TO THE EDITOR:
UNC students have similar daily worries. What if I fail my midterm? Will I get hired after college? Am I good enough? These fears are very real to us, consuming our minds to an unhealthy point.
Savannah Putnam, the Student Body President of UNC-Chapel Hill, listened to frustrated students yearning for the reform of the University’s mental health services through her campaign.
The University has failed to fully accommodate their afflicted students and effectively prevent these obstacles for others. Counseling and Psychological Services neglects students struggling with long-term mental disorders. They tend to refer these students to outside providers, which is costly and inconvenient. Indeed, mental illness among college students is nothing new, but recently, researchers found that undergraduate stress levels have spiked.
Considering this, something needs to change. Researchers discovered an association between cognitive, behavioral and mindfulness interventions and decreased anxiety, and secondarily, decreased depressive symptoms. Mindfulness meditation, for example, combined with cognitive therapy, allows patients to accept stressful thoughts and feelings rather than spiral.
As Putnam begins her term with the reform of LFIT classes, I'd encourage the administration to incorporate valuable techniques, like mindfulness meditation, into the curriculum to prevent and combat stress. Our school can no longer stand by while students suffer. In order to create a healthy atmosphere on campus, UNC-Chapel Hill needs to expand their mental health resources, and make them more cost-effective, to equip all Tar Heels with the skills necessary to succeed at Carolina.
Maddie Creatore
First-year
Business administration
