Do a search for Taylor Kagel on YouTube and you’ll meet a Simon Fraser University grad who loves biking. But there’s more to the genial 24-year-old than a knack for computers and a penchant for hiking. He also experiences depression and anxiety. Along with SFU students Brent Seal and Joe Roback, he decided to share his story on the video site that attracts millions of people every day. Together, the three are determined to change the face of mental illnes.

“The silence and shame are such barriers to getting help,” Kagel told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview. “I was inspired to speak out because of seeing Joe and Brent talking openly about it. They’re not defined by mental illness.”

Seal, a fourth-year business student with schizophrenia, founded Students for Mental Wellness (SMW) in 2008. He, Roback, and Kagel launched their videos during the Canadian Mental Health Association’s recent Mental Health Week.

“There are so many negative stereotypes of mental illness out there,” Seal told the Straight. “We thought, how about some positive stories, positive messages, positive ideas? There’s hope when people who experience mental illnesses believe they can be mentally well.

“One huge barrier to feeling well again, after the horrible feelings of the mental illness have gone away, is the shame and embarrassment that comes with being diagnosed with a mental illness. Many people find it hard to talk openly about it to their coworkers, friends, and even family members. We thought that by sharing our stories, it would make it easier for some people to open up and find the support and love that we’ve all experienced from opening up ourselves. It’s a huge weight off your shoulders when you no longer have to hide what you’ve gone through or make up stories to avoid the truth. It’s liberating.”

SFU health-sciences professor Elliot Goldner, a psychiatrist who’s also the chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s science advisory committee, said that using YouTube is an innovative way to raise awareness of mental disorders.

“YouTube allows many people to provide their perspectives and conveys a realism that makes information credible and engaging,” Goldner told the Georgia Straight. “YouTube has become a constantly evolving living encyclopedia”¦. I often use YouTube videos to convey information in the classes I teach, as do many other professors.”

The Net is especially effective at reaching young people, who don’t always put well-being at the top of their priority lists.

“People of that age group are hard to reach about anything to do with health and illness,” Goldner said. “They generally enjoy good health and have more exciting things to focus on in their spare time, like sex, parties, sports, and having fun. Also, information about health or illness is usually presented in boring ways, like pamphlets or talking heads, so it doesn’t capture the interest of young people.

“Mental illness is different than most other health problems, like heart disease or cancer, as it usually begins when people are young. In fact, the 18-to-24 age group is a time when people are at very high risk of developing a mental-health problem, like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, et cetera.

“In the past, young people felt ostracized, isolated, and marginalized if they developed problems like depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia,” Goldner added. “The steps that Students for Mental Wellness have taken are very important in dispelling misconceptions and making the world a better place.”

Kagel admitted that he was ill-informed about mental illness.

“I thought that anyone who had depression had to be bedridden, hospitalized, incapacitated, basically had no chance at succeeding in life,” he said.

With that preconceived notion in mind, Kagel wasn’t exactly open to hearing from his doctor in university that he himself was going through depression and anxiety.

“I wasn’t comfortable with that diagnosis,” he said. “I didn’t like that label. I felt like I would be stupid if I needed help, like it was a sign of weakness....By opening up dialogue about mental illness, we can remove some of the stigma.”

Roback, a psychology student, musician, and president of the SFU Chess Club, has bipolar disorder. “There’s a fascinating link between chess, music, and mental health,” Roback said in his video. “For me, chess is a distraction from stress in my life, and music is an important creative outlet and means of recovery.”

Managing stress is a crucial part of feeling well, said Seal, who’d like to take SMW national.

“I also do my best to keep my brain and body active, get a good night’s sleep, and all the other things people do to stay healthy,” he explained.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 20 percent of Canadians will experience a mental illness during their lifetime. Other means to feeling well, according to the organization, are to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and make time for family and friends. Seal hopes that the YouTube project will help those with mental-health issues see that they’re not alone.

“The videos give a new, authentic face to mental illness, not the depressing ”˜feel sorry for me’ status quo that people usually hear,” Seal said. “I just hope that people with mental illness aren’t seen as lazy, crazy, violent, or weird. I hope they’re seen as strong and courageous and valuable members of society and loving people, because that’s what they truly are. That’s the face of mental illness that I see.”