If someone skateboarded down Bruin Walk, lost control, and
crashed into the bear, that person would then go to the hospital
immediately.
Alternately, if someone got drunk to escape feelings of anxiety
and sadness on a nightly basis, a mess of psychological problems
might ensue. However, that person would probably wait several years
before seeking help.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the median
amount of time between the onset of a mental disorder and first
treatment contact is nearly 10 years.
That is ridiculous. You wouldn’t wait 10 years to get a
broken bone fixed, would you?
Evidently, people think mental health is less important than
physical health, even though psychological illnesses can seriously
disrupt one’s life. For instance, typical symptoms of
clinical depression include feelings of worthlessness, difficulty
concentrating, recurring thoughts of death, insomnia and anxiety.
Try writing papers through that.
The 10-year gap between onset of illness and treatment also
suggests that there is a stigma that is still attached to mental
disorders. Somehow, a psychological problem is viewed by others and
victims themselves to be a sign of personal weakness.
In the U.S. military there are traces of this stigma. Soldiers
are awarded the Purple Heart if they are wounded while in service.
However, cases of post-traumatic stress disorder do not
qualify.
Some symptoms of the disorder are insomnia, depression,
aggressiveness, anxiety and nightmares. Clearly, veteran victims of
this disorder suffer a great deal; yet, because they suffer from a
psychological injury rather than a physical one, they are not
honored.
For college students, underestimating the importance of mental
health is especially dangerous because these years involve
tremendous changes and require greater independence ““ demands
that make us susceptible to psychological disorders.
First-years feel pangs of homesickness when they get the flu and
mom isn’t there to provide comfort. Second-years deal with
having gained the “Freshman 15.”
Third-years move out of the dorms and into an apartment for the
first time. And fourth-years are burdened with the question,
“What now?”
And many disorders such as depression, obsessive compulsive
disorder and anorexia start during this time. In fact,
three-quarters of all cases of mental disorders begin before age
24.
Believing that psychological disorders will go away naturally is
like trying to wish away a tumor. With any disease, physical or
psychological, hesitating to seek treatment is just unwise.
Delaying treatment of mental disorders could lead to more severe
and constant symptoms. It could also incur the onset of another
illness. And of course, the longer you wait, the more arduous and
lengthy your road to recovery.
The Student Psychological Services in Wooden West is a good
place to turn to if your bad day seems to be turning into a bad
month. Students can join groups and workshops focused on issues
such as eating management, shyness and stress, as well as more
burdensome issues such as bereavement and incest.
The Student Psychological Services also offers individual
counseling sessions with a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.
Visits are usually once a week and last an hour, but emergency
drop-ins are permitted during certain times of the day.
Fourth-year Jasmin Morrison, a physiological science student,
lost her mother to breast cancer last spring. She found that
talking with a psychologist at the Student Psychological Services
helped her deal with the overwhelming grief she felt.
“You just want time to stop, but everything keeps moving
so you have to find a way to handle it constructively,”
Morrison said.
And for her, the constructive approach was to have a scheduled
time each week to let it all out. She said that otherwise, she
would have been weepy all the time.
But why not just seek the guidance of family and friends?
For Morrison, expressing her grief to family members was selfish
since they were also suffering. But seeking comfort through her
friends was often disappointing because she felt that they just
didn’t understand.
Many other students are also seeking treatment at the Student
Psychological Services. In fact, even though there is now a $10
charge per session for students without UCLA health insurance,
there has actually been an increase of appointments made, according
to the office.
Mental health awareness is on the rise, and if this trend
continues, perhaps suicide will cease to be the second-leading
cause of death among American college students.
Morrison advised, “When something is bothering you
psychologically, you need to handle those issues just how you would
handle getting sick. If you would go to the Ashe Center to get
something checked out, then why not go to the Student Psychological
Services?”
Students have the right to make the most of their years at
college. But if you want to fully enjoy those experiences,
it’s important not to overlook your health, whether it be
physical or mental.
Tao has also sought counseling at the Student Psychological
Services. If you are curious to know more, e-mail her at
atao@media.ucla.edu.