Pink Freud Issue 3 Spring 2020

Pink Freud THE PSYCHOLOGY JOURNAL OF BARNARD COLLEGE Nº3 - SPRING 2020

LAYOUT DESIGN BY SABRINA YEH `21 & ARWA ADIB ‘21

PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY`21

SUMMARY

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TO B

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Vaping Risks Revealed

by Emma Chen BC ‘21

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Overcoming My Performance Anxiety

by Nicole Hinz BC ‘21

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Euphoria: Reviewed

by Miranda MacGillivray BC ‘22

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Brain Gains: How We Benefit Mentally from Exercise

by Haley Ward BC ‘21

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Talking to Strangers: Reviewed

by Katherine Canniff BC ‘22

R ‘20

CKE

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ALI NAT

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10 How to Live Well by Professor Scott Barry Kaufman

by Perrin Rudensky BC ‘22

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Yes, I Was Once Admitted to a Mental Hospital

by Julia Coccaro BC ‘22

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Disordered Eating versus Eating Disorders

by Lyndsey Reed BC ‘20

13 One Step Removed from Mental Illness

TO B

Y AV

by Parina Kothari BC ‘23

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14 Mental Health Behind Bars

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by Gabrielle Obregon BC ‘22

15 My Summer at the Summer Research Institute

by Gabriella Sahyoun BC ‘21

16 The Effectiveness of Online Therapy

by Emily Mintz BC ‘23

17 Three Identical Strangers: Reviewed

by Emily Kornblum BC ‘22

18 Navigating Neuroscience Careers with Professor Kathleen Taylor

by Samantha Chong BC ‘21

19 An Interview with the Directors of Nightline

by Chana Fisch BC ‘22

PHOTO BY AVA FRIEDLANDER ‘20

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Letter From the Editors Dear Readers, We are so excited to present the third 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 as a mechanism for students to discover more about the field. This issue includes articles which focus on mental health resources on campus, personal experiences with psychiatric illness, and even interviews with Barnard’s renowned psychology professors. We hope that each article provides neuroscientific insight and the unique ability to explore the complex and fascinating world of modern psychology. Finally, as we close off another year of working on this journal, we say goodbye to one of our founders of Pink Freud, Natalie Dicker, who will be graduating this May, making this her last issue as editor.

Sincerely, The Pinkest of the Freud’s, Natalie Dicker ‘20 and Kayla Ablin ‘21 Founders & Editors-in-Chief

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLIN ‘21

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PINK FREUD’S

Executive Board FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

Natalie Dicker, BC ‘20

Kayla Ablin, BC ‘21

Major: Psychology

Major: Psychology

L AYO U T

L AYO U T

T R E A S U RY

PHOTOGRAPHY

Sabrina Yeh, BC ‘21 Major: Psychology

Arwa Adib, BC ‘21 Major: Neuroscience & Behavior

Tina Gao, BC ‘21 Major: Economics & Social History

Ava Friedlander, BC ‘20 Major: Psychology

SOCIAL MEDIA

O R G A N I Z AT I O N

EVENTS

EVENTS

Gabrielle Finestone, BC ‘21 Major: History

Lyndsey Reed, BC ‘20 Major: Psychology & Philosophy

Gabriella Swartz, BC ‘21 Major: Neuroscience & Behavior

Hannah Seibold, BC ‘21 Major: Economics & Political Science

NEWS MAGAZINE

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S T U DY OV E RV I E W

Vaping Risks Revealed

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Emma Chen BC ‘21

tarting in the spring of this year, the news has been consumed with stories regarding death due to vaping-related lung illness. In September 2019, the CDC warned the public to stop vaping. Additionally, as of November 4th, they documented 1,888 cases of e-cigarette or vaping product use associated with lung injury from 49 states and confirmed 38 deaths in 24 states.

Initially, vaping was marketed as the cleaner, healthier alternative to cigarettes for smokers who wanted to quit. Vaping requires the use of a device that heats liquid containing various chemical stimulants, such as THC and nicotine, to a very high temperature, turning it into a vapor that is inhaled.

Given that smoking tobacco is one of the top preventable causes of death in the US, the fact that vaping worked better than other methods for quitting smoking, such as nicotine patches and nicotine gum, made it seem like a healthy and hopeful long-term solution to smoking.

Ironically, vaping has actually created a new generation of nicotine addicts. The FDA’s

PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ ‘21

annual teen smoking survey in 2018 revealed that the number of high school students using e-cigarettes has doubled. Furthermore, most of the teens who were vaping had never smoked a cigarette before. Unfortunately, the vaping crisis only began to seem dire once people started to die from severe lung damage as a result of vaping.

Aside from the physiological harm of vaping, vaping also has implications on mental health, especially in addictive disorders.

Stressful life events that diminish a person’s sense of control can result in a meaningless outlook on life, which leads to drug use as a form of self-medication that can eventually develop into a drug addiction. In a 2008 study conducted on university students, researcher Oksaka found a correlation between nicotine-related addictive behaviors and stress, acceptance from others, and meaning and purpose in life. In addition, the researchers found a relationship between stressful life events and drug use. For adolescents who tend to engage in more risky behavior due to emotional vulnerability and frequent life changes, turning to drugs, such as nicotine through vaping is one potential way to cope with all the academic, emotional, and social stressors they face. Moreover, seeing celebrities who vape not only in advertisements but also in daily life, associates the act of vaping with popularity and wealth. As a result, vaping has also become a symbol for keeping up with “trends” and socioeconomic status. Yet, there is a

NEWS MAGAZINE

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paradox in that people with nicotine addiction reported lower quality of life and greater life and work stress compared to non-smokers, according to a study conducted by researcher Hourani in 1999. Research has also shown that nicotine addiction often overlaps with alcohol addiction, as shown in Osaka’s 2008 study. Therefore, although vaping may begin as a coping mechanism, it has long term detrimental effects on mental health through impairing social relationships, chronic stress, and reducing motivation. Another added danger is that nicotine in the vaporized liquid releases neurotransmitters that including acetylcholine, endogenous opioid peptides, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which contribute to the pathogenesis of mental health and addictive disorders.

On the other hand, people diagnosed with mental health and addictive disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, and alcoholism may be predisposed to starting and maintaining a habit of smoking. According to researcher Morisano, 2 to 4 times more people with mental health and addictive disorders used tobacco in 2009 compared to the usage of the general population. With people seeing vaping as a healthier yet still satisfying way to achieve a nicotine fix, it is important to consider how all populations of people will experience the negative mental impacts of nicotine addiction from smokers who are trying to quit, young teens and adolescents, and those with mental disorders.

P E R S O N A L E S S AY

Overcoming My Performance Anxiety

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Nicole Hinz, BC ‘21

wo-time Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman describes her performance anxiety as an ever-present partner, even after years of practice in this competitive field.

As a former competitive gymnast myself, I can concur that this sentiment never disappears: the almost paralyzing fear of presenting any sort of gymnastics skills, even after having landed them perfectly every day for months before the competition season.

I find myself experiencing similar symptoms when I’m asked to speak in public.

Ironically, while my friends know me as the girl who loses her breath when she raises her hand to ask a question in class, I’ve inadvertently been placed into multiple situations in which I’ve had to speak to a large audience.

For my high school graduation, I was forced up on stage in front of thousands of people to speak. My parents not-so-subtly enticed me into wearing flats (I was no doubt the only girl in the stadium who wasn’t wearing heels underneath her dress), for fear I’d fall over during my speech. I was asked to speak at so-

rority recruitment last year, in addition to the required presentations for various classes.

Over the summer, I taught a public speaking workshop and found myself yet again asking: “Have I overcome my fear of public speaking?” and, “Who am I to tell others how to public speak if I still get nervous?”

Eventually, I came to the conclusion that there is no solution to our fears of public speaking. We are imperfect beings with pathways specifically regulated in our brains to induce a flight response every time we are put under pressure.Still, there are a plethora of methods for anxiety management, which I will now delineate further.

I have a friend who vigorously channels all of his negative energy into his lower extremities, wiggling his toes like crazy, in an effort to calm down. As long as he is wearing shoes, his audience will have no clue that he is anxious. My mother, a brilliant writer and storyteller, claims that it is all about breathing. She advises to pretend that you are reading over your notes before you speak. That way, you can give yourself a few moments to breathe and relax your heartbeat before you begin speaking. My personal favorite is the fidget gadget, since placing a small object in your pocket that you can trace or move around in your hand can be a great tool for directing your anxiety elsewhere. In each of these cases, the goal is not necessarily to stifle anxiety, which would be unreasonable for most people, but instead to intentionally project your anxiety to parts of your body

that you can visualize and separate from your mind having its own panic party.

Lastly comes the advice of our own President Beilock, who studies performance anxiety and the mechanisms for why we “Choke” under pressure. In her 2017 Ted Talk entitled “Why We Choke and How to Avoid it,” President Beilock discusses how our anxiety stems from concentrating too hard on doing our best: “When we’re concerned about performing our best, we often try to control aspects of what we’re doing that are best left on autopilot.” In order to address these worries, she lists quite a few suggestions, one of which is practicing speaking in front of a mirror to yourself beforehand. Another suggestion she presents is to jot down a “worry” list before speaking in public so that in a way, you can “download them from your mind [and] make them less likely to pop up in the moment.”

To her, it seems, the best treatment for your mind in stressful situations is to channel the anxiety to what you can control, separate from your performance.

Alas, though I have not provided a solution for your public humiliations, I hope I’ve provided a basis for conversation with yourself. We all internalize stress in different ways, and no single approach will help everyone contain their fears in the same way.

Thus, I encourage you to practice, step out of your comfort zone to try new methods because it’ll be all the more worth it when you finally get up on stage to speak and you don’t need those ballet flats anymore.

PHOTO BY CHOE LEVIN ‘21

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TV SHOW REVIEW

Euphoria: Reviewed Miranda MacGillivray, BC ‘22

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am Levinson’s HBO show Euphoria explores the story of high school student Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, and her struggles with substance abuse. Largely based on creator Sam Levinson’s struggles with substance abuse and recovery himself, the eight-episode drama centers around Zendaya’s heartbreaking portrayal of Rue and her peers. The show begins with Rue returning from a summer spent in rehab, and immediately visiting her drug dealer Fezco. Rue asks him, “What, you think ‘cause I went to rehab I stayed clean?” to which he poignantly replies, “I mean...ain’t that the point?” Through Rue’s voiceover, we find out that she has chronic depression, OCD, anxiety, and addiction. Despite growing up in a seemingly healthy middle-class family, Rue highlights that anyone, regardless of their upbringing, can face mental illness.

The show earns the content warning HBO puts at the beginning of each episode. With many difficult-to-watch scenes, including a terribly creepy statutory rape, a violent fight between Rue and her mother, and a shot that includes 20+ penises on-screen, Euphoria may be too heavy for some. But for others, it may be extremely relatable. This show is meant to represent raw experiences that are quite certainly happening to some high school students.

Using Rue’s narrative voice to tell the story, each episode focuses on a different character and their backstory. In this way, the show presents realistic portrayals of lives that many teens today will recognize. While some subplots are especially discomfiting - like Kat Hernandez’s journey into becoming a cam-girl - most of the characters on the show are dealing with depression, anxiety, relationship issues, social media stress, and a lot of added drama. Zendaya was quoted in a New York Times article saying that

while she doesn’t find the show shocking, she knows some people will: “Whether people like it or not, it’s real. I’m telling somebody’s story.

Just because it’s not happening to you doesn’t mean it’s not happening all the time, every day.” At the center of the show is a love story between Rue and the new girl in town, Jules.

Between this relationship, Rue’s relationship with her family, and her narration, the show portrays very powerfully how substance abuse hurts those dealing with it, as well as those who love them.

Rue’s narration in the pilot episode reveals that she doesn’t turn to her drug of choice, opioids, to be happy or to have fun; rather, she does it for the “two seconds of nothingness:” when her heart stops, her brain stops, and everything she’s feeling sinks below her consciousness. In another scene, she expands on the first time she felt this “nothingness:” at eleven years old, after being taken to the hospital for a panic attack, when she luxuriated in the feeling of calm and comfort that the prescribed liquid valium gave her. She says, “This is it. This is the feeling I have been searching for my entire life.” While the portrayal of the relief Rue feels when she takes drugs may seem like a glamorization of substance abuse at first, the show later definitively turns away from that idealized portrayal, by using a shot of Rue’s sister finding her after an overdose, covered in vomit.

Another explanation of Rue’s real feelings towards drugs comes in episode two: “I know you’re not supposed to say it, but drugs are kinda cool...I mean, they’re cool before they wreck your skin. And your life. And your family.

That’s when they get uncool. It’s actually a very narrow window of cool.” The wording of this line is very accurate to how many teenagers think and speak today - down to her starting her explanation with how drugs ruin your skin.

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLIN ‘21

Rue is aware of and feels bad for what she’s doing to her family. Even so, she continues to indulge in her destructive drug use habits - that is, until the new light in her life, Jules, threatens to end their friendship if Rue doesn’t work to stay clean.

The show isn’t perfect, and it’s not easy to watch - despite its artful cinematography and often neon-filled settings - but it depicts an honest portrayal of some of Generation Z’s problems. While Euphoria does have quite extreme and frightening subplots - such as Nate Jacobs’ spiral into hyper-masculinity, violence, and blackmail - Rue’s battle with mental illness is fairly common. She isn’t a fundamentally bad person, and she isn’t a villain; her decisions show viewers just how much she is a recognizable teenager struggling to decipher what is right from wrong - and that’s what makes her character so genuine. Zendaya, who portrays Rue but has had no experience with drug use herself, says in the aforementioned New York Times interview that she nonetheless relates to the character: “I feel like she’s a version of myself with different choices and circumstances.

Rue is a good person, she just doesn’t know it.

She’s in pain. There’s something innocent and redeeming about her that reminds you that she’s a human first and an addict second.”

Through waves of staying clean, withdrawal, guilt, and relapses, the lengths Rue goes to get drugs, and then later to stay clean, her story will resonate, and start conversations among the many viewers who have been affected by substance abuse.

Levinson, Sam, creator. Euphoria. A24 Television, The Reasonable Bunch, Little Lamb, DreamCrew, and Tedy Productions, 2019.

Reilly, Phoebe. “Zendaya Jumps From Disney to Drug Binges in HBO’s Graphic ‘Euphoria.’” The New York Times, 13 June 2019. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/arts/television/zendaya-euphoria-hbo.html.

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PHOTO BY MAYA HERTZ ‘21

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

Brain Gains: How We Benefit Mentally from Exercise

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hen people are asked why they work out, the majority respond with one of two answers: to look good, or to improve their physical health. As it turns out, however, there are also major brain gains that come from exercise. As college students, we’ve all heard of a “runner’s high”, a pleasurable state caused by the release of endorphins after going for a run, but the effects of exercise on the brain are way more complicated.

Neuroscientists began looking at the effects of exercise on the brain by studying older adults, especially those with dementia. Many researchers have found that continuing exercise can slow age-related cognitive decline and prevent the development of Alzheimer’s. Although most of the research has been conducted on older adults, there are currently more studies being released that look at healthy young adults whose cognitive functioning is at its peak. Exercise has been proposed to improve brain function in the young and old through an increase in endorphin production, as well as that of monoamines, and endocannabinoids.

Furthermore, increases in neuroplasticity and BDNF have also been shown, in addition to changes to gray and white matter densities, decrease in inflammation, and increases in the activation of certain brain structures such as

Haley Ward BC ‘21

the hippocampus and frontal cortex. This extensive list of brain alterations that have been identified is the reason why scientists seem to be slowly finding out that exercise is beneficial for almost everything that occurs in the brain.

Just because something happens in the brain doesn’t mean there are any real tangible effects on a person, so a critical question I always ask when looking into neuroscience studies is “What is the clinical significance?” Clinical significance includes the practical impact of the research, its effect on everyday life, functioning, and clinical practice. In this particular case, clinical significance would be the detectable increases on tests of cognitive performance that people experience and how that translates to real life. When it comes to cognitive performance, the main effects that young people experience after exercise are attributable to increased activity in executive functioning networks. Executive functioning is a higher-order process that helps with planning, carrying out tasks, attention, working memory, inhibition, and mental flexibility. Some of these studies are purely correlational (self-reported physical activity is correlated with performance on an executive function task), but in others, participants are subjected to a rigid exercise program anywhere from 4-10 months duration, so a more causal link can be established. Cognitive control, cognitive flexibility, multitasking, working memory, and selective attention have

Kirk-Sanchez, N. J., & McGough, E. L. (2014). Physical exercise and cognitive performance in the elderly: current perspectives. Clinical interventions in aging, 9, 51.

Chan, R. C. K., Shum, D., Toulopoulou, T., & Chen, E. Y. H. (2008). Assessment of executive functions: Review of instruments and identification of critical issues. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 23(2), 201–216.

Guiney, H., & Machado, L. (2013). Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychonomic bulletin & review, 20(1), 73-86.

Best, J. R., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2011). Relations between executive function and academic achievement from ages 5 to 17 in a large, representative national sample. Learning and Individual Differences, 21(4), 327–336.

Lane, A. M., & Lovejoy, D. J. (2001). The effects of exercise on mood changes: The moderating effect of depressed mood. Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 41(4), 539-545.

Craft, L. L., & Landers, D. M. (1998). The effect of exercise on clinical depression and depression resulting from mental illness: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20(4), 339-357.

Beebe, L. H., Tian, L., Morris, N., Goodwin, A., Allen, S. S., & Kuldau, J. (2005). Effects of exercise on mental and physical health parameters of persons with schizophrenia. Issues in mental health nursing, 26(6), 661-676.

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all been found to increase following a period of prolonged exercise. Executive functioning is important because it allows us to carry out our goals and lives in more aimful ways, and it has also been linked to academic performance. It seems that taking time away from studying to go exercise may actually help us perform better in school.

Exercise also has a profound effect on another important aspect of cognitive functioning: mental health. Physical activity is tied to better well-being, quality of life, and mood.

Most of these studies are correlational, so we cannot infer that exercise causes improved well-being from them because of confounding variables, but there have been some studies that have attempted to establish causality. For instance, Lane & Lovejoy found that an aerobic dance class significantly reduced negative mood states, including: anger, confusion, fatigue, tension, and vigor. Further, several meta-analyses have found that physical activity reduces depressive symptoms in people with clinical depression, and improves outcomes in people with schizophrenia.

There is clear and ample evidence that exercise will have a positive impact on one’s brain’s functioning. There is no one size fits all solution, but when it comes to exercise, there are minimal side effects and it can be fun.

It’s difficult to find time to work out in college, but our brains will thank us later.

BOOK REVIEW

“Talking To Strangers” Reviewed Katherine Canniff BC `22

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he arrest and subsequent suicide of Sandra Bland. The prosecution of Larry Nassar. The fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In his new book Talking To Strangers, Malcolm Gladwell pulls these shocking cases of violence from the past five years, which temporarily inundated news reports and social media platforms, back into the spotlight. Gladwell insists that these occurrences, which sparked conversations about racial bias and sexual abuse, require close analysis in order to understand what leads humans to make such grave mistakes when interacting with strangers. He gathers puzzling moments in history when the misjudgment of a stranger had serious ramifications and examines them using key psychological studies and concepts.

Gladwell utilizes the work of psychologist Tim Levine to answer two key questions: why can’t people identify a liar even when they are speaking to them directly, and how does meeting a stranger in person make people worse at judging them? According to Levine’s “default to truth” principle, humans assume that others are telling them the truth. We also assume “transparency,” which suggests that strangers’ body language is always a reliable indication of their mental state. Gladwell demonstrates these concepts by presenting moments in history when these mistakes were made. He describes Neville Chamberlain’s insistence that Hitler was a trustworthy ally, as well as the C.I.A.’s failure to identify an internal, high-ranking operative as a Cuban spy.

Quick transitions between studies

and observations demand the reader’s focus as Gladwell repeatedly refers back to previously made arguments. However, the author often assists the reader by clearly stating the argument he is about to make. He is as fond of the footnote as Freud himself, although his usage usually supports his arguments instead of contradicting them. This book is a prime example of investigative journalism, and the enlightenment that can come from interdisciplinary research, presented with meticulous argumentative writing.

The book begins with a description of the shocking case of Sandra Bland and Officer Brian Encinia. Bland, an African-American woman, was driving on a quiet road in Waller County, Texas, when she was pulled over by Officer Encinia for failing to use her blinker. The transcript of the interaction between the policeman and Bland reveals Encinia’s state of suspicion during the event, as well as Bland’s discomfort and confusion at his behavior. Three days later, Sandra Bland, who had sought a fresh start in Waller County, committed suicide in her cell.

Gladwell’s book culminates in a careful dissection of this case of severe miscommunication. He expertly uses the psychological concepts of default to truth, transparency, and coupling, to explain how the situation between Bland and Encinia escalated so quickly. In the interim, Gladwell introduces and provides copious evidence for these concepts. He emphasizes that errors made by individuals, assumptions of truthfulness and transparency, and a common disregard for the significance of social context, can have frightening consequences.

One shortcoming of Talking To Strangers is that it does not consider the racial biases at play in the interaction between

Sandra Bland, a black woman, and the white Officer Encinia. Gladwell certainly does not completely disregard the influences of racial difference, providing statistics and references to studies about racial profiling and aggressive policing techniques in the extensive notes section. However, since the book opens with an interaction between a black woman and a white man, readers may expect the book to dive more deeply into these biases. Instead, Gladwell constructs a sound, thoroughly-built foundation to an understanding of the errors humans make in their judgments of others. Racial and gender biases that psychological research reveals may further complicate how we interact with others. They deserve the attention and depth of an entire book, which would be eagerly read if Mr. Gladwell, or some other author, were to write it.

In his final pages, Gladwell offers instructions for how we should talk to strangers.

In a world that demands constant perfection and accuracy, Gladwell argues that we should “no longer [be] penalizing one another for default[ing] to truth” and that we must, “accept the limits of our abilities to decipher strangers.” He insists that trust is necessary for many of our social institutions to function.

Gladwell’s final advice is to exercise “restraint and humility” as we converse and engage with strangers. We must be wary of the judgments we make of others. He insists we can no longer be blind to our mistakes and the “institutions and practices that we construct around [them].”

The book forces readers to confront and wrestle with the critical flaws in human perception and the resulting behavior. However, Gladwell also guides readers to envisage a world improved by a deeper understanding of human interplay, starting with a more voracious and reliable justice system.

“Gladwell’s book culminates in a careful dissection of this case of severe miscommunication.”

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLLIN ‘21 Gladwell, Malcolm. (2019). Talking to strangers: what we should know about the people we don’t know. New York, New York: Little, Brown and Company.

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INTERVIEW

How to Live Well by Professor Scott Barry Kaufman

stress on this campus. Students are so hard on themselves and feel like they’re failing if they’re not performing perfectly. The days when a student would feel like they’re failing because they were actually failing a class are long gone.

Q: Something that you’ve advocated for in your class is the idea that mental health and well-being on campus is Perrin Rudensky BC’22 too important an issue to be neglected.

Given that we have so many counseling and mental health resources on camCould you tell me a little bit pus, what is it that we are lacking? Why about your background in do many students still feel that help is so positive psychology? isolated and inaccessible?

Q

A: Well, I actually started off in cognitive psychology because I started off my career thinking that I was born to redefine intelligence. I was really interested in cognition, meaning how people think and reason, and how we may be letting people fall between the cracks when we underestimate what they’re capable of doing. I started to realize that I was really a positive/humanistic psychologist at heart, because my approach to reconceptualizing the potential of students came from the strengths-based way of thinking. That’s to say, why do we focus so much on, for example, with kids in special education, how broken they are, as opposed to focusing on what strengths we can build off of. So, really, that was always in my heart. I just didn’t know that there was a whole field out there that was studying it so systematically!

A: Well, unfortunately, there’s still a great stigma surrounding mental illness. A lot of those resources, like counseling, require you to optin. You have to admit that things are not going great right now, and you have to make an appointment. It’s framed in terms of stigma and illness. My approach is to integrate what’s north of zero into one’s daily life. The course I teach is not about reducing mental illness, while that’s certainly going to be a result. But if you can play around all semester in the world of what’s above zero and not below zero, your whole headspace starts to reconfigure, and you start to forget that you were depressed to begin with.

Q: You’re currently teaching The Science of Living Well at Barnard. What inspired you to teach a class on positive psychology and what need does it fulfill?

A: Integrating the positive is key. Professors need to take more of a responsibility for integrating that into the curriculum. I think it’s a structural issue, really. They should be starting every class with a mindfulness meditation, making sure students aren’t taking more than one midterm on any particular day, making sure that they’re coordinating with other classes that the students are taking to the best of their ability, making sure that the tests relieve as much of the working memory burden as possible by allowing students to prepare ahead

A: I actually started teaching this class at the University of Pennsylvania after taking over for a professor who was working on her book. It was one of the most meaningful things I had ever done, as it really inspired me to see what is possible with students. Students don’t have to be stressed, you know, there’s no Commandment that Moses received from God that said “Thou shalt be stressed.” That’s not a required part of college. I think there’s a lot of things we can do to manage stress and what I refer to in my class as “psychological entropy.” Managing that kind of entropy is so important to our mental health, and it can in fact be done. A lot of that is really just managing uncertainty, and so much of it is about planning ahead and thinking of as many things that may arise, and trying to cultivate the fortitude and the skills to cope with stressors when they do come up.

Q: How can we apply this north-of-zero approach to the way we address mental health on campus?

of time with review guides, allowing for creativity and personal expression on essay questions, and overall just signalling on the first day of class that well-being is something that is of value to the professor—that in and of itself can go a long, long way, and you don’t really see that too often. The integration is what’s key.

The second that mental health becomes an ‘extracurricular’ activity, second to school, that’s where we run into problems. Why are they two different things? We’ve set up a kind of false dichotomy in our education system—I think that well-being is the DNA of learning. People who are in environments in which they’re being preoccupied by their survival needs—including connection—are not motivated to learn or acquire new information.

Q: You’ve spoken a lot about the importance of integrating positive psychology into our daily structure. What advice would you give to Barnard faculty and administration regarding how to go about implementing this seemingly novel idea in practice?

A: Well, people certainly care. President Beilock started the “Feel Well, Do Well” initiative, for example. There’s good intentions, which is good from a signalling point of view, but it needs to not just be signalling. It’s not a one-person effort. The professors have to be on board too. We’re talking about a systemic issue—there’s only so much that any one person can do. We all have to work together for this to work. We have to believe that well-being is important, and we have to walk the talk. We can’t just say it’s important and then have students working full time and taking three midterms on the same day, feeling like things are hopeless, and not offer them any support. There just needs to be more support structures in place to help students learn to toolset for resilience and self-regulation. These are important skills that aren’t being taught. We’re all in this together.

We’re all in the same boat. We need to work together to make it work.

Q: What is your take on “stress culture” on campus? Why does it seem to be so prevalent here?

A: Actually, President Sian Beilock has done terrific research showing that when our working memory capacity is taxed, we have a really hard time demonstrating our full intelligence.

This can happen in a lot of different ways, but anxiety is a big one in contributing to this tax on our working memory. Self-evaluation is another one. Self-evaluation uses up a lot of mental resources to the point where sometimes it almost feels like there’s nothing left to process.

It seems to me that there is certainly a lot of

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLIN ‘21

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Yes, I Was Once Admitted to a Mental Hospital Julia Coccaro BC ‘22

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orses. I can see them clear as day. Horses, a giant grassy field, a basketball court, over a dozen potential options for daily activities. Pristine facilities.

Smiling faces. All were things I had either read about or seen on the pamphlet for Baypointe Children’s Psychiatric Hospital in Mobile, Alabama, just thirty minutes from my home in the suburbs. While my primary doctor interrogated me about previous suicide attempts, I leafed through this pamphlet, envisioning a peaceful getaway where I could work through my depression through both medicine and mindfulness. Even at 14, I aimed to make the mature decision, and this seemed to be it.

Thus, I was honest with my doctor about my mental illness and the self-harming actions I had taken because of it.

An hour later, I was sitting in a claustrophobic evaluation room at Baypointe with my father and a psychiatrist. Within five minutes of the evaluation, we heard a series of noises: a boom, a crash, a scream, and overlapping voices. Later, my fellow admittees enlightened me to the source of those sounds: a patient from the adolescent boys’ ward had

broken out of the unit, sprinted to the adothing: color. No horses. No grassy field, no lescent girls’ dayroom with a metal chair, and basketball court, no list of things to do (aside thrown it at the window in an attempt to break from coloring) - and sure as hell no smiling the glass and escape. Sometime in the middle faces. of the questioning, I remember looking over at Talking to the other girls helped pass the my dad and seeing his expression: guilty and time considerably. It also wasn’t always the regretful. And that was when it hit me. That easiest task, given that Baypointe put no was when I realized, even before the grand effort in separating the girls with depression tour of Baypointe, that this and anxiety from those with was not at all what I - or we - “Though I left the mental psychosis and schizophrenia. thought it was going to be. each conversation, institution with no im- Through

After saying a haunthowever, my perspective provement in emotional broadened exponentially; ing farewell to my father, I was given a rundown of the health, I did leave with an the “rough” upbringing I felt daily schedule and led to my I had paled in comparison intense sense of awareness to every single one of their room: bed hard as rocks, no shower curtain, window stories. Kayla had a physand understanding.” facing a fence. My roommate, ically abusive father who, as I would come to find out, was a transgender when she was pregnant, had beaten her until male named Blake a few years older than me. she miscarried. Blake’s father had deserted all This being southern Alabama, it was unsurfive of his kids on the side of a freeway, lost prising that the hospital gave his gender idenhis job as a result, and abandoned the family, tity zero respect, but incredibly frustrating leaving them with almost no money. A girl nonetheless. I was soon taken to the dayroom. whose name I can’t remember had been there There were several couches, a few tables and for nine months and had seldom been visited chairs with crayons and coloring sheets on by anyone at all. them, and a miniature television behind a wall Equally as enlightening was what the of glass playing Dora. I counted 15 girls, two girls unanimously proclaimed to be the secret white and the rest African-American. “Hi, I’m of getting out of Baypointe: faking it. “As soon Julia,” I said. “You our new staff?” one of the as you start on whatever meds they put you girls asked. I shook my head. Apparently, my on, say you feel better every time they ask. intricate makeup in addition to introducing After ‘x’ amount of days of you ‘feeling better,’ myself so formally made me stand out. they’ll let you out.” For many of them, this

For any and every period of time that wasn’t their first rodeo; it was Blake’s second we weren’t eating, in therapy, or on the phone, time at Baypointe and, as I would find out in we were allowed to do one thing, and only one the months following my release, wouldn’t be his last. Antidepressants take weeks - if not months - to produce effective results. It was, therefore, impossible for me to have felt better in a manner of days. Despite my innate devotion to candor, I followed the girls’ instructions and told the psychiatrist what she wanted to hear. I can say confidently that if I hadn’t, I would’ve been stuck in the Baypointe abyss for months.

Though I left the mental institution with no improvement in emotional health, I did leave with an intense sense of awareness and understanding. Awareness that our healthcare system for mental illnesses in Alabama - and, as I would come to learn, the entire nation - is fundamentally broken. Understanding that my race and socioeconomic background made dealing with a mental illness far easier than my less privileged counterparts.

Awareness that mental health is incredibly more complicated than I could’ve imagined, as are its solutions. And, finally, understanding that you can’t always accurately judge a book by its cover - or a pamphlet - by PHOTO BY AVA FRIEDLANDER ‘20 its pictures.

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OP-ED

Disordered Eating versus Eating Disorders

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Lyndsey Reed BC ‘20

t is estimated by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) that 10 to 20% of female college students, and 4 to 10% of male college students, are suffering from an eating disorder, and many more are suffering from disordered eating habits. Any form of disordered eating, no matter how severe, is dangerous; however, there is a distinct difference between disordered eating and eating disorders. According to Dr. Carrie Gottlieb, a renowned clinical psychologist in the realm of eating disorders, disordered eating can be identified based on certain characteristics found in its patient: self-worth that is determined by weight or body shape; distorted body image; purging via self-induced vomiting, diet pills, laxatives, and/ or excessive exercise; food or calorie restriction; binge eating; anxiety about food in general, or about certain foods; a rigid approach to eating, as in only eating certain foods; only eating at home, and many more.

The differences between disordered eating and an eating disorder lie in the degree of severity. Eating disorders are generally considered much more severe, and meet multiple different criteria listed in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V (DSM-V).

The types of eating disorders and their respective criteria are quite different from those listed in earlier editions of the DSM. The DSM-V lists the three most common eating disorders as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

The diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa now includes significantly low weight, distorted body image, restricted food intake, and fear of weight gain. Previously, the DSM listed three or more skipped menstrual periods as a criterion for women with anorexia nervosa, that is now excluded from the DSM-V. Furthermore, in order to be diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, a patient must binge eat and perform compensatory actions (excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, etc.) at least once a week, for at least three months. Finally, for a binge-eating disorder diagnosis, a patient must have a binge eating episode at least once a week, for at least three months. There are other specified and unspecified feeding and eating disorders listed in the DSM-V, but the three aforementioned disorders are extreme versions of what is included within the disordered eating spectrum.

A person with disordered eating habits engages in some of the behaviors associated with an eating disorder, and meets some of those criteria as well, but not to the same degree as

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLIN ‘20

someone with a full-blown eating disorder. They may fall short of a psychiatric diagnosis because they engage in those behaviors less frequently, or at a lower level of severity. For example, someone may have binge eating episodes every two or three weeks for several months, but since they do not engage in a binge eating episode every week, they will not be diagnosed with binge eating disorder. However, they still maintain an unhealthy relationship with food, and with their body, meaning that they still have disordered eating habits nonetheless.

Anyone with any degree of disordered eating habits is still not maintaining a healthy relationship with food, or with their weight, and is still at risk, both physically and emotionally. Those who demonstrate less severe disordered eating habits are at risk for developing a full-blown eating disorder, and may have a history of depression or anxiety. Because of this, as soon as it becomes apparent that one is demonPINK FREUD PINK FREUD

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strating disordered eating habits, it is vital that they seek professional help, both from a psychotherapist and a nutritionist.

It is never too early to seek help; no one is ever “not bad enough” to need it. If you or someone you know is suffering from disordered eating habits of any degree, contact The National Eating Disorder Association’s free and confidential helpline, either by texting “NEDA” to 741-741, or calling 1-800-931-2237. NEDA also has an instant messaging option on their website, as well as a screening tool and other useful resources. Visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org for more information.

Rae Jacobson, “Eating Disorders in College Students,” Child Mind Institute (Child Mind Institute, Inc.), accessed November 7, 2019, https://childmind.org/article/eating-disorders-and-college/) Carrie Gottlieb, “Disordered Eating or Eating Disorder: What’s the Difference?,” Psychology Today (Sussex Publishers, February 23, 2014), https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/contemporary-psychoanalysis-in-action/201402/disordered-eating-or-eating-disorder-what-s-the) Susan Cowden, “Diagnostic Changes for Eating Disorders in the DSM-V,” Verywell Mind (Dotdash, October 18, 2019), https://www.verywellmind.com/diagnostic-changes-in-the-dsm-v-1138301) Susan Cowden, “Diagnostic Criteria for Binge Eating Disorder,” Verywell Mind (Dotdash, October 18, 2019), https://www.verywellmind.com/diagnostic-criteria-for-binge-eating-disorder-1138164)

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P E R S O N A L E S S AY

One Step Removed from Mental Illness

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t is no secret that mental illness can be all-consuming for its sufferers. People from all walks of life grapple with waves of perplexing and taxing emotions every day, and, for many, this daily cycle seems never-ending. This makes them feel trapped and alone. But they’re not the only ones who can feel that way - it is also the siblings, parents, spouses, friends, and families of these suffering who continuously believe their efforts are in vain. Before I go on, I would like to say that I am in no way trying to take away from the struggle that people with mental illnesses go through, or discourage them from confiding in their loved ones in any way. I empathize with their pain. I similarly identify with their pillars of support who work painstakingly to ensure their loved ones’ well-being. So, most respectfully and sensitively, I would like to shine a light on us, the relatives of people with mental illnesses, the ones who often go unnoticed. After facing my fair share of moral dilemmas during my relative’s mental health journey, I learned about the significance of mental health but, most importantly, the significance of my mental health. Here are snippets of my journey to self-care and prioritization, along with some key pieces of advice for anyone in a similar position.

For the past two years, a relative of mine has been grappling with depression. Striking a balance between catering to their emotions

Parina Kothari BC ‘23

and applying to college was grueling, especially when I had to deal with unexpected mood changes and panic attacks. I didn’t want to come off as snobbish by selfishly ranting about how this was the biggest problem in my life, because it wasn’t. However, what I refused to come to terms with was the fact that ignoring my well-being was a problem nonetheless. I was both emotionally and physically exhausted. My seven hours of much-needed sleep was reduced to five. Stress started to manifest in my shoulders and back, which made it almost impossible to sit straight and concentrate in class. I was constantly worried about how my relative was doing. Were they eating well?

Did they take their medication? What were they thinking about today? Are they actively suicidal? I was so consumed and almost obsessed with their well-being, that I forgot that mine existed too. To that end, I wasn’t even successfully doing the very thing that was taking up all my time - helping my relative to the best of my ability.

I kept repeating to myself the same trope - they need tending to, not you. This thought played in my head for months, until one day I forced myself to face reality. I scribbled a long list of anything and everything that was overwhelming me. I wrote until there was nothing left in my head, and then I wrote a parallel list of ways to deal with these stresses. And, fortunately, or unfortunately, seeking professional help popped up as the best coping mechaPINK PINK FREUD FREUD

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nism. It was only unfortunate because even with the dozen mental health campaigns, conversations on mental health remain taboo, especially in my seemingly progressive family. If going to therapy to deal with depression is considered bizarre, imagine what people say when a relative with no mental illness themselves seeks help!

However, I knew I needed to do this for myself. After the first session, it dawned on me that I had never spoken about my feelings for an extended period of time. I was so used to being on the other end of the conversation that I had forgotten what it felt like to vent about my stresses that I had been holding on to for no good reason. Through my therapy sessions, I learned how to put myself first, and that self-care and prioritization are the only ways to live healthily, especially when toxicity surrounds you. Setting boundaries is easier said than done, most notably when someone’s mental health is at stake.

Yet, it is the only practical way to catalyze the recovery of your loved one. While breaking past the stigma surrounding mental health for your loved one, try and do that for yourself too. Your mental health matters, even if theirs is considered worse at that moment.

It is not selfish to take time off to unwind.

Without helping yourself, you won’t be able to help them anyway.

OP-ED

Mental Health Behind Bars

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Gabrielle Obregon BC ‘22

n theUnited States today, jails and prisons are regarded as the new asylums. The prevalence of serious mental illness in state prisons is at least 2 to 4 times higher than within community populations. Without the proper resources to treat serious mental illnesses within prisons and the stigmatization of mental illnesses as “behavioral problems,” inmates are often left with severely extended sentences. The multitude of factors that pushed the mentally ill into correctional facilities can be traced back through decades of history. Inmates affected by serious mental illnesses are seen within the prison community as violators of rules because they cannot fully grasp and follow them.

Deinstitutionalization promised by the government in the 1960’s was intended to improve care for those with mental illnesses. However, no new health centers came to fruition, which resulted in a drastic increase of incarceration for those who were affected by severe mental illnesses. The failure to build these new psychiatric facilities due to underfunding prevented accessibility to the care and diagnoses necessary for these individuals, and the “War on Drugs” enforced the belief that those who could not adhere to community guidelines should be locked up. The misunderstanding of mental illness within communities and the perception about their behavioral problems leads to a multitude of issues within prisons themselves. Most inmates in prisons were arrested due to drug-related crimes, and, in turn, the relationship between mental illness and drugs came to a head. At in state prisons today, less than 15% of inmates receive appropriate treatment for mental illness.

Additionally, over 50% of inmates have diagnosable substance use disorders that lead to behavioral and mental issues. Subsequently, the lack of proper care towards drug-affected inmates leads to a higher risk of withdrawal and overdose upon release.

The method of solitary confinement as punishment for behavior further harms inmates and conflates the effects of drug abuse and mental illness within prisons. In an interview with NPR, Ashoor Rasho, an inmate at an Illinois state prison, has opened up about his struggle with mental illness behind bars. When reflecting upon his time in solitary confinement, he admits that he is still traumatized. He expresses that mentally ill inmates are often isolated with little or no meaningful social interaction and these conditions cause them to rapidly deteriorate.

Rather than treating mentally ill inmates with more support and proper administration of drugs, solitary confinement is used as a punishment when inmates experienced the effects of mental illness and often leads to severe trauma and recidivism after release.

Rasho has seen solitary confinement affect tal illness belong in hospitals, not prisons. In inmates in unspeakable ways, leading to in- order to stabilize the population of mentalappropriate sexual exposure to staff, mastur- ly ill inmates within prisons, there is a need bating in front of staff, and getting in fights for officers and staff members to be held with other inmates. This cycle of punish- accountable for treatment. Mental illnessment by prisons on the menes within prisons should be tally ill is perpetuated by the “This cycle of punviewed as treatable illnesses misconception that the core ishment by prisons such as diabetes, heart probof these illnesses are behavlems, and hypertension. Beon the mentally ill is fore a greater amount of inioral issues.

Only recently have dividuals end up in prisons we seen stories such as Ra- perpetuated by the due to mental illness-related sho’s spark national conver- misconception that problems, crisis intervensation surrounding the lack tion teams and programs of proper treatment and re- the core of these illmust be implemented before sources for the mentally ill the authorities are involved. in prisons. States are just be- nesses are behavioral With solutions such as these, ginning to allocate funds to issues.” the relationship between increasing counseling staff mental illness and incarcerwithin prisons and training ation will gradually begin to staff on how to handle mentally ill inmates. deteriorate, as we hope for better treatment Ultimately, there is a desperate call for un- in the future. derstanding that those who suffer from men-

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P E R S O N A L E S S AY

My Summer at the Summer Research Institute Gabriella Sahyoun BC `21

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y experience with the Summer Research Institute (SRI) at Barnard began in December 2018, at the end of my sophomore year fall. I decided to pursue SRI because I felt like I was lacking in research experience, and wanted to get an idea of what it would be like to work in an academic research lab. I knew some people who had a positive experience the prior summer with SRI, and encouraged me to do it.

Once I made up my mind to participate in SRI that summer, the hardest part began, as I needed to find a research mentor, and a lab to work in.

First, I had to tackle the big question of which research areas I was interested in. As a Neuroscience major, I had already determined I was interested in all-things-brain, but what I specifically wanted to study eluded me. In the end, I did some research about what research different labs were doing, resulting in a list of 43 labs I could contact, the majority of which were at Columbia, as a result of the higher number of professors in their neuroscience department than that of Barnard. I figured the best way to contact the labs I was interested in would be to cold email all of the professors on my list, changing each email slightly to fit the lab it was addressed to. In the end, I spoke to all the professors (and graduate students) who respond-

ed with an affirmative, and narrowed down my choice to the Bruno Lab at Columbia. The Bruno Lab focuses on identifying neural circuits that play a role in sensation. I was privileged to work with a graduate student, Georgia, who studies how the brain processes overlapping sensations, and emphasizes which are most important.

Once I had completed the necessary training that my mentor, a PhD candidate in the Bruno lab, wanted me to do, including online Rascal training and a two hour rodent handling training session, I was ready to work at the lab for the summer. The first day was a scary one, as there were so many new things to take in, rules to learn, and people to meet. My mentor, Georgia, gave me a tour of the lab, with an overview of the equipment I would be learning to use over the summer, and other graduate students I could bother if I needed help with anything.

We went through all the skills I would have to develop in order to work independently, such as histology, handling, and training mice in a behavioral task. I had to acknowledge that learning things I had absolutely no experience with came with a steep learning curve, and many mistakes to make. After all, I couldn’t wake up one day and expect to be perfect at everything I was doing without putting in effort, asking questions, and lots and lots of practice.

After becoming decent at histology, behavior training, and even just remembering where everything was located, my day-to-day became simpler and I was able to add on more responsibilities, learn more about what everyone else in the lab was doing, and take advantage of where I was working. I started paying more attention during the Wednesday morning lab meetings where graduate or postdoctoral students would present their recent work, any results they had

found, and any issues they might be experiencing. Similarly, I took advantage of ZIPS, the Zuckerman Institute Postdoctoral Seminars, a monthly series of seminars where all researchers and students listen to postdoctoral students present their work. By attending these seminars, I learned about completely different fields of neuroscience research, including machine learning, neural networks, aggression, object recognition, and many more.

At the end of SRI, I had to present a poster on the work I had done over the summer. This was a great experience since I had never written up and presented a poster before. I found the actual task of distilling all the work I had done into a cohesive, understandable and approachable poster to be the most challenging part, but an extremely good skill to have. Coming up with the final version of my poster required many revisions, as well as advice from my mentor on how to make obscure information approachable to outside audiences.

All in all, my final takeaways from SRI are hugely positive. I acquired new skills, including ones that I will be able to use in future endeavors, such as how to transform a series of experiences into a cohesive body of work, how to think critically about what I’m doing and connect it to other fields, and how to ask larger questions about complicated scientific concepts. Above all, I gained first-hand experience that I desired, and a place in a lab where I hope to grow as a researcher throughout my junior and senior years. If you’re reading this and wondering whether you should participate in SRI, I say go for it, take advantage of the opportunities available to you, learn as deeply and as many things as you can, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask the questions that are on everyone else’s minds.

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OP-ED

The Effectiveness of Online Therapy

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Emily Mintz BC ‘23

echnology has infiltrated almost every aspect of our everyday lives, whether it be in the retail industry, the transportation industry, and now even the medical industry. The socalled practice of “telemedicine” has become an increasingly popular mechanism of providing cheap, accessible healthcare to those in need.

Likewise, the field of telepsychology has also become commonplace in modern society. Telepsychology seeks to offer online mental health guidance to those struggling with mental illness, who may not be able to afford in-person therapy, or do not have close geographic proximity to therapists. A plethora of mental health apps have emerged, such as Talkspace, with its renowned spokesperson, Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps. In fact, there has been research conducted over the past several years, focused on the effectiveness of these digital mental health platforms, which have been found to be overly positive in the lives of patients who utilize these resources.

One such platform is a frequently used online therapy app, Betterhealth.com. This app has been heavily investigated, and found to have many benefits for those seeking professional mental health help. In order to be a mental health specialist on Betterhealth.com, each psychologist must undergo a thorough background check, to affirm their licensure and accreditation. Moreover, these psychologists are often interviewed by human resource professionals, or even the owners of the mental health applications. Additionally, online therapy programs have been proven to be effective for several years now, specifically in the military realm. For the past 20 years, telepsychology has been used to help military personnel and veterans cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a way that is both affordable and accessible.

Another benefit of these mental health applications is that people are able to message a therapist from the comfort of their homes. This might make certain patients more inclined to open up with their therapists, and share honestly and openly. Moreover, in today’s digital age, the majority of people feel technology is the most suitable mode of communication. Therefore, for some, online therapy might be an even better setting than an in-person therapy office.

Most studies have found that online therapy is most effective for Cognitive Therapy, which is a type of therapy that seeks to minimize negative thoughts, thereby training the brain to embody more positive thoughts.

A recent study was conducted on 200 firstyear medical residents, known to work extremely long hours in high pressure environments.

These students were given four 30-minute online therapy sessions, with a cognitive therapy approach, and were found to have fewer suicidal thoughts than those students who did not receive the online therapy sessions. This study encourages expanding research on the effectiveness of various techniques of online therapy While online therapy is an appropriate option for many people, there are some possible drawbacks that must be considered. One concern when using online therapy is how to maintain privacy. Most founders of online therapy applications come from the technology sector, and are not health professionals. Therefore, they may not be as adept in medical ethics, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which act as guidelines for patient-doctor confidentiality.

Additionally, on most online therapy platforms, patient contact information remains confidential. Therefore, should a therapist become concerned about the well-being of a patient in an urgent situation, it might not be possible to locate the patient and channel them to the appropriate emergency medical facility. Some patients themselves may be aware of this pitfall, and therefore prefer face-to-face interactions with a therapist, who can potentially develop a more long-standing, personal relationships with their clients, and therefore detect drastic changes in patient behavior more astutely.

Furthermore, it is important to note that online therapy might not offer the best type of therapy depending upon the patient’s mental health diagnosis. While cognitive online therapy has been proven to be beneficial, other therapy methods, such as exposure therapy, might not be well-suited to be conducted through an online platform. Exposure therapy often involves putting patients in situations that induce their fear and anxiety. Many times, therapists will accompany and guide patients in this anxiety-producing environment, making it difficult to engage in this type of therapy online Overall, online therapy is a valid option for mental health treatment for those who need assistance, and cannot easily reach an in-person therapist.

It is important, though, to be aware of one’s mental health diagnosis, and how this diagnosis can be effectively treated, whether it be online or in-person. Ultimately, what is most important is asking for help when it is needed, and seeking a form of treatment that is tailored to an individual’s needs.

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLIN ‘21 Novotney, A. (n.d.). A Growing Wave of Online Therapy. American Psychological Association, 48(2), 48-49. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/online-therapy Villines, Z. (2015, November 6). Two Studies Support Effectiveness of Online Therapy. Retrieved October 21, 2019, from goodtherapy.org website: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/two-studies-explore-effectiveness-of-online-therapy-1106152 Fox, A. (2019, September 5). Does Online Therapy Actually Work? HuffPost. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/does-online-therapy-actually-work_n_58af1ffde4b060480e05bd79?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_

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D O C U M E N TA RY R E V I E W

“Three Identical Strangers” Reviewed

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hree Identical Strangers is a documentary that portrays the fascinating story of three triplets, David Kellman, Eddy Galland, and Bobby Shafran, who were separated at birth in the year 1961, and how they coincidentally found one another after 19 years apart. Right after these three men discovered the existence of their long-lost triplets, everything was new and exciting, and their story was all over the news. The brothers immediately started making up for lost time, and slowly but surely began to learn about each other. The similarities they found amongst themselves were uncanny. The triplets liked the same cigarettes, the same colors, and even had the same taste in women. However, once the exciting news set in, and their fame began to settle in, so did their perverted reality.

After the boys were put up for adoption in 1961 by their birth mother, Louise Wise Services adoption agency split them up, without informing their adoptive parents of the matter. Paradoxically, the triplets were all intentionally placed in homes of various socioeconomic statuses, because they were part of a psychological study run by Peter Neubauer, aimed to see how the varying upbringings affected the childrens’ development. Additionally, all three houses that the boys were brought into were already home to an older ad-

Emily Kornblum BC ‘22

opted daughter from Louise Wise Services.

Through tracking the three girls, the adoption agency was aware of the environments in the homes.

Once the boys were placed in their homes at the young age of six months old, their adoptive parents were told that their adopted children would be studied during their childhood. The agency made it appear like they were running a simple task. Never did they inform the adoptive parents that their children were triplets, nor did they tell them that their children were a small part of a massive psychological study.

A multitude of ethical issues later arose from Peter Neubauer’s study. According to the American Psychological Association, whenever participants are part of a study, they are supposed to be debriefed with the intentions and goals of the study. Moreover, protection from harm is supposed to ensure that the participants are safe and happy. However, this study accomplished the opposite, in its separating sets of triplets, and preventing them from knowing their biological truths. Upon finding out the truth about the study, the boys were psychologically broken. They felt that their lives had all been a lie, and as if their realities had been simulated with their roles as lab rats. Moreover, the adoptive parents were heartbroken, with one of them stating that if he had known that his son was a triplet, he would have adopted all three of NEWS MAGAZINE

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them.

If one were to play devil’s advocate, they could argue that the study ultimately had interesting findings on the debate of nature versus nurture. When the boys initially met each other, they were surprised to find that not only did they physically look the same, but also had many of the same likes and dislikes. Do these findings solidify that nature dominates in the ageold controversy? Conversely, this study also showed that nurture ultimately plays a huge role in a child’s development. It became apparent that these boys led very different lives, as more and more differences between the three of them came into fruition. Two of the boys went on to lead happy lives, while the third ended up committing suicide. The differences among the boys did show that nurture they were given played a role in their development.

Ultimately, most people agree that Peter Neuringer and his lab were not ethical in keeping such vital information from their research participants. If the triplets would not have accidentally run into each other, then perhaps they would have never met. Still, it is a shame the way it all played out. Perhaps if Peter Neubaeur and Louise Wise Services had conducted their business and studies more ethically, then everyone would have been better off.

INTERVIEW

Navigating Neuroscience Careers with Professor Kathleen Taylor

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Samantha Chong BC ‘21

hinking of pursuing a career in psychology or neuroscience? Overwhelmed by how many different possibilities there are? It’s understandable to not know where to start, which is why I interviewed Barnard’s pre-clinical psychology advisor, Professor Kathleen Taylor, for her advice on the issue.

For Barnard students interested in pursuing a career in psychology, Professor Taylor advises students to take a variety of psychology classes in order to explore different areas within the broader field and develop a specific interest in psychology. Additionally, one should take into consideration their interests outside of the classroom. If you’re the type of friend who likes to listen to other friends’ problems and give advice, maybe the therapy route is a good way to go. Professor Taylor also suggested volunteering with varied groups: Nightline, Barnard’s peer listening service, or working with children who have mental disabilities, or those in group homes. She said that practical experience was

the most valuable and influential choice in her career. Volunteer in a research lab through Barnard professors, or help out the student teachers in the Toddler Center, take advantage of the resources Barnard has to offer in order to help figure out what field you would be interested in.

Barnard also offers a Practicum in Clinical Psychology, where students can have clinical experience, and be exposed to different areas of psychology. The seminar goes through how therapy developed, and students have the ability to gain clinical experience, and then talk about it.

For Barnard students interested in pursuing a career in neuroscience, there is good news, as Barnard has recently established the neuroscience department, a new resource for students. While it’s transitioning more towards neuroscience, rather than just psychology and biology, there are new classes that are being added for students interested in neuroscience.

Professor Taylor’s advice was similar — take more neuroscience classes to see what your interests may be. If you don’t want to go down the typical doctorate route, she mentioned that there are also career options that overlap with psychology, especially in analytic fields and scientific writing. Neuroscience research needs people who write well and understand the topics. Research also needs people who can explain neuroscience topics, especially on talk panels.

It’s very important to have people who can represent neuroscience research and who have the ability to break down topics in a way that other

people can understand.

Another field that could be of interest is neuropsychology. It differs from neuroscience and psychology in the way where it’s a career that focuses mainly on diagnostic assessments.

This career is focused on learning more about the brain and to understand brain deficits; whether someone was born with it or suffered from trauma. These assessments can lead to treatment recommendations and rehabilitation.

For example, the NYU Rusk Institute focuses on cognitive rehabilitation from traumatic brain injuries, and neuropsychologists help develop a treatment plan in order to help their patients regain some cognitive function. Specifically, for strokes, if a patient is dealing with a language deficit, cognitive rehabilitation would include slowing down their speech, working on finding the right words, or practicing speaking over and over again.

To emphasize how valuable experience is, Professor Taylor told me of her own academic journey. She started doing neuroscience research her senior year in college where she worked in a lab that explored prenatal exposure to drugs in animal models. She then went on to get a master’s degree in psychology and then a doctoral degree in psychology and neuroscience from Princeton. She studied the neurochemistry of drugs of abuse, and her dissertation was on the neurochemistry of the aversive aspects of morphine addiction. She is now in education, as a professor at Barnard. She mentioned that teaching was a rite of passage for her family, as she comes PHOTO BY NATALIE DICKER ‘20 from about 3 to 4 generations of teachers in her family. She also has a cognitive-behavioral practice, the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, where she is both DBT and CBT-trained. When I asked her what inspired her to go into clinical psychology, she mentioned taking her first neuroscience class as a senior. The professor of this class ended up being her thesis advisor, and she was able to work with him the following summer. She also mentioned that she was re-inspired by Professor Balsam’s work on exploring psychiatric illness in animal models, so much so that she went back to school and re-specialized in psychology.

So whatever path you’re contemplating, try taking a class that interests you. It could be the first step into figuring out what you want to do, or it could be a step towards figuring out what you don’t want to do. This is the time to take classes on topics that interest you, and who knows? It could turn into a career, or lead you to another degree.

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INTERVIEW

An Interview with the Directors of Nightline Chana Fisch BC ‘22

N

o matter where you find yourself on campus, you’re bound to find a flier for Nightline Peer Listening, advertising its anonymous, non-judgmental, volunteer peer listening service. Because Nightline is anonymous, the only public faces of the organization are the three student directors, who began as listeners, but have since stopped taking calls in exchange for the ability to publicize the work of Nightline, deal with its administrative needs, and support its listeners. This year’s directorship is run by Lauren Hagani (Columbia College, ‘20), a Sociology major from New Haven, CT, Dylan Castagnette (Columbia College, ‘20), a Math major from Mauritius, and Michelle Tang (Columbia College, ’20), an English and Computer Science double-major from Beijing and California.

What sorts of calls does Nightline receive?

Nightline Directors: We get calls about everything, from academic struggles, to relationship problems, to feelings of suicidal ideation. Our peer listeners are trained to take any call that comes their way, and are incredibly knowledgeable about useful on-campus, off-campus, and creative referrals for any issue. The number of calls each night ranges anywhere from about one to six.

Why did you first decide to become a peer listener?

Michelle Tang: I wanted to become a better listener, both for students who would call the lines, and for friends and family in my personal life.

What do you look for in a listener?

Nightline Directors: Genuine empathy and a desire to help callers in moments of vulnerability, ability to take calls in the “Nightline way” (which

PHOTO BY AVA FRIEDLANDER ‘20

is taught in the training course), dedication and responsibility, especially regarding time commitments, and respect for the organization’s policies and anonymity.

What does training look like?

Nightline Directors: The eleven week training is offered every semester, and is comprised of two parts. The first part is a class, which lasts around 2 hours every week. The first hour of class tackles a particular topic (academic stress, substance use, depression and loss, suicide, etc.) and a mental health professional from Barnard/ Columbia is invited for a workshop on the topic. In the second hour, the training coordinators teach empathy and listening skills. The second part of training are weekly one-on-one sessions with a staff member who functions as your mentor and trainer. They perform weekly simulations of calls. These calls start out quite short, and cap at 45 minute around the end of training. In short, the time commitment of the training process is around 4 to 5 hours every week. At the end of the training class, volunteers go through a certification process run by mental health professionals from Barnard/Columbia, as well as Nightline staff members.

How has your experience as a peer listener impacted your interactions with other people in your life?

Dylan Castagnette: I’ve learned that my role is not to solve someone else’s problems for them.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to be there with someone, in their moment of angst, and really take the time to listen to them.

Lauren Hagani: Instead of focusing on my own judgments of a situation, I try to think about how the person I am interacting with views their own experience.

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How has your time on staff shaped your understanding of mental health on campus?

Michelle Tang: My time on staff has really exposed me to the variety of deep issues that people go through, which has opened my eyes, and humbled me in terms of how many life experiences and hardships are happening all around me.

Dylan Castagnette: College is a really hard time in our lives. It’s okay to admit that we’re struggling. These feelings are definitely valid, and everyone here deserves to be heard. The importance of adequate mental health resources on campus is more pressing now than ever. I hope that these resources will keep improving to accommodate all of us, but in the meantime, we should not hesitate to reach out and ask for help in this way.

What would you like people to know about Nightline?

Michelle Tang: I would like people to know that we are student-run, and the listeners are all student volunteers. I think it can be comforting for people to know that the voice on the other end of the phone is someone in the same stage of life as them, and who really cares about their well-being.

Lauren Hagani: There’s no harm in calling.

You can talk for as briefly or long as you wish. We don’t know who you are, and you don’t know who we are, so you don’t need to worry about judgment or consequence. Our listeners are incredible people who deserve the utmost respect for the work they do, and they love taking calls.

Dylan Castagnette: 212-854-7777. We’re open every night of the academic year from 10 pm to 3 am!

PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY ‘21

PHOTO BY CAROLINE DAILEY ‘21

P E R S O N A L E S S AY

When a Text Can Save a Life

I

have always looked up to my

mother. Her very presence puts

me at ease at times of distress.

She has this magical quality

to her, just by being herself. Even from a young age, I wanted to be just like my mom. I wore the same clothes as her, I imitated her body language when she sat down, and now I want to be a therapist, like her.

My mom is why I started volunteering at Crisis Text Line. This platform is similar to a hotline for people in emotional crisis, but it is done through texting.

Anyone with the ability to text can use this service. Some individuals feel more comfortable texting about their problems rather than speaking, because texting provides a sense of anonymity.

My friends have always called me a ‘good listener,’ and before I even wanted to be a therapist, they mentioned that I speak like one. I wanted to put my skills to use by being a safe person for someone who is experiencing unimaginable distress, the way my mom is for me. The first session I had with someone, we texted for two hours, and at the end of the session, the texter said she didn’t feel any better.

It was a discouraging first session. Once I had multiple sessions under my belt, however, I found myself succeeding more, and I was blown away by the wide range of people I counseled. I texted individuals with spouses and kids; I texted people who were younger than me and were struggling with loneliness; I texted people who were homeless and severely suicidal.

Initially, I felt I was unqualified to counsel people who were decades older than me, and were struggling with complex issues relating to family and suicidality. Later, I realized that I did have the skill set to help someone, but I just needed to strengthen it. I sharpened my listening skills, validation skills, and I simply improved at communicating my compassion to others.

After my first few sessions, it didn’t hit me that simply texting a suicidal person for an hour or so can save a life. Someone can text in, beginning the conversation by stating they’re planning to overdose on pills that very night, and leave our conversation feeling significantly more stable. I received feedback such as “she helped me feel loved”, “I feel so much better,” and “this made my day a whole lot less crappy.” This feedback made me NEWS MAGAZINE

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extremely satisfied and fulfilled. Making people feel more hopeful makes me feel like I left a small mark on their lives, and I’m living my life purpose of making the world a better place. I realized I am uniquely qualified to be a counselor because I am a layperson, like the people I counsel, but I just happen to be empathetic and I am driven to help others. Crisis counseling is not rocket science. You don’t need an advanced degree and an office to have empathy for someone. You can save a life just by showing that you care.

I spent years in awe of how my mom’s very presence could calm me down.

Being a crisis counselor made me realize that I hold the same power in myself. Listening to people’s stories leaves me in awe of their courage, their persistence, and their vulnerability. I’m honored that I am able to cross paths with so many people who share their inner lives with me, even if it is through just one text conversation.

PHOTO BY KAYLA ABLIN ‘21

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 AVA FRIEDLANDER ‘20

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PHOTO BY MARGARET MAGUIRE