It has been an amazing and therapeutic experience to talk to so many people that really understand what I am going through.

Over the years I have learned a lot of things to-do and not-to-do when seeing the psychiatrist. Here are a few tips for what to do in your initial visit with the psychiatrist. I wish I would have done these things sooner. If I had I probably would have received the proper diagnosis and treatment many years before I finally did.

In a recent article titled "Thoughts on Taking Psychiatric Medication," my fellow HealthyPlace.com blogger, Natalie, posed the question: "Do the benefits of taking psychiatric medication outweigh the risks?" In my opinion, the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. In fact, I believe that I would be putting my life at greater risk by not taking psychiatric medication.

If you have mental health problems and you are dating, it can be difficult to be sure when you should tell the person you are dating about your mental health issues. It is a sensitive subject and you generally want to make sure you are with someone you care about and trust before you bring it up. What should you do though when you are in recovery from alcoholism and you are forced to face the issue on a first date?

As young people seeking help for our mental health issues, sometimes we face unique challenges. I occasionally get criticism from older people telling me that I am just taking myself too seriously. They say I don't really have a mental illness or addiction, but insist that I am just young or immature and I will grow out of it. This was especially troubling when it came to my alcoholism.

My name is Dani Zee. I am a mental health consumer and advocate. I am also a business owner, a friend, a daughter and a sister. I have been video blogging on YouTube for over a year about my life and living with mental illness. My purpose in doing this is to raise awareness about mental illness and to support people that experience it. Now, I'm glad to be here at HealthyPlace.com sharing mental health information and insights with young adults who are dealing with mental health problems and may being going through what I've experienced.