Pink Freud THE PSYCHOLOGY JOURNAL OF BARNARD COLLEGE Nº2 - SPRING 2019
LAYOUT DESIGN BY XANA PIERONE `20, MAYA HERTZ ‘21 AND CAROLINE DAILEY ‘21
PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ `21
SUMMARY
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Processed Foods and Kids’ Moods by Gabriella Sahyoun ‘21
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“Inedlible in the Hippocampus,” and in the White House by Sorah Park ‘21
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Beautiful Boy: Reviewed by Sarah McGartland ‘21
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Ghosting and Haunting in Love by Isabella Sarnoff ‘21
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The Free Hugs Movement by Samantha Chong ‘21
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10 First Generation Low Income Pressures by Lyndsey Reed ‘20
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AA: Alcohol and Adolescence by Mathilde Nielsen ‘21
12 Learning at the Lab
by Ava Friedlander ‘20
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13 CPS: Columbia’s Paradoxical Services by Nicole Hinz ‘21
14 My Therapist’s Therapist by Carly Jankelovits ‘21
15 DBT versus CBT
by Caroline Dailey ‘21
16 Columbine: Reviewed
by Nathalia Benitez ‘21
17 Pros and Cons of Psychopharm
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by Haley Ward ‘21
18 Whitewashing Mental Health by Gabriella Swartz ‘21
PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY
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Letter From the Editors Dear Readers, We are so excited to present the second edition of Pink Freud, Barnard’s premier psychology journal. It has been a full year since we have published last, and we could not be more excited to share this new collection of articles written by your peers. This past year has been momentous, not only for our club membership, but for the way that the rest of the world has shifted its mental health discourse. When the two of us first began our studies at Barnard, we were shocked to find that our campus lacked a student-run academic publication in the discipline of psychology. Not only is the study of psychology one of the most sought after majors at Barnard, but it is also our personal passion. We came to Barnard to cultivate and grow our interests in the varied field of psychology, and hoped for a creative outlet for psychology students to share their interests and research in the field. To that end, we have produced a journal that features the writings and accomplishments of current Barnard students who share our same passion for psychology. Pink Freud is a space for students to dive into and creatively explore their interests in psychology, as well a mechanism for students to discover more about the field. This issue includes articles which focus on the most recent psychological research studies, mental health related conflicts on campus, established debates on topics such as psychopharmacology and treatment types, and even the newest fads in the brain, behavior, and media. We hope that each article provides neuroscientific insight and the unique ability to explore the complex and fascinating world of modern psychology. Sincerely, The Pinkest of the Freud’s, Natalie Dicker ‘20 and Kayla Ablin ‘21 Founders & Editors-in-Chief
PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ
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PINK FREUD’S
Executive Board EDITOR-
EDITOR-
IN-CHIEF
IN-CHIEF
Kayla Ablin,
Natalie Dicker,
BC ‘20
BC ‘20
Major: Psychology
Major: Psychology
C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R
C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R
TREASURER
Caroline Dailey, BC ‘21
Maya Hertz, BC ‘21
Tina Gao, BC ‘21
Major: Political Science
Major: Psychology & Sociology
Major: Economics
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
S E C R E TA RY
EVENTS DIRECTOR
Chloe Levin, BC ‘21
Lyndsey Reed, BC ‘21
Gabriella Swartz, BC ‘21
Major: Psychology
Major: Psychology & Philosophy
Major: Neuroscience
NEWS MAGAZINE
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S T U DY OV E RV I E W
Processed Foods & Kids’ Moods Gabriella Sahyoun BC ‘21
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veryone has heard the common advice to avoid processed food in order to be healthier. But what is processed food? Processed food is defined as any raw agricultural product that has undergone some process to change it from its natural state. These processes can include anything from washing, cutting and packaging to pasteurizing, canning and adding preservatives, flavors and colors. Contrary to popular belief, processed foods can be beneficial to your health. Take, for example, lightly processed foods such as cut fruits and frozen vegetables. These products and their ilk can make consuming nutritious food easier and more convenient for very busy people who otherwise may turn to unhealthier, quicker ways to prepare foods like microwave dinners and fast food. That is not to say however, that all processed foods are healthy. Heavily processed foods can contain surprising amounts of added sugar, salt and fats which can prove deleterious to our health in excess. There have also
been rumors of links between processed foods, psychiatric disorders and conditions such as ADHD. In fact, many studies have found relationships between poor mental health and unhealthy diets in children and adolescents. The habitual consumption of Western processed food (e.g. potato chips, microwavable dinners) is associated with a higher risk for depression and anxiety. Studies have also shown that poorer mental health can lead to low diet quality in children and adults. This may be a result of using unhealthier foods as a way to self-medicate. In other words, depressed people may find fleeting comfort in very fatty or sweet food (e.g. The Twinkie Defense). However, there are many biological routes through which low diet quality can affect mental health, suggesting that the relationship can go both ways. For example, low levels of folate, zinc and magnesium are associated with a higher risk for depressive disorders. A study published in Pediatrics in 2017 found an association between low adherence to a Mediterranean diet and increased rate of ADHD diagnosis. A Mediterranean diet consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice and fatty fish and olive oil. Adherents to the Mediterranean avoid heavily processed foods, sugary products, candy, cola beverages and other soft drinks. The study was a sex- and agematched study with a total of 120 children/ adolescents, 60 with a new diagnosis of ADHD and 60 control subjects. It used the KIDMED
test to determine adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The KIDMED test is based on the values that support vs. challenge the Mediterranean diet, assigning positive or negative numerical values to responses, providing a total numerical score. The study also gathered data on participants’ blood micronutrient, food group and daily nutrient consumption and activity levels. A strong trend was found between KIDMED scores and ADHD diagnoses. Overall, it is important to note that this study did not determine causality between ADHD development and low observance of a Mediterranean diet; however, it does raise the point that there may be a relationship between the two. Also interesting to note is that there was not a strong relationship between ADHD diagnoses and the other data points they collected (individual nutrient intakes and activity level). There are many varying sources of advice on how to treat ADHD symptoms through diet. The overall consensus suggests avoiding sources of artificial colorings and additives such as candy, fruit drinks, soda and other junk foods. Further advice suggests that omega-3 fatty acids is effective is managing symptoms. Foods that contain these include fish/seafood, nuts and seeds and plant oils. As college students who usually tend to take the fast food option out of convenience or time constraints, it is critical to carefully consider the health risks when eating processed foods, as well as the toll it may take on one’s academic endeavors.
PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY Parrish, Ashley. “What Is a Processed Food?” Native Plants and Ecosystem Services, Michigan State University | College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, 2 Oct. 2018, www.canr.msu.edu/news/what_is_a_processed_food. “Processed Foods What’s OK and What to Avoid.” Eat Right. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics., www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/processed-foods-whats-ok-and-what-to-avoid. O’Neil, Adrienne, et al. “Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 104, no. 10, 2014, doi:10.2105/ajph.2014.302110. Mikkelson, David. “FACT CHECK: The Twinkie Defense.” Snopes.com, www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-twinkie-defense/. Jacka, Felice N., et al. “Nutrient Intakes and the Common Mental Disorders in Women.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 141, no. 1, 2012, pp. 79–85., doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.02.018. Ríos-Hernández, Alejandra, et al. “The Mediterranean Diet and ADHD in Children and Adolescents.” Pediatrics, vol. 139, no. 2, 2017, doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2027. Harvard Health Publishing. “Diet and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” Harvard Health Blog, www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Diet-and-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder. Research, FAB. “30 September 2016 - Psychiatric Times - The Influence of Diet on ADHD.” FAB: 26 December 2017 - The Conversation - Our Fight with Fat: Why Is Obesity Getting Worse?, www.fabresearch.org/viewItem.php?id=10430&navPageId=981.
NEWS MAGAZINE
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POLITICS & OPINION
“Indelible in the Hippocampus,” and in the White House
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Sorah Park, BC ‘21
n late 2017, the #MeToo movement sparked an amalgamation of survivors of sexual assault and harassment to bravely share their stories with the public. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, an American professor of psychology at Palo Alto University, and a research psychologist of the Stanford University School of Medicine, boldly testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27th, 2018. Ford alleged that then supreme court justice nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, sexually assaulted her at a party in 1982, when she was 15 years old and he was 17 years of age. Kavanaugh repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual assault on his account. Dr. Ford’s testimony was heavily covered by media outlets, and has generated protests both against and supporting Ford’s testimony, and Hollywood’s resulting “Believe Women” campaign. On October 6th, 2018, Kavanaugh was sworn in as Supreme Court Associate Justice amid protests at the Capitol Hill. Ford’s honest and emotional testimony moved millions watching, while survivors of sexual assault were reliving their own trauma through Ford’s triggering experience. Ford has made it abundantly clear that she does not remember every detail regarding the night
of her sexual assault, but she does remember who assaulted her and the pain that he inflicted onto her. For Kavanaugh supporters, it was too easy to accuse Ford of memory lapses. As a result of this, on October 2nd, 2018, President Trump appeared to mock Ford’s inability to unravel the details of her memory depicting the sexual assault. However, it is scientifically proven that human memory is imperfect and can be flawed at times, as Linda Levine who studies the intersection of memory and emotion at the University of California Irvine notes, “One of the most replicated findings in the emotion and memory literature is that people tend to remember central features of events that were important to them — the gist of the event... fairly accurately and for a relatively long period of time. They make more errors in remembering peripheral details that were less important to them.” Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, an Indiana- based pediatrician and fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health states, “The long-lasting impact of surviving a trauma, especially a sexual assault, can be both physical and mental. Evidence shows that there are physical effects (such as high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and high cholesterol) as well as many mental health diagnoses that are associated with the exposure to sexual assault.” In effect, Ford has endured symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) such as cognition and mood symptoms, possible causing memory lapses of the traumatic event, in addition to hyperarousal symptoms, where the victim might constantly be on edge, expecting potential danger. As Ford told the Senate Judicial Committee in her testimony,
Christine Blasey Ford. (2019, February 01). Hannon, E., & Hannon, E. (2018, October 03). At a Campaign Rally, American President Accused of Sexual Assault Mocks Woman’s Recollection of Her Sexual Assault. Resnick, B. (2018, October 03). Donald Trump’s attack on Christine Blasey Ford’s memory is cruel - and wrong. News, L. F. (2018, September 27). Kavanaugh case opens old wounds for many survivors. Bremner, J. D. (n.d.). Traumatic stress: Effects on the brain. Chatterjee, R. (2018, September 28). How Trauma Affects Memory: Scientists Weigh In On The Kavanaugh Hearing.
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she was years into her marriage when she began begging her husband to install a second front door when they were remodeling their home, because on a subconscious level, her body was expecting the need for protection from potential danger. As a professor and research psychologist, Ford’s professional and academic position make her especially qualified to explain to the Senate Judiciary Committee how her traumatic recollection has impacted the neurobiological functioning of her brain. When questioned in court about Kavanaugh and his interaction with friend Mark Judge, Ford discusses the negative effect it had on her brain, “Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter. The uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.” J. Douglas Bremner, MD, a professor of psychiatry and radiology at Emory University School of Medicine, explains the connection between stress due to trauma and subsequent damage to the hippocampus. Published in the journal Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, Bremner links the hormones unleashed by extreme or prolonged stress — the kind that occurs in trauma — to causing damage to the brain’s hippocampus and the anterior cingulate, the particular areas that regulate emotion. Our brain stores each memory depending on what grabs our attention. Jim Hopper, a teaching associate in psychology at Harvard University and a consultant on sexual assault and trauma, discusses the process of how the human brain is more likely to encode emotionally negative memories, as opposed to those that are less emotionally significant. “What we pay attention to is what’s more likely to get encoded. The hippocampus certainly plays a role in taking things into short-term memory and then transferring them and consolidating them into long-term memories. Things that have more emotional significance tend to get more encoded. That’s because a high-stress state alters the function of the hippocampus and puts it into a super-encoding mode, especially early on during an event. The central details of the event get burned into their memory and they may never forget them.” While Dr. Ford has failed to elaborate on all the details of her traumatic memory, it does not necessarily mean that her account of the assault is false, and I believe that it is therefore imperative to #BelieveSurvivors. Perhaps it is due to the neurobiological process of PTSD, the intense emotional trauma Ford endured, and its resulting impact on the hippocampus’ memory PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY capacity.
PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY
MOVIE REVIEW
Beautiful Boy: Reviewed
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n Beautiful Boy, directed by Felix Van Groeningen, Timothée Chalamet plays Nicolas Sheff, a young man struggling with Methamphetamine addiction, alongside Steve Carell who portrays his father David Sheff. The film is based on a pair of memoirs written by the real-life father and son, and makes a point of including both perspectives,. More than just addressing addiction as a disease, Beautiful Boy focuses on the effect such an addiction has on everyone involved. Chalamet’s portrayal of Nic presents a vulnerable teenager who wants to make his family proud and do something meaningful with his life, but is caught in the spiral of addiction and unable to escape the temptations of drugs and alcohol. Not only is Nic’s journey through treatment and constant relapse heart-wrenching for the viewer, but even more so, unimaginable for the father who deeply wants to help his son, but does not know how. In the beginning of the film, David Sheff asks two crucial questions. First, what is this addiction to narcotics doing to his son’s brain? And second, what can he do, if anything, to help his son? Throughout the rest of the film, David struggles to understand his son and how all of this has happened, but does his best to support him. Most of the time, David feels helpless, and is continuously forced to look for his son when he runs off for days at a time, cleaning him up and sending him to rehab, until he eventually loses hope. It is clear throughout the movie that David Sheff loves his son dearly, but their rela-
Sarah McGartland, BC ‘21
tionship is draining and frustrating. At a low point, David tells Nic that he cannot come back home because there is nothing he as a father can do to help him anymore. After this confrontation, Nic overdoses, and David comes back for him at the hospital. Throughout the movie, neither Nic nor David are painted as wholly good or bad—they are complex characters just like their real-life counterparts, trying to make the best out of a difficult situation. The relationship between Nic and his father is at the forefront of the film, but the narrative also allows a glimpse into their individual psyches. Nic is portrayed as a sympathetic character in the film — a young man whose pain overpowers his impulse control and judgment. He makes a lot of bad choices, including befriending and dating other people who use drugs, stealing money from his family, and running away without a word. However, it is clear that he makes these decisions out of desperation, and genuinely feels guilty when doing so. He tries to clean up his act by going to college, writing, and promising to attend his younger siblings’ swim meets, but he continues to struggle through it all. He makes promises he cannot keep, but simply because he wants to make his family proud and ultimately overcome his addiction. The film does not devote much time to why Nic starts using narcotics, because, as Timothée Chalamet explains in an interview with i-D Magazine, making that the focus, can make it “easier for people to think [addiction]’s a choice” . In the few lines the film
Gardner, D. (Producer), J. Kleiner (Producer), and B. Pitt (Producer), & van Groeningen, F. (Director). (2018). Beautiful Boy [Motion Picture]. United States: Amazon Studios. Sheff, D. (2008). Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Sheff, N. (2008). Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Chalamet, T. (2018, November 1). Timothée Chalamet in conversation with Harry Styles: the hottest actor on the planet interviewed by music’s most charismatic popstar. Interview by H. Styles. i-D Magazine. Lansky, S. (2018, October 3). Addiction Is Hard to Talk About. That’s Why Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet Wanted to Make Beautiful Boy.
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does spend on exploring Nic’s inner-world, he claims that he was trying to fill a “black hole” inside of him, and that taking drugs made him feel better than he ever had, so he just kept doing them. This sheds light on a common theme in addiction, in that many people struggling with substance abuse also have comorbid mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety, that are co-occurring and associated with their substance use disorder. Beautiful Boy is a less than beautiful watch, but rather an honest portrayal of substance abuse, infused with emotional honesty. While the film is certainly difficult to watch at times, it ends on a hopeful note for the real Nic Sheff, who has been sober for eight years. Although, as the audience and characters are reminded throughout the film, “relapse is a part of recovery” and recovery is a daily struggle. As Timothée Chalamet suggests to TIME Magazine, “In my understanding, that’s the reality of addiction… It’s one day at a time. You’ve never really won the fight.” For Chalamet, as well as the Sheff’s and others who worked on the movie, their only hope is that Beautiful Boy can start a conversation about our perceptions of drug abuse as “taboo,” or even as some kind of “moral failing.” It’s a disease which is unfortunately on the rise in the United States, and which takes a great toll on many families. If we learn nothing else from this film, we should at least take away that we have to start that conversation out of a place of understanding.
PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ
P E R S O N A L E S S AY
Ghosting and Haunting in Love
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he modern realm of digital dating has been stigmatized by older generations as a graveyard for customs like chivalry, authenticity, and serendipity. As a result of increased social media usage, we can connect with people from every corner of the world who are also seeking romantic relationships. Online dating has evolved into a plethora of apps, algorithms and websites, sometimes tailored to specific criteria pertaining to the interests of the users, included, but not limited to location, religious affiliation, physical appearance, sexual orientation, fetish, and so on. At the hands of the “death” of traditional dating – according to our predecessors – comes two supernatural phenomenons: “Ghosting” and “Haunting.” “Ghosting” refers to when a person abruptly ends an online situationship by no longer responding to text messages, calls, or other forms of communication, without any explanation. Primarily, this blatant lack of confrontation leaves one person reaching out to another that seemed to vanish like a ghost. In a similar vein, “Haunting” happens when a “ghoster” still engages with the internet profiles of a “ghostee.” For example, that girl who never answered your text asking you out on a date a few weeks ago, continues to “like” your Instagram photos. While these terms seem playful in their digital nature, there are significant psy-
Isabella Sarnoff BC ‘21
chological effects to “ghosting” and “haunting.” In order to grapple with the psychological bearings of conflating the Internet with personal relationships, I turned to my own Instagram platform to ask those that follow me about their opinions, reasonings and tactics behind “ghosting” and “haunting.” While some responses revealed certain anxieties on the receiving end of these behaviors, more people began to explain to me the justification of “ghosting” for the sake of their own mental health. On “ghosting”, one user explained that it is, “one of the most appropriate ways to handle ending very casual relationships or situationships, and the only way I would want someone to end a fling with me.” This same user claimed that they would not want to hear from someone that they “just don’t feel a connection”, and would rather a natural dissipation of contact. Another user shared nearly identical opinions: “I think with how easy and accessible hookups are, someone might consider it ‘ghosting’ if I stop responding or never hit them up, but what’s the other option – a full on breakup text?” A few more responses I found noteworthy came from men I haven’t met in person – some considering setting up a first-date with a girl and having no follow-through as “ghosting,” some discussing the desensitization of our impacts on others through the mechanical nature of technology. After this social media query, I was able to reach a simple consensus:
Xu, X. (2013, May). How Does the Brain React to a Romantic Breakup? Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-brain-react-to-a-romantic-breakup/
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“ghosting” is okay if you barely know the person, but if you’re already in a more established relationship, a conversation is owed. Further, your actions can really affect people’s well-being – even if you’re hiding behind a screen. Mainly, “ghosting” and “haunting” reveal the psychological effects of an exceptionally scary concept for adolescents: rejection. As a result of neuroimaging studies on breakups, scientists have found that even being rejected by an acquaintance triggers physical pain, decreased activity in the insula associated with depression, and activity in neural regions associated with obsessive compulsive disorders. Such psychological effects are amplified by social media’s ability to keep users connected long after periods of rejection have passed. Harmful tendencies such as constantly checking an ex-partner’s Snapchat story, or messaging several people on dating apps and quickly becoming disinterested, are inevitably rooted in the trends following “ghosting” and “haunting.” All networking on social media can be traced back to one of the most important psychological needs for social beings, as well as the intended purpose of social media in the first place – to get connected. Only, now we’re learning what happens when we put the phone down and “sign off” of certain relationships – and it’s spooky.
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
The Free Hugs Movement Samantha Chong BC `21
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an a hug really make a difference on your physical wellbeing? While some might appreciate hugs because they physically feel good, there’s actually a scientific basis as to why hugs can improve one’s health. A group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University conducted a psychological study analyzing a sample of around 400 healthy adults, assessed their perceived interpersonal support and conflict through self-report questionnaires, and correlated these results with the amount of hugs received per day for 14 consecutive days. The healthy adults were then exposed to a common cold, and monitored in a controlled setting in order to track the infection of their illnesses. The results of this experiment showed that those with perceived social support were less susceptible to the infection that was induced as part of the second arm of the study. This can be attributed to the social support that hugs provide, as well as the protective effect that hugs are responsible for.
Further, the results indicated that the infected brain. In this particular experiment, the subindividuals that sought out hugs for social sup- jects that were recruited were 59 women, rangport during this challenging time presented ing from 20 to 49 years of age, all of whom had with less severe symptoms of the common cold. been living with a monogamous partner for at Thus, this research suggests that hugs from a least six months.. Participants in the experitrustworthy person can have a positive effect ment completed self-report questionnaires in on a one’s physical well-being by reducing the order to determine the frequency of physical effects of stress. contact that they each experience, such as hugHugging has also been scientifically ging or holding hands with their partners. Folproven to stimulate both Dopamine and Se- lowing these surveys, the researchers measured rotonin production in the brain. Dopamine is their blood levels of Oxytocin. The results of a neurotransmitter that is involved with the the experiments showed that higher oxytocin brain’s reward center and levels correlated with lowpleasure, and Serotonin is a “Hugging has also er blood pressure and heart neurotransmitter that is asrates. Additionally, the wombeen scientifically sociated with maintaining en that reported that they remood balance. Both levels of more hugs from their proven to stimulate ceived these neurotransmitters are partners tended to have highelevated from the simple act both Dopamine and er Oxytocin levels throughout of hugging, and in turn have the entire experiment. Thus, a positive effect on the brain. Serotonin production it can be concluded that OxyHugs have also been proven tocin can be linked to the in the brain.” to increase the level of Oxytocorrelation between hugging cin in the brain, which is another neurotrans- and a decrease in blood pressure. mitter that influences the brain’s emotional In correlation with the results of the aforecenter and produces feelings of contentment. mentioned studies completed with Dopamine, By increasing levels of Oxytocin, we can reduce Serotonin, and Oxytocin, hugging has been our anxiety and stress stress. proven to effectively lift one’s mood, and Another psychological experiment was improve overall health and wellbeing. As finals conducted at the University of North Carolina season approaches, we must take it upon in an attempt to show the health benefits of ourselves to embrace our friends, families, and hugging, in regards to Oxytocin levels in the anyone who looks like they could use a hug.
PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY Rea, S. (2014, December 17). Hugs Help Protect Against Stress and Infection, Say Carnegie Mellon Researchers. Thomas, J. (2018, February 05). 6 science-backed reasons why you should go hug someone now. Thomas, J. (2018, February 05). 6 science-backed reasons why you should go hug someone now. Harvard Health Publishing. (2014, March). In brief: Hugs heartfelt in more ways than one.
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OP-ED
First Generation Low Income Pressures Lyndsey Reed BC’21
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lthough I find psychology to be The first-generation/low-income identity is something of which to be proud. We have overcome countless obstacles to be where we are today - at an elite university in one of the greatest cities in the world. We did not have the resources most of our peers had, like a private high school education, tutors, standardized test preparation, or even parental guidance during the college application process. Additionally, many of us had to get part-time jobs in high school in order to support ourselves and our families, making extracurricular activities, homework, and after-school studying even more difficult. Yet, we all sit in the same classrooms now, learning and discussing the same material, because we proved to the college admissions office that we are just as capable of succeeding in this environment as our more wealthy, non-first-generation peers. However, the first-generation/low-income identity is one that comes with a wide variety of stressors that other college students do not have. These stressors can be social, academic, or familial. Low-income students often find it impossible to join fraternities, sororities, and other clubs on campus because of dues that we cannot afford, making it harder for us to make friends on campus. It is also difficult for us, once we make friends, to have a typical college student social life; going out every weekend is not feasible for us because we know the money could be put towards more important things. Alternatively, we may have to work on weekends, just as we do during the week, in order to afford food and other basic necessities. Even though it feels like we are working whenever we are not in class, we still do not get paid enough to pay for expenses such as textbooks. When we cannot afford required texts for class, it is hard to keep up in our classes, and we often fall behind. It is easy for us to feel behind as well, as whenever we are in a class discussion, it becomes clear that our high schools did not emphasize college preparation as much as our peers’ did. We feel less intelligent than everyone else, that we do not belong at such an elite university, that we are imposters. First-generation students do not have the same parental guidance and networks as our peers who have parents who have been to college when it comes to navigating college, jobs, and internships, and because of this, there is pressure for us to choose majors that will lead to careers within thriving job markets. We must choose majors that will allow for easy job hunts and that will result in high-paying careers, even if they are majors that we do not particularly enjoy. Our majors need to prove that they are financially worth it. The driving force behind much of our success is the desire to please our families. Our
families have had to sacrifice a great deal to get us to where we are, and we need to prove to them that this education, though a burden at the moment, is a good investment for our futures. It is hard not to feel like we are being unfair to our families sometimes. It is unfair that we get to live “luxurious” lives in New York while they work and struggle back home to pay our tuition. Because of this, we often have to hide our stress from our families. If we complain too much, they might think that we would be better off at home, away from school. They would be able to stop paying our tuition too. By pulling us out of school, they would be saving money, and we would all be less stressed. The stress that comes with the first-generation/low-income identity puts these students at higher risk for a variety of mental illnesses. Anxiety and depression are especially prevalent within this community but tend to go undiagnosed as mental healthcare is so inaccessible. Off-campus counseling services usually cost an exorbitant amount of money, elim-
inating them as an option for these students. Barnard and Columbia have mental healthcare facilities available for their students to use for free, but even still, appointment times are rarely convenient for first-generation/low-income students who have to work part-time and study full-time. If we cannot afford to go off-campus and we cannot get appointments on-campus, what are we to do? There has very recently been an increased effort to make some resources, primarily textbooks, more accessible to first-generation/ low-income college students. Yet along with many of our other needs, our need for adequate and accessible mental healthcare is still being ignored by the university administration. We need a professional facility that allows for 24/7 in-person access. Our mental health and our lives are just as valuable as our wealthier, non-first-generation peers’, but by denying us access to mental healthcare, the university is leading us to believe otherwise.
PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ
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AA: Alcohol and Adolescence Mathilde Nielsen BC’21
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ast month, I experienced a longstanding collegiate rite of passage first-hand. I was written up for alcohol possession. Specifically, a roommate and I had a pint of Vodka and a bottle of triple sec confiscated during an impromptu room search provoked by our neighbors attempt to get rid of her desk by abandoning it in a 110 hallway. After the subsequent 8 a.m. meeting with my hall director, I found myself at Furman Counseling Center for an Alcohol and Substance Awareness Abuse (ASAP) workshop.
According to their website, ASAP “offers con- drink. Obviously, I knowingly broke a school fidential counseling, assessment and referral, rule and consequences had to follow. Yet, I as well as education and outreach” for Barnard question the decision to send persons responstudents concerned about substance abuse. sible for minor alcohol or substance related inWhen the receptionist at Furman handed me 6 fractions to ASAP. pages of paperwork (double-spaced!) to fill out, Forcing me to document which forms of trauI genuinely thought she was kidding. ma I’ve experienced in my life in order to atI felt tremendously uncomfortable indicat- tend a 40-minute workshop for my first ever ing whether I had dealt with alcohol related offense, imissues such as self-harm or “Shouldn’t there be plicitly pathologizes combody dysphoria (along with a pletely normal behavior. I say dozen other traumatic expe- a reconsideration for normal, because according to riences) either currently or ASAP’s own statistics, only how to deal with in the past, simply because I 16.4% of Barnard students was caught drinking a cosmo have never tried alcohol in alcohol-related while watching Sex and the their life. That means 83.6% City with a friend. As an interof students have. infractions?” national student who grew up The very friendly and in a household and culture with a largely posi- receptive woman who ran my workshop intive and healthy relationship to alcohol, it was formed me herself that the vast majority of baffling having to go through the equivalent Barnard students drink responsibly and rareof a psychiatric evaluation for having a single ly in excess. On ASAP’s own website there is a graphic outlining the statistics which illustrate that Barnard women overwhelmingly have healthy drinking habits (79% of us eat before we drink, 54% of us avoid drinking games etc.). “A round of applause for Barnard students,” says the poster, “smart women who make smart choices.” I pointed out to Melissa the seeming contradiction of sending me to the counseling center to fill out the same paperwork designed for those coming to Furman to seek treatment, only to reiterate that my drinking habits, along with the drinking habits of most Barnard students, are perfectly healthy. For better or for worse, the drinking age in the United States is 21, and Barnard undeniably has to act accordingly. Yet, if Barnard can recognize that students’ drinking habits are primarily healthy and normal, shouldn’t there be a reconsideration for how to deal with alcohol-related infractions? The current system pathlogizes behavior almost universally recognized as normal. Of course, ASAP is undoubtedly a tremendous resource for many students, but it does everyone a disservice if we cannot openly distinguish between healthy and unhealthy drinking patterns. Furthermore, the current system penalizes those more likely to be honest and upfront about their behaviour. The first step to encouraging young people to develop a healthy relationship with alcohol should be transparency. And while ASAP openly acknowledges that overwhelmingly Barnard students consume alcohol in a healthy and normal way, Barnard’s alcohol policy doesn’t currently reflect this. PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ
Alcohol & Substance Awareness Program. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://barnard.edu/asap
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Learning at the Lab Ava Friedlander BC ‘20
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t the end of my fall semester as a sophomore, I decided to leave Smith and transfer to Barnard. During the 2017-2018 academic year, I participated in research in the Learning Lab at UMASS - Amherst where I worked on a study on stereotype threat and children’s executive functioning. In order to continue my research in the summer as well as leave Smith on a good note, I applied to the Smith Undergraduate Research Fellowship which enabled me to spend 10 weeks as the lead research assistant in the Learning Lab. Additionally, the Boston Museum of Science had successfully created a partnership with the Learning Lab, and was given the opportunity to run a smaller version of the study the lab was working on. On top of that, the principal investigator at the Learning Lab discovered that a new post-doctoral fellow was looking for a research assistant to help him with data analysis and possibly a poster for an upcoming conference. Luckily, she recommended me, and on November 10th of this past Fall 2018 semester, I attended the New England Psychological Association Conference as a first author on research about “Implicit Attitudes Towards Hispanic People.” Working on multiple different studies this summer was challenging. The postdoctoral fellow I worked with wanted to teach undergraduate students about statistical analysis, and work closely with them on a poster for an upcoming conference. He first assigned me a lot of reading. I read papers on reliability, building a study, and journals related to the study itself. Then we worked closely on creating a codebook for the data and then analyzing the data through SPSS. After this, we wrote up our results in an abstract and submitted it to the New England Psychological Association Annual Conference. The whole process took about 2 months. While I was doing this, I was also working on an original study based on the study I was the lead research assistant for. A fellow research assistant and I came up with a study on determining the role cognitive flexibility had on stereotypical thought. We had to learn how to code the BRIEF (our measure for cognitive flexibility), clean our data, and run statistical analyses. Coding the BRIEF and cleaning the data alone took us about a week. After this, we ran statistical analyses and analyzed our results. We had found that higher rates of cognitive flexibility predicted more stereotypical thinking (which was not our hypothesis). We recently received news that this research was accepted to present at the Society for Research on Child Development biennial conference this upcoming March. Working on my own original study was not an opportunity that was given to me, I had to do research on whether this was something worth pursuing, pitch it to my supervisors, and then follow it through. It took a lot of work, but it was the most rewarding part of my summer.
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Going to the Boston Museum of Science once a week to run a smaller version of our study was a very special part of the summer. We had to wake up at 6 in the morning, drive about three hours to Boston, recruit children and their families and run the study on them for three hours, and then drive back to Northampton. It was exhausting but so worth it, learning how to interact with parents and kids of all ages, and working with museum staff on tightening up the study, made the experience really impactful. Research experience in the field of psychology as an undergraduate is invaluable. Since research is a huge part of the psychological field, it’s important to decide if it’s something you want to focus on in your career. This summer, I learned that it is what you do with research opportunities that make them invaluable. Just getting into a lab is not enough, it is about putting yourself out there, bringing forward original ideas, and most importantly, constantly asking questions. Along with learning about statistical programs, coding (E.g., Excel), data collection, recruitment, abstract proposals, and study dePINK FREUD PINK FREUD
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sign, I also learned that taking advantage of every opportunity that comes my way is so important. The research I was able to participate in this summer was a gift I still cannot believe I was given. Because of this experience, I began my studies at Barnard this semester determined to get involved in research. Currently, I am a research assistant for Professor Sacks and am working on an independent study for next semester based on the Learning Lab’s data from this past summer. If I could share one piece of guidance that I gained from this summer, I would say that every psychology major should look for a research assistant position at some point in their undergraduate career. However, more importantly, I would urge students to give each research opportunity their all, making sure to try new things, ask many questions, and especially to have fun! Psychology research experiences are what you make of them, so take advantage of every opportunity you can and enjoy every minute of it. PHOTO BY YUKI MITSUDA `21
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CPS: Columbia’s Paradoxical Services
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ast October, Columbia University was faced with a great tragedy as it lost another student to suicide. For many students, the tragedy was a sobering reminder of the ongoing issues our school has in its mental health services. For others, the loss was reminiscent of the string of seven suicides over the course of five months in the 2016-17 school year. Since then, it seems Columbia has done little to improve its current mental health services, nor has it introduced new initiatives to ensure students feel more supported learning at such a high caliber and exhausting school. Considering Columbia University thrives on its competitive nature, students are not only pinned against each other, but also themselves and their own mental health. Therefore, one would assume that such a campus should have competent and ever-present mental health and counseling services. However, to many students’ dismay, Columbia has clear shortcomings in this arena. Columbia doesn’t put students’ mental health first, and that fact has become ever the more clear. If anything else, Columbia Psychology Service’s business hours are unacceptable and incompetent. An anonymous student shared with me how she tried to make an appointment with CPS after a significant event in her life, and was faced with a variety of obstacles. First, she was forced to wait to make an appointment until after the weekend, even though she required
Nicole Hinz BC ‘21 help on Saturday, because her situation “wasn’t technically an emergency.” This meant, she continues, “I had to wait until Monday morning, at which point, I scheduled a consultation for Thursday, after which I was able to schedule a real appointment two weeks down the line.” Certainly, her counselor had the best intentions in helping her, but the bureaucracy of CPS and Columbia University itself didn’t allow for her to acquire the help she needed within the appropriate amount of time after the trauma that she had experienced. Another student, bemoans both the wait times and the visit limits of CPS. Though she had a therapist at home, she decided to take a mental health survey the school had sent out, simply to inform them of the toxicity of stress culture here. Unfortunately, the result of her efforts showed the school’s lack of sensitivity and competency in treating mental health appropriately. CPS proceeded to send her a plethora of emails, harassing her about her mental instability and telling her to seek help immediately, “effectively calling [her] a basketcase.” Anon continues, “They’re always just a little tone deaf. If someone really [is] suffering [and is in need of help], reminding them nonstop of their deteriorating mental health day and night [will] probably have an adverse effect.” Thankfully, she said, “I had doctors on my side and parents who cared, but most people on this campus don’t.” This seems to be the root of the problem. Many students who have had no prior experience
with mental health issues of their own come to Columbia to find that they have little support from the school, regardless of its hand in perpetuating stress culture. A group of students in a Spanish class at Columbia College were grateful to their professor, who, upon hearing of the school’s loss, stopped her instruction completely. Instead, she asked her students if they’d like to discuss their feelings, and in effect, asking if she could help them process what had happened. Often times, healing and support can come in the form of a single ounce of humanity. In this case, a professor saw a shortcoming in the school’s administration and slowed the million-mile-per-hour pace at Columbia to ensure her students felt heard and supported. While it takes no responsibility nor actions to change the unhealthy competitive learning environment, Columbia refuses to look inward for blame, even for the sake of its own students and their wellbeing. Changes must be made; instead of posting hotline numbers and inadequate counseling services, the administration needs to show initiative in light of horrible tragedies like this. Otherwise, the school will continue to foster an environment that promotes stress, anxiety and various mental health issues, without providing tools to help students heal from the maladies it creates.
PHOTO BY YUKI MITSUDA `21
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enough for her to be able to carry out her job to as well. Those whose symptoms are not fully the highest degree possible. Jamison is trained managed can terribly affect their patients, as to know when to take a “mental health day” if they can somehow project their own problems she feels that her illness conflicts with her abil- onto that of their patients. Psychotherapy is a ity to treat others most effectively, always mak- very sensitive and difficult matter to approach, ing sure to put her patients first. and therefore must be dealt with in a very cauThere are so many peotious way. Carly Jankelovits BC’21 ple in this world that deal “Sometimes we forget A therapist with a propwith mental illnesses in their erly treated mental illness herapists are people. Sometimes youth, and ultimately de- that those who have can indeed provide comfort we forget that those who have the cide to pursue a professional to their patients. If the therability to cure our minds are still career in the mental health the ability to cure our apist acknowledges their human themselves, just like us. field in order to support othboundaries and weaknesses, Therefore, in the same way that ers through what they them- minds are still human like Kay Jamison does, then a some of our family members, selves overcame. Time and themselves, just like patient’s therapist can be imfriends, or acquaintances struggle every day time again, former patients mensely valuable. However, if us.” with mental illness, so too can our therapists. that are effectively treated by the therapist is not completeHowever, this can be a terrifying thought: How professionals want to change ly confident in the status of does one trust their psychiatrist with some- the lives of others for the better, and return the their mental illness, and does not have a strong thing as important as their mental health, while favor. This can be seen as a good thing, how- enough grasp on the gravity of what they are keeping in mind that their psychiatrist is also ever, there can be serious consequences to in- dealing with, then their patient’s mental health dealing with managing a mental illness at the vesting such personal feelings in one’s career might be in grave danger. same time? Kay Jamison, in her memoir entitled An Unquiet Mind, takes the reader on a whirlwind journey of what it’s like to live with Manic-Depressive Illness. Quite literally from her title, Jamison’s inner life is just the opposite of quiet. Jamison approaches her disorder from a psychiatric perspective, as well as from the eyes of the patient. Jamison is forced to live her life by going back and forth between the somewhat conflicting roles of patient and doctor. While her symptoms are true for most manic-depressive patients, Jamison juggles her disorder and her budding career as a clinical psychologist, concurrent with her research authorship, and professorship positions. Not only does Jamison have Manic-Depression, but she also has a doctorate in the study of the mind and behavior. Thus, Jamison is the epitome of a therapist who struggles with a mental illness herself. While Jamison is used to sitting in the big chair on one side of the desk, asking therapeutic questions, she is now the one answering them on the other side. Jamison recalls the event, as she says, “I realized that I was on the receiving end of a very thorough psychiatric history and examination; the questions were familiar, I had asked them of others a hundred times, but I found it unnerving to have to answer them, unnerving to realize how confusing it was to be a patient”. Herein, it appears ironic, that the psychiatrist takes on the role of the patient, and that she is no longer giving a diagnosis to others, but rather receiving a diagnosis herself. Jamison acquires more insight on how to become a better psychiatrist, as she says, “I found myself gaining a new respect for psychiatry and professionalism”. Thus, Jamison suddenly appreciates, in this role-reversal moment, how influential and important this process truly was, now that she is able to see the methods of therapy from the other side. Because Jamison is able to simultaneously feel the raw emotions of being a patient and the effect of meeting with a psychiatrist, she is able to apply what she learned to her work as a clinician once she came back to her practice. Jamison no longer treats patients according to her training, but rather by implementing how she appreciates PHOTO BY NATALIE DICKER being treated as a psychiatric patient. Jamison is thus able to help her patients in certain ways Jamison, K. R. (2014). An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. London: Picador. Ibid. that other doctors could not. Although seemNEWS MAGAZINE 14 ingly off-putting, Jamison’s illness is stable
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DBT vs. CBT Caroline Dailey BC `21
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ental illness has been a topic of widespread discussion in the United States over the past few years. Celebrities and public figures have been overt about their personal struggles with mental illness in an attempt to further these discussions and spread awareness. With the spike of suicide rates around the country, the current opioid overdose epidemic, and alarming increases of depression and suicidal ideation among today’s adolescent population, it is no wonder that mental illness and its many treatments have been at the forefront of discussion among professionals, politicians, celebrities, and citizens alike. While statistics reveal that nearly a quarter of adults in the United States experience mental illness, estimates show that only about half of those suffering seek treatment. In a joint study sponsored by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, it was found that one third of adults find mental health care difficult to access. Additionally, 40% of adults noted that the high costs of therapy is a significant barrier as well. Elevated costs, time constraints, and a lack of resources in workplaces and schools are some of the many reasons why individuals are not getting
or seeking the treatment they need. On college campuses, a lack of sufficient resources for treating mental health issues can be perilous, leading to self-harm and growing suicide attempts among student populations. Columbia and Barnard, as we have seen over the past few years, are no exception to adversity. For those privileged enough to have access to treatment for mental illness, there are many different types of treatments offered. The most common form of treatment for most mental illnesses includes a combination of Talk Therapy, also known as “Psychotherapy,” and psychopharmaceutical medication. Two of the most common forms of psychotherapy practiced today are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (respectively known as s CBT and DBT). Both forms of treatment are used to cover a wide range of mental health concerns, with DBT specializing in support for those suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder. As defined by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, cognitive behavioral therapy “focuses on exploring relationships among a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors,”. During CBT, a therapist “will actively work with a person to uncover unhealthy patterns of thought and how they may be causing self-destructive behaviors and beliefs.” CBT has proven effective in treating a multitude of illnesses, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. Developed in the 1980’s by psychologist Marsha Linehan, dialectical behavioral therapy is similar to and actually based on CBT; however, while DBT uses traditional CBT techniques, it also implements skills such as mindfulness, acceptance, and tolerating stress. In an interview with People magazine, Dr. Melissa
Gerson of Columbus Park Collaborate explains that DBT “is not necessarily focused on talking about the emotional origins of your struggles or difficulties, but instead it’s more about increasing awareness of what is troubling you and awareness of what you are feeling, and then giving you a host of concrete and practical skills that you can use in that moment.” DBT was originally created to help individuals cope with extreme emotions and harmful behaviors, and aimed to help people regulate such emotions. In an interview with Borderline Notes, Marsha Linehan, explained that, “problem solving and validation are the core components of the treatment.” The DBT method is now used to treat a variety of mental illnesses, ranging from eating disorders to PTSD. Both DBT and CBT treatments include group and/or individual therapy. Patients will often be given a handbook as well as homework that they are expected to complete on a weekly basis throughout their treatment. Both treatments are very similar; however, while CBT aims to end destructive thought patterns, DBT begins with accepting negative thoughts as they are, and then learning skills to change destructive thoughts and accompanying behaviors. These two prominent treatments can be used to treat children, adolescents, and adults. One full cycle of DBT takes about 6 months, and it is recommended patients go through two cycles, while the course of treatment for CBT can take 5-20 weeks or longer. These treatments have proven to be so successful due to the integration of concrete methods that can be learned and practiced over and over again— making their effects last a lifetime, and helping patients successfully and effectively treat their symptoms.
PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY O’Brien, A. (2015, September 1). Survey Finds that Americans Value Mental Health and Physical Health Equally. Retrieved from https://afsp.org/survey-finds-that-americans-value-mental-health-and-physical-health-equally-2/ National Alliance on Mental Illness: Psychotherapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Treatment/Psychotherapy Mcafee, T. (2018, October 11). Selena Gomez Seeking Dialectical Behavior Therapy After Hospitalizations: What to Know. Retrieved from https://people.com/health/selena-gomez-dialectical-behavior-therapy-negative-thinking-hospitalizations/
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Linehan, M. (2017, April 14). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bULL3sSc_-I National Alliance on Mental Illness: Psychotherapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Treatment/Psychotherapy
BOOK REVIEW
Columbine: Reviewed
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Nathalia Benitez, BC ‘21
onversations in regards to gun control, mental health, and law enforcement have intensified over the past few years due to rising statistics and unfortunate events of school shootings in the United States. Unfortunately, the numbers are so staggeringly high that it is not surprising to hear about a school shooting incident on the news. As a society, we still have difficulty assessing these types of situations, answering the complex questions, and implementing changes to prevent these travesties from recurring. Columbine, a nonfiction book written by Dave Cullen, encapsulates the difficulties of a school shooting experienced by society, and provides an analysis that proves to be incredibly relevant in our attempts to understand mass shootings. Cullen focuses on the Columbine High School shooting of April 20, 1999, which is still regarded today as one of the deadliest school shootings in the nation. Using his background as a journalist, Cul-
len presents his analysis with various facts, myths, and emotions surrounding the attack. This approach enables Cullen to delve into the way tragedy is processed, and paint a clearer picture of the incident for his readers. Given the sensitivity of the topic, I found the structure of this book to be one of its strongest qualities. Columbine is separated into three sections: before, during, and after the attack. However, these divisions are dispersed throughout the book, giving the reader ample time to absorb details and contemplate the content of the story without feeling overwhelmed or rushed. Additionally, readers are exposed to various perspectives of the incident, including that of the killers, as well as that of the victims and the media, which helps to depict how different people react and process trauma so distinctly. Cullen provides very detailed descriptions of the killers involved in the attack, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, as well as their ability to work together. Cullen pulls from the opinions of family, friends, teachers, as well as the year long planning that led up to the mass shooting, including letters, diagrams, and video recordings revealing motivations of the killers. The ways in which Cullen uses these sources to arrive at conclusions about Eric and Dylan’s mental instability makes for an incredibly interesting read. Cullen’s analysis of Eric Harris is especially fascinating, as he ultimately labels Erik
as a psychopath due to his obsession with causing the deadliest mass shooting in history, lack of empathy, feelings of superiority, and innate qualities of deceit. Dylan Klebold, on the other hand, was described as suffering from depression, and as passively suicidal. Dylan’s defenseless qualities, admiration for Eric, and hopelessness, made him easily manipulated by Eric. Dylan’s participation in the shooting helped fuel Eric’s thrill, which, psychologically speaking, is one of the main emotions sought out by psychopaths. Although it is normally in the author’s best interest to demonstrate how different the main characters may be, the descriptions used for Dylan were quite unsettling as opposed to the way Eric is described. Cullen’s descriptions of Dylan as a passive participant in the shooting almost makes it seem that it would be easier to understand and even justify his motives this way which is completely unacceptable. Besides elaborating on Dylan and Eric’s side of the attack, Cullen also criticizes the media’s involvement in the incident as inherently damaging to survivors. I especially appreciated Cullen’s discussions of the role media plays in the attack, since it highlights the ways in which the myths and stereotypes about mass shootings - most commonly perpetrated by the media - negatively affect how society reacts to these incidents. Personally, it led me to a particular question about how unsettling it can be for people involved in the incident when information about the shooting contradicts specific stereotypes or expectations. Columbine also cites numerous victims of the shooting who are eager to find blame in anyone and everyone who was somewhat involved as a coping mechanism for dealing with their frustration and trauma, all of which can be worsened by the media. Cullen includes the perspectives of various individuals that are suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of the shooting, and is able to demonstrate how each survivor experiences the trauma differently. Ultimately, Cullen’s discussion of the mental illnesses in his characters was written with eloquence and realism. Still, it is impossible to understand school shootings in their entirety, even in a tragedies such as Columbine, which have been researched extensively. Columbine by Dave Cullen grapples with this concept, and provides his readers a different way of approaching the complexity of shootings through an analysis of the psychological effects of such a harrowing incident.
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Cullen, D. (2009). Columbine. Hachette Book Group.
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Pros and Cons of Psychopharm
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ntidepressant medication is the most common treatment for Depression. About 13% of the U.S. population, age 12 and older have taken an antidepressant in the past 30 days, and the global Depression drug market is expected to reach 16.8 billion in revenue by 2020. What does this massive prescribing of antidepressants mean for our economy, society, wellbeing, and for Depression? Well, considering Depression and rates of prescriptions for antidepressants have increased concurrently, they are probably not helping treat Depression as effectively as society believes them to be. First, it is important to note that Depression is theorized to be caused by a deficiency of monoamine neurotransmitters, which include Dopamine, Serotonin, and Norepinephrine. Antidepressants work by blocking the reuptake process of these neurotransmitters, thereby increasing their availability. The issue with this theory and treatment is that we have no direct evidence indicating that people with Depression have a deficiency; we have never measured the amount of monoamines in their brains. Additionally, we do not have enough evidence to say that biochemical imbalances are the cause of Depression. Notwithstanding the neurotransmitter deficiency debate, antidepressants are effective in treating depression, as well as a multitude of other disorders. Therefore, the question
Haley Ward BC ‘21 becomes - how do antidepressants improve depression if scientists do not know the exact cause of the disorder? In one study, 89% of people reported that antidepressants improved their Depression. Most published data shows that antidepressants are effective, but when keeping all of the data in mind, the results are less consistent. In a study testing for the effectiveness of antidepressants, researchers found that the placebo response in Major Depressive Disorder is about 40%, highlighting that 40% of patients benefited when they were given a placebo (a ‘fake’ pill that causes no psychological response). The response in persons who actually took antidepressants was 50%, leaving only a 10% difference in the effect purely due to the medication. Regardless of the placebo effect, antidepressants tend to improve sleep, decrease anxiety, shorten and reduce severity of Depression, and reduce frequency of episodes, so the results are overwhelmingly positive. Antidepressants are also undoubtedly successful in treating severe Depression. There are some unfortunate side effects, such as decreased sexual desire, feelings of numbness, increased risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide in adolescents, headaches, weight gain or loss, and withdrawal effects. Therefore, finding an antidepressant with minimal side effects is often a trial & error process. One of the biggest downsides of resorting to medication is that concurrent psychotherapy is often neglected. Studies show that therapy is as effective as antidepressants alone6,and com-
bining therapy with an antidepressant increases rates of remission even further. Antidepressants are often considered a first step, because they work faster than therapy, provide an easy solution to a complex problem, and offer hope for a medical cure. It is also easier to take a pill than go to therapy; people who are depressed often do not have the energy or motivation to engage in therapy, but patients learn strategies that they can use for the rest of their lives. Since most people who have Depression either use antidepressants, go to therapy, or both, it should become more routine to engage in both practices rather than choose just one. Another possible treatment option is Ketamine, an anesthetic recreational drug, which seems to improve symptoms of Depression, without delayed onset and need for continuous treatment. Research is being slowed by its legal status, but scientists are hopeful. To conclude, antidepressants have a lot of benefits, but should not be society’s first and only choice of treatment for Depression and other mental illnesses. Antidepressants come with an undesirable number of side effects, and more importantly, only treat the symptoms of the disorder, not the underlying causes. Antidepressant medication is not a one size fits all solution, so we must search harder, faster, and longer to find a more comprehensive solution for Depression.
Marcus SC, Olfson M. National trends in the treatment for Depression from 1998 to 2007. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010;67(12):1265-1273. Cartwright, C., Gibson, K., Read, J., Cowan, O., & Dehar, T. (2016). Long-term antidepressant use: patient perspectives of benefits and adverse effects. Patient Preference and Adherence, 10, 1401–1407. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S110632 Turner, E. H., Matthews, A. M., Linardatos, E., Tell, R. A., & Rosenthal, R. (2008). Selective Publication of Antidepressant Trials and Its Influence on Apparent Efficacy. New England Journal of Medicine, 358(3), 252–260. McCormack, J., & Korownyk, C. (2018). Effectiveness of antidepressants. BMJ, 360, k1073. Fournier, J. C., DeRubeis, R. J., Hollon, S. D., Dimidjian, S., Amsterdam, J. D., Shelton, R. C., & Fawcett, J. (2010). Antidepressant drug effects and Depression severity: a patient-level meta-analysis. JAMA, 303(1), 47–53.
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Whitewashing Mental Health
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n the United States, there are higher rates of mental illness found among minorities than among white people. There are many factors that influence this, notably access to mental health resources and treatment, as well as the ways in which different cultures view mental illness and the mental health discourse they are subjected to. Many cultures view mental health as a weakness, which demonstrates something negative about a person or his/her character. Furthermore, the ways in which mental illness is stigmatizing is different depending on the culture, which only widens the gap. In the US, it has been found that minority children have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems, which is linked to their generally lower socioeconomic status. Furthermore, depression often leads these individuals to make less money when they are older, and to have less social mobility. This seems to be vicious cycle, in which low socioeconomic status leads to depression, which in turn leads to low socioeconomic status. In these poorer communities, there also tends to be more violence, which causes trauma for children either experiencing it themselves or witnessing it. Witnessing and experiencing violence in the community, especially as a child,
Gabriella Swartz BC ‘21
is also a known cause of mental illness. Many studies have shown that intervention in young children who are at risk of developing mental illness or who display behavioral problems can minimize the risk of developing mental illness. The problem is that these communities are often underserved, and do not have proper access to mental health services and therefore no intervention can be provided. Another issue with mental health treatment has to do with different cultural perceptions on the topic. Indeed, in some cultures, mental illness may be viewed as made up, not real, or an invalid issue, which takes away from the severity of the illness, and does not encourage one to seek help. Seeking treatment is admitting defeat, and showing weakness. This is part of the stigmatization of mental illness among minority groups. Of course, there is a stigma surrounding mental illness among white people, however it is not quite as strong as among minority groups. This, as well as other factors, such as cost, access, and mistrust, influence how many minorities faced with mental illness will actually seek treatment. Many studies have shown that minorities express more fear when interacting with a person who has a mental disorder than white people do. Additionally, many minorities display mistrust with regard
Alegria, M., Vallas, M., & Pumariega, A. J. (2010). Racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric mental health. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 19(4), 759-74. Mental health: Culture, race, and ethnicity: A supplement to Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General. (2001). Rockville, MD: Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Public Health Service.
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to mental health service providers. They prefer to confide in someone of their own race, in priests, or spiritual healers. The problem with this is that these minorities are not receiving the treatment that they need in order to get better. They are only worsening their condition. The major barriers to mental health treatment for minority groups in the U.S. are tied to accessibility and mental health discourse. The discourse surrounding mental health in many of these cultures further stigmatize mental illness, and make minorities more reluctant to seek treatment, especially from a white provider. In the white culture of the US, the stigma is much less of a barrier, and many white people have better resources to access treatment. It is also important to note that non-whites have higher rates of mental illness than that of white people. Something must be done to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness in minority cultures, and to increase their access to treatment. Measures have been taken to increase community-based care for children in order to offer them any treatment they may need. However, more needs to be done to address the issue.
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RESOURCES ON CAMPUS Furman Counseling Services https://barnard.edu/counsel 212-854-2092
Primary Care Health Service https://barnard.edu/primarycare 212-854-2091
Sexual Violence Response & Rape Crisis / Anti-Violence Support Center https://health.columbia.edu/svr-rape-crisisanti-violence-support-center-0 212-854-4357
Well-Woman
https://barnard.edu/wellwoman 212-854-3063
Nightline Peer Listening
http://blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/nightline/ 212-854-7777
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PHOTO BY MARGARET MAGUIRE