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SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934

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Unified by imperceptible, internal burdens MENTAL TOLLS

INTERSECTIONAL WELL-BEING

COLUMN

MENTAL MAINTENANCE

External factors exacerbate mental health issues and hinder emotional well-being

San Jose State community members discuss mental struggles within their identities

Antidepressants put me in the darkest moment of my life. Therapy pulled me out.

Therapeutic practices and online resources can help alleviate struggles

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Fatigue sets in for protesters By Madilynne Medina

Emerald May Rubio is a therapist, community activist and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) rally organizer who echoed similar feelings of burnout like Celestin. She said one of the most exhausting parts of constantly protesting is the mental and emotional turmoil that follows. “Being on stage and being around [protesting] is exhilarating, but at the same time the aftermath and beforemath is trauma activation,” Rubio said. A 2020 study for the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry looked at more than 20 countries/ regions after a major protest. Researchers found that the prevalence of major depressive symptoms increased by 7%, regardless of personal involvement in the protests, which suggests shared community anxieties about social issues. Rubio said it’s difficult to escape traumatic and triggering events

STAFF WRITER

n the current period of social unrest and global injustice, those on the frontlines of advocacy may feel mentally and physically exhausted from constantly protesting social issues. Some protesters have expressed the urgency of social movements such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Stop Asian Hate making it challenging for people to relax. “Because of how quickly things moved, there wasn’t a lot of space to slow down,” said Mary Celestin, founder of the grassroots advocacy organization San Jose Strong. Celestin said the organization was founded after an increase in BLM protests called for justice for Mary Celestin George Floyd’s murder. San Jose Strong founder

If you are only showing up in that protest space, yes these are all the things we are angry about and it’s still important. But there is a lot of community empowerment in those spaces and opportunities for healing.

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MENTAL TOLLS

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

CHRISTIAN TRUJANO | SPARTAN DAILY ARCHIVES

A group of protesters block cars on Highway 101 near the 30th street oﬀramp while chanting, “No justice, no peace!” on May 29 after George Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin.

PROTESTING Continued from page 1 addressed at protests because as a therapist, conversations surrounding specific trauma still show up in therapy sessions and it’s hard to take on other people’s stressors. However, many protesters find a sense of empowerment and solidarity through demonstrations. Rubio said at times she felt she was using advocacy as a means of “coping” with trauma. “I was just so frustrated. I am delivering therapy services and I’m holding everyone’s container,” Rubio said. “Here I am crying every single day, looking for a protest. I was willing to drive two hours to a protest.” The feeling of community empowerment is one of the biggest positive results some protesters said they experience. However many also expressed feeling threatened when they’re on the ground advocating for change because they feel like they have a target on their backs. Karin Jeffery ry is an SJSU kinesiology and sports psychology lecturer cturer who teaches stress management and said there are physical risks to protesting, ting, which in turn affects cts the mental well-being -being of advocates. you’re “When tened, feeling threatened, you’re always on alert or threats and scanning for ou in which puts you ght a state of fight or flight,” Jeffery said. “Our stress hormones are d being produced at a higherr ur level and your ure blood pressure ng rate and breathing goes up.” She said this ongoing h-alert” stress and “high-alert” ially in mindset, especially marginalized groups

that constantly feel targeted, turns into chronic stress. Chronic stress, unlike acute stress, can last for weeks, months or years and takes a toll in the form of a shortened lifespan, Jeffery said. William Armaline, an SJSU sociology associate professor and community leader, said protesters and especially young leaders may experience constant fear and stress largely because of past experiences that protest leaders faced. Notable activists and protesters such as Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated advocating for civil rights in the ’60s. He also said organizing and protesting is a sacrifice advocates make because individuals are not paid and are putting themselves at risk for a greater cause. “Balancing the rest of their life with that can be very challenging,” Armaline said. Although protesting can be detrimental to the mental health of those involved, many protesters have found comfort with other activists during difficult situations.

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ABOUT

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The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ERICA LIZARRAGO

The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights.

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YAMI SUN | SPARTAN DAILY ARCHIVES

Nutritional science junior Nina Chuang (left) and rally speaker Sera Fernando (right) lead a march against anti-Asian violence through San Jose State’s campus on April 9.

James Huang, Huang an Archbishop Mitty High School S junior, has spoken at loc local Stop Asian Hate rally’s and said sai he and his friends received criti criticism for protesting and organizi organizing. However, he also said the th support from the protesting community keeps him goi going. “Wh “When you talk to peopl people, you are less lost iin your thoughts,” Huan Huang said. “It feels a lot easier to tackle because sometimes you feel like lik it’s you versus the entire system of injustice or disapp disappointment. Having people with you is just super im important.” Celestin and Rubio also said they part participate in different healing practices pr and open dialogue dialogues which help with the stress str of protesting and cont inuously worki working on advocacy efforts.

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS RUTH NOEMI AGUILAR CHRISTOPHER PADILLA SHRUTHI LAKSHMANAN JOVANNA OLIVARES CHRISTIAN TRUJANO JESUS TELLITUD STAFF WRITERS JAMIE BENNETT CHRISTINA CASILLAS SARAH DWYER MADISON FAGUNDES ROYVI HERNANDEZ GIORGINA LAUREL MADILYNNE MEDINA JACQUELINE VELA

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It feels a lot easier to tackle because sometimes you feel like it’s you versus the entire system of injustice or disappointment. Having people with you is just super important. James Huang Archbishop Mitty High School junior

“If you are only showing up in that protest space, yes these are all the things we are angry about and it’s still important,” Celestin said. “But there is a lot of community empowerment in those spaces and opportunities for healing.”

Follow Madilynne on Twitter @madilynneee

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Social media touts filtered reality

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Students navigate online influence By Giorgina Laurel STAFF WRITER

As people turn to social media platforms to stay She said the research she’s conducted regarding updated on current events and maintain social social media’s effect in teens also showed younger interactions, it’s becoming more apparent how people experience anxiety from social media these platforms affect mental health. similar to Robinson and Smith’s findings. Polet Ramirez is a San Jose State counseling and Ramirez gave an example of high school seniors guidance graduate student who’s writing her thesis experiencing anxiety when it comes time for on the effects of social media on teens during college decisions because of the pressure to go to middle and high school years. “a top college.” She said social media can be a positive influence Middle school students also experience because it allows people to share a common increased anxiety through comparing themselves platform. to others on social media. “We’ve seen “One of the major [social media] play findings [from my a significant role in research] is that social justice and we’re seeing anxiety bringing a voice to levels, revolving communities that are around social media u n d e r r e p r e s e nt e d ,” in general, like, much Ramirez said in a higher,” Ramirez Zoom interview. “It’s said. “So many young positive because it 12 to 13-year-old brings communities girls specifically feel together.” like they need to Active social Polet Ramirez look a certain way to Counseling and guidance graduate student workout.” media users are 1.63 times In order to combat more likely to high levels of anxiety develop feelings of psychological related to social media use, some users are keeping distress, such as depression or anxiety. However, track of how long they’re active on a certain social users are still 63% less likely to have these media site for or decided to give it up all together. symptoms worsen over time, according to Edith Urbano, a child and adolescent a June 21, 2019 study from Michigan State development junior, said she recently took a break University professor and communication expert from social media to “cut the negativity” she saw Keith Hampton. on platforms. Justice studies junior Yareli Solis said scrolling “I feel like that app [Instagram] was the one that’s through Instagram motivates her to improve mostly tailored on what you’re supposed to look her lifestyle. like and things like that,” Urbano said in a Zoom “The good thing I find from social media are call. “So that’s the one I was like, OK, I’m just gonna pages that help keep [me] accountable and give take a pause.” me the motivation I need,” Solis said in a text Urbano’s social media break started in January message. “Such as @the.holistic.psychologist [on and has lasted for three months. She said she Instagram] who has helped me grow [spiritually] became frustrated with people who posted content through her deep ass reflective post. She’s a real with little regard for the coronavirus pandemic. one unlike the other influencers who make you “Some people were not prioritizing pay for their guidance.” the fact that there was a pandemic, @the.holistic.psychologist is the Instagram they would post pictures and traveling, username of Los Angeles psychologist Nicole like that made me kind of irritated at LePera who posts mental wellness and times,” Urbano said. “I was like, ‘Dude, healing content. read the room.’ ” Although social media can be beneficial for Like Urbano, Solis said although social media users like Solis, it can also have negative effects. can have positive aspects, it can also be damaging “Multiple studies have found a strong to one’s mental health. She advised people to link between heavy social media [use] and prioritize themselves and their life. an increased risk for depression, anxiety, “Social media is supposed to be very positive loneliness, self-harm and even suicidal thoughts,” but at the same time it’s very draining for stated psychologists Lawrence Robinson and everyone,” Solis said in a phone interview. Melinda Smith in a September 2020 Help “We should take it less seriously because Guide article. Help Guide is an independent at the end of the day we just got to enjoy nonprofit that publishes medically-backed and [life]. I know that we stress about a lot of things, educational mental health content. social media shouldn’t be another reason why we Robinson and Smith also wrote how people fear shouldn’t be experiencing our life to the fullest.” not posting memorable life events on social media, such as hanging out with friends or attending a music festival. This can “trigger anxiety and fuel even greater social media use.” Ramirez said one noticeably negative social media effect is the constant comparison of one’s Follow Giorgina on Twitter own life to another’s shown through a tunnel @ItsGiorgina vision lens.

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We’ve seen [social media] play a significant role in social justice and bringing a voice to communities that are underrepresented. It’s positive because it brings communities together.

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GRAPHIC BY PAULA PIVA

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SOURCES: PEW RESEARCH CENTER; “SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND PERCEIVED SOCIAL ISOLATION AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN THE U.S.” AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE. INFOGRAPHIC BY ERICA LIZARRAGO

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THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

ILLUSTRATION BY HANZ PACHECO

History haunts Black conscience By Madison Fagundes STAFF WRITER

Members of the Black community at San Jose State opened up about their experiences with generational trauma after centuries of systemic racism and inequity has left many Black Americans with not only social disadvantages, but mental health disparities. Generational trauma is a multi-faceted experience marginalized groups face globally. These traumas differ from group to group, according to a February 2019 American Psychological Association article. Political science junior Kadence Sky Walker said generational trauma is a political issue that manifests itself in wealth and the legislation politicians pass can perpetuate the problem even further. He said redlining and property ownership are examples of this. Redlining was a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) policy established in 1934 that enabled segregation of neighborhoods by refusing to

If your history has taught you that you’re unworthy, you’re not smart enough, you’re not capable of surviving on your own or you don’t have the abilities to create and produce a life like everybody else, that beats you down. That makes you feel inferior. Bob Rucker SJSU journalism professor emeritus

insure mortgages near Black communities, according to a May 3, 2017 NPR article. “The owning of property is a huge way to create

generational wealth and when you don’t have that stable housing, the ability to rent out housing, things like that, it ripples from generation to generation,” Walker said in a Zoom interview. During the time redlining was established, the FHA started subsidizing contractors who were mass-producing neighborhoods intended for white people with the premise they wouldn’t sell homes to Black people, according to the same NPR article. This kept Black people from buying valuable real estate they could pass to their children. The 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances showed Black families’ median and mean income in America was $24,100 and $142,500 respectively, while white families had an average median and mean income of $188,200 and $983,400, according to a Sept. 28 U.S. Federal Reserve article. Black families’ median and mean income was less GENERATIONS | Page 5

Anti-Asian roots plague generations

ILLUSTRATION BY BIANCA RADER

By Stephanie Lam & Christopher Padilla ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR & SENIOR STAFF WRITER

At 89 years old, San Jose resident and Filipino American Robert Ragsac, said he still sees the same physical assault and verbal harassment against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) members that he witnessed as a child. Those incidents not only create recurring hostile environments for AAPI community members, but also negatively impact their mental well-being. “The anti-Asian sentiment is almost as if it was built in the DNA of those people who do not like Asians,” Ragsac said in a Zoom interview. “It is embedded within them and they’re not gonna change their mind.”

Ragsac lived in San Jose during World War II, and said his earliest recollection of discrimination against AAPI community members was the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. He was walking to school with a Japanese American friend who was assaulted by a group of schoolmates. “My friend was nisei second generation (Japanese), just like I’m second-generation Filipino,” Ragsac said. “He and I always walked to school together . . . when we got to the playgrounds, well the white kids jumped on him, because he’s Japanese.” Ragsac witnessed his Japanese friends being sent to internment camps under Executive Order 9066 and recalled how his godfather almost suffered the same fate. VIOLENCE | Page 5

INTERSECTIONAL WELL-BEING

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THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

INFOGRAPHIC BY BRYANNA BARTLETT; SOURCE: THE U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE’S 2019 SURVEY OF CONSUMER FINANCES; ICON FROM FLATICON.COM

GENERATIONS Continued from page 1 than 15% of white families’ according to the same article. Walker said with generational wealth comes lessons, connections and opportunities others don’t have access to, which leads to more success and fulfillment for those who are more privileged. The Jim Crow laws, state and local laws that mandated segregation weren’t removed from legislation until 1968, according to a Feb. 28, 2018 History.com article. These laws subjected Black Americans to 100 years of financial, educational and social disadvantage. Jim Crow laws included Black Codes, which dictated when, where and how Black people could work and for how much money. They were used as an excuse to force Black people into indentured servitude, to take away voting rights and to take children for labor purposes. Judges and police officers were former Confederate soldiers, making it hard for Black people to escape Jim Crow, according to the same article. These laws created ripple effects and largely contributed to generational trauma. Bob Rucker, an emeritus journalism

professor, said generational trauma is harmful to the mental health of those who experience it and a lack of discussion on the issue has exacerbated it further. “If your history has taught you that you’re unworthy, you’re not smart enough, you’re not capable of surviving on your own or you don’t have the abilities to create and produce a life like everybody else, that beats you down,” Rucker said in a Zoom interview. “That makes you feel inferior.” He said it’s human nature to push away and refuse to discuss unfamiliar or unpleasant topics and the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality affects everyone. Rucker said there are still elements of slavery in our political and corporate practices that can lead to trauma. He recalled one of the first times he experienced racism in the Jim Crow era when he was a child on the way to visit family in Georgia and he wanted to stop for ice cream, but his parents said no. “[I remember] hearing my parents say ‘no, that’s not for us’ and ‘no, we won’t be welcome there,’ ” Rucker said. Spring 2020 alumna Isha Gaye said she believes the Black community is still being systemically traumatized by violence and social media’s broadcasting of it

The owning of property is a huge way to create generational wealth and when you don’t have that stable housing, the ability to rent out housing, things like that, it ripples from generation to generation. Kadence Sky Walker political science junior

can have both helpful and adverse effects. “Black death and Black trauma is being globalized in a sense. I think there’s obviously good reasons for that, there’s more outrage about it [and] there’s more things being done,” Gaye said in a Zoom interview. “But on the flip side, I think about all kids and teens or even adults who are on social media, who have to watch their own kin being killed.” She said she believes there’s been progress historically, but the events that are still taking

place, such as the murder of George Floyd and the shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, are unacceptable and shouldn’t be happening. George Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020 by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes after he detained him for possessing a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and seconddegree manslaughter on April 20, according to the New York Times’ live updates of the trial. 15-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant was shot four times in the chest and killed by Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon the same day as Chauvin’s conviction, according to an April 21 Oxygen article. Rucker said if real progress is to be made, the general public must stop sitting around waiting for someone else to do something. “Our society must stop waiting for the government and people with law enforcement badges to fix everything,” Rucker said. “Everyday citizens have got to be conscientious. We have something called free speech, we can use it to say ‘Wait a minute, that’s wrong.’ ”

VIOLENCE Continued from page 1 “We were pounced upon by a local police officer and they interrogated my ninong (godfather) because he looked Japanese . . . but he was Filipino,” Ragsac said. Margo McBane, a retired SJSU history lecturer, said California has a history of anti-Asian sentiment. McBane’s areas of expertise include immigration history and U.S. comparative ethic and racial history. She said the earliest anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. was against Asians, dating back to the 1850s California Gold Rush and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s, when Asian immigrants came to the U.S. to work. From there, McBane said labor workers of Asian descent were discriminated against: first the Chinese, then the Japanese and then Filipinos. Ragsac said this discrimination continues today. More than 3,795 hate crimes against members of the AAPI community were reported nationwide from March 19, 2020 to Feb. 28, 2021, according to a Stop AAPI Hate report. The San Francisco State reporting center allows AAPI individuals to self-report incidents of hate, discrimination, violence and harassment. Anti-Asian discrimination has increased within the last year because of the misconception that Asian Americans are responsible for spreading the coronavirus, the center states. Types of discrimination against members of the AAPI community include verbal harrassment, physical assult and shunning, according to the center’s March 17 report. The increase of hate crimes against AAPI community members, along with how they’re covered in the media, has the potential to exert significant negative health effects, according to an Oct. 7, 2020 study

INFOGRAPHIC BY BRYANNA BARTLETT; SOURCE: THE MARCH 16, 2021 STOP AAPI HATE REPORT; ICON FROM FLATICON.COM

from psychiatry researchers Justin Chen and Emily Zhang in the American Journal of Public Health. Ellen Lin, an SJSU Counseling and Psychological Services licensed psychologist who focuses on

Asian American identity and cross-cultural issues, said the mental stress caused by racial tension can be unhealthy for people. “Emotions of fear and anxiety are very helpful to have for us to . . . be planful and intentional to stay safe,” Lin said in a phone call. “But when [fear and anxiety] is so prevalent, and we see it all the time, it’s not good for any of our health.” Nutritional science junior Nina Chuang said the rise in hate crimes didn’t shock her since members of the AAPI community have witnessed anti-Asian sentiment in the past. However, she said hearing about recent incidents has made her angry. “I kind of saw [the rise of hate crimes] coming which is saddening in a way because it shouldn’t be that shocking,” Chuang said in a phone Nina Chuang call. “[I feel] this weird balance nutritional science junior between sadness, frustration and

I kind of saw [the rise of hate crimes] coming which is saddening in a way because it shouldn’t be that shocking. [I feel] this weird balance between sadness, frustration and anger.

anger. It’s all just jumbled up in one big ball, like a hot pot.” Psychology and sociology senior AJ Diokno said hearing about hate crimes toward Asian Americans has made her more anxious to go outside alone, out of the fear of being harassed. “I can’t leave the house alone,” Diokno said in a phone interview. “If I do, I make sure I have pepper spray, an alarm . . . put keys in my hands, little things like that to ensure my safety.” Diokno said she wished she didn’t feel scared about being Asian American. “I think I should be afraid and I should be scared and I hate the feeling,” Diokno said. “All these things negatively impacted my mental health and with all of this it has skyrocketed.” Lin also said there’s pressure in some AAPI communities to stay

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quiet about mental health or other personal matters. This pressure can stem from people’s experiences living in countries with historically repressive political systems that reprimand people for speaking out, Lin said. However, younger generations who were born in the U.S or who immigrated when they were children might want to question this idea. “They have not been exposed at all to that political system back home that their parents or grandparents were,” Lin said. “So a lot of them don’t understand why there’s this, this expectation, this pressure to keep things within the family.” Chuang said that although mental illness is not openly discussed in Asian American communities, it affects many of their members. “In the Asian American experience, a lot of people can relate to when people say our struggles are not worth the time,” Chuang said. “But the thing is [there’s] a lot of people in the community that struggle with [mental illness]. Diokno said she related to the feeling of not having her mental health issues recognized by other community members. When she brought up her mental health with her family in the past, her concerns were often overlooked. “When I would explain to them [my family] I was anxious about something, it was kind of shrugged off when in reality the feelings I felt were genuine,” Diokno said. The consequences of ignoring one’s mental health concerns are real and don’t just affect the psyche, Lin said. “People may get headaches. They may feel like they have an upset stomach. They may feel more tired these days,” Lin said. “And these all could be related to mental health issues that people don’t recognize.”

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INTERSECTIONAL WELL-BEING

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THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021

Beyond the rainbow ILLUSTRATION BY YUE XIN

By Royvi Hernandez STAFF WRITER

Behind rainbow flags and colorful murals lay something quiet in the shadows: High rates of discrimination, hate and violence LGBTQ community members face can be detrimental to their well-beings and put them at risk of suicide and homelessness. Psychology junior Aaron Jew said it was challenging to feel comfortable after he opened up to his family about his bisexuality two years ago. “It’s hard to hear family not be acceptive of who I am,” Jew said in a Zoom call. “It was very difficult to express myself.” He said there are many issues, including discrimination and violence many LGBTQ community members experience. “People of the LGBTQ community have some support but there is still so much change that needs to occur to have more conversations and education on how this group is still discriminated against,” Jew said. Sexual orientation and gender minorities experience stigmatization and discrimination because of their identity, which can increase their vulnerability to mental illness. This can prevent them from achieving positive well-being in various areas of life including meaningful work, economic security, health care and healthy relationships, according to a Feb. 5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report. The report also found that LGBTQ people report having more underlying health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the

INFOGRAPHIC BY ERICA LIZARRAGO; SOURCES: THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION; VOICES OF YOUTH COUNT; SAN JOSÉ HOMELESS CENSUS & SURVEY

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Sexual orientation and gender minorities discuss hardships and societal constraints

coronavirus compared to heterosexual people. In addition to physical and mental health disparities, the community also deals with social prejudices. Stephanie Preston is an SJSU Counseling and Psychological Services faculty counselor and licensed psychologist who specifically works with LGBTQ students. She said queer people endure many difficulties including marginalization and threats of violence. “Queer people face discrimination in schools, jobs and often don’t feel safe in their community,” Preston said in a Zoom interview. “Many times they may not feel safe just walking down the street.” She also said when LGBTQ people have to “come out again and again” to others, they can experience fears of rejection and negative effects on their mental health. A 2015 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national survey reflected Preston’s sentiments, reporting sexual orientation and gender minorities are at greater risk of harassment, violence, substance use and mental disorders. Transgender youths in particular are twice as likely to experience depressive symptoms and attempt suicide compared to other LGBTQ community members, according to the same survey. Preston said the reason trans people have higher rates of suicide is because the world is a “hostile” place for them. This can be rooted in how society views gender and Gender identity. The World Health Organization defines gender as socially-constructed norms, behaviors and roles associated with being a man or woman. However, these constructs vary by society, change constantly and produce inequalities through their hierarchy. “The world still sees gender as a binary, man or woman and that’s just not the case,” Preston said. “All of our gender exists on a continuum of sorts.” Bonnie Sugiyama is the director of the SJSU Pride Center, a resource that supports the well-being of LGBTQ students, according to its website. They said depression among members of the LGBTQ community can be

exacerbated by external factors including bullying or harassment. “It’s important to understand that many seek help because they’re depressed,” Sugiyama said in a Zoom call. “It’s not because of their identity but simply because they have depression.” They also said family rejection or discrimination can sometimes lead to homelessness among LGBTQ young adults. LGBTQ youth and young adults have a 120% higher risk of experiencing homelessness compared to their non-LGBTQ peers, according to an April 2018 Voices of Youth Count study on LGBTQ youth homelessness. Voices of Youth Count is a University of Chicago research center that provides data on vulnerable populations including homeless youths. “40% of the youth homeless population identifies as LGBTQ and it’s a real problem within the community,” Sugiyama said. “I don’t think there [are] enough resources.” LGBTQ youths often experience parent-child conflict or a gradually escalating sense of rejection at home over time, according to the 2015 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey. “Parents want to create this idea that they have a perfect family, which is ridiculous,” Jew said. “It’s more of a perfect family if you are able to accept your children for who they are.” Jew said he feels disappointed when parents disown their LGBTQ child over a “small aspect of their character.” Sugiyama said the pandemic has played a role in the LGBTQ community by allowing people to think deeper about sexuality and gender. “I’ve seen some students having the courage to come out and talk to their families,” Sugiyama said. “Being home has allowed people to be able to see nuances and for parents to be able to see their child grow.” They said being isolated and sheltering in place gave students time and space to sit down with themselves to reflect and some may have come out sooner than expected. “Students have joined our community and figured out who they are because they couldn’t run away from their feelings anymore,” Sugiyama said. Jew said his older brother came out to their family during the pandemic.

He said this was the “perfect time” for his brother to come out because it allowed their parents to reflect and have a conversation. “Although my parents were not accepting of him at first either, eventually they worked it out and to avoid conflict they became acceptive,” Jew said.

It’s important to know that you are not lying to yourself or other people. You will find friends and family who accept you for who you really are. People who recognize the entirety of who you are, rather than looking at specific pieces, is a beautiful thing. Aaron Jew psychology junior

Preston said if people are questioning or exploring their sexuality or gender, finding community, people, mentors, friends, seeking literature to read people’s stories and experimenting can help them discover themselves. She encourages students to reach out to the SJSU Pride Center where students can connect, find joy and celebrate with others who are surviving and thriving. “Support one another, be an ally, that is how the world can help people of this community,” Preston said. “Cisgender people need to stick up for them and become good allies. If someone uses their wrong pronouns, correct them, make sure they feel comfortable.” Jew also wants students to be more open about who they are because doing so can be a life-changing experience. “It’s important to know that you are not lying to yourself or other people,” Jew said. “You will find friends and family who accept you for who you really are. People who recognize the entirety of who you are, rather than looking at specific pieces, is a beautiful thing.” Follow Royvi on Twitter @lesroyvs

INTERSECTIONAL WELL-BEING

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PAGE ART BY RAIZELLE LE

Athletes feel pressures: mind or body By Jesus Tellitud SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Natasha Harris, a San Jose State women’s soccer team defender, battled two mental illnesses during her collegiate career, but didn’t seek help right away because she “kept pushing through.” “I’ll go from the happiest person ever [to] then just bawling my eyes out,” Harris said in a phone call. “People are always like, ‘What the heck is wrong with you?’ And I’m like, I don’t know.” For many student-athletes, there is often a stigma associated with mental illness in sports. According to an NCAA article, student-athletes, coaches and staff tend to minimize mental disorders or psychological distress because of expectations of strength and “mental toughness” associated in sports culture. Harris was diagnosed in her junior year with both bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. She then decided to opt-out of her senior year with the women’s soccer team to focus on her mental and physical health. “I knew if I went back [my coaches and teammates] would just want me to focus on the season,” Harris said. “[But] I wasn’t in a position to put my own fears and worries to the side.” However, Harris said her decision received some backlash from the team and staff members and she felt ostracized. “It got to the point where Matt Penland [said] ‘Natasha is not on the soccer team anymore, why are you guys writing a story on her?’, ” Harris said. “[But] am I not on the soccer team anymore? I didn’t officially quit. I just was opting-out for my mental health.” Harris said she wanted to distance herself because she also felt the lack of support and understanding from the team was “toxic.” “My teammates would [tell me] to do some yoga or put on a face mask and you’ll be fine, but what about the voices in my head?” Harris asked. “I was kind of going through it and [my coaches] had me see a mindset coach. And looking back on it, I don’t think I needed a mindset coach, I think I needed a therapist.” Harris currently sees her academic adviser for support, but said SJSU doesn’t provide enough resources for student-athletes to help them with mental health concerns. Karin Jeffery, a kinesiology and sports psychology lecturer, agrees with Harris’ sentiment and said she has had students drop out mid-semester because they had no support during a mental crisis. “We don’t provide nearly enough mental health resources at San Jose State to student-athletes or to anyone else and it’s frustrating,” Jeffery said.

I was kind of going through it and [my coaches] had me see a mindset coach. And looking back on it, I don’t think I needed a mindset coach, I think I needed a therapist. Natasha Harris women’s soccer defender

SJSU Athletics provides resources to its athletes in the form of Spartan Balance, a wellness program that helps players with personal, physical, mental and nutritional health. Athletes are encouraged through the program to reach out to SJSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for any mental health concerns. However, both Jeffery and Harris said the average time it takes to schedule an appointment with a CAPS counselor is six weeks. “When you’re in crisis, or when you’re a student-athlete and you need to talk to somebody immediately, six weeks from now is not going to be very helpful,” Jeffery said. She said student-athletes deserve more resources to help with mental health concerns because they have an enormous amount of responsibility. Yet, she said people fail to realize players are under constant stress. “There’s a huge misconception that student-athletes have an easy life, are given a free ride and all they have to do is play a sport,” Jeffery said. “In reality, it’s a very difficult life [because] they basically have two full-time jobs.” Jeffery said performance anxiety is a major cause of athletes’ stress and deteriorating mental health. She said people who are under chronic stress age six times faster than people who aren’t. “If you put your car in neutral, and sit there revving the engine over and over again, that’s kind of what we’re doing for our bodies when we’re under chronic stress,” Jeffery said. “Sooner or later it’ll wear out.” She emphasized that student-athletes must continue working to keep their scholarship to pay for their academics, essentially converting their passion into survival resulting in more stress. Men’s soccer head coach Simon Tobin said he understands the added pressures a student-athlete faces but he views playing a collegiate sport as a release instead of a responsibility. “I never ever want [my players] to think [soccer] is just a job where I’m getting a bit of a scholarship,” Tobin said. “I would like to think that all of my [players] love playing soccer and going to school.” However, some student-athletes disagree and feel there’s more required of them than just playing a sport and going to class. Swimming and diving junior Chloe Limargo said on top of school and sports, there are other aspects of an athlete’s life that must be sacrificed in order to not be excessively stressed. “There’s a square for athletes,” Limargo said. “You have your social life, then your sport, then your sleep and then your school. And you can only pick two.” Limargo said some days her depression gets the best of her and she doesn’t want to swim. Yet she feels she has to “push through” in order to keep her scholarship. According to a 2020 NCAA survey that had responses from more than 37,000 student-athletes, 1 in 10 reported feeling depression to the point where it was “difficult to function most days.” “Most people don’t get that chance to step back and see that they’re destroying themselves,” Limargo said. Follow Jesus on Twitter @JesusTellitud

SOURCES: EVOLUTION RESEARCH GROUP, WEBMD AND HEALTHLINE

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The mental cost of sexual assault By Christina Casillas STAFF WRITER

The headlines, the reports and the studies – sexual assault is a pervasive issue on college campuses. Survivors of violence and abuse are often left feeling unheard, isolated and traumatized, but one SJSU student clings to the hope of action and compassion from the campus community. A software engineering junior, who prefers to remain anonymous because of Title IX concerns, said she felt unsafe walking to class after being sexually assaulted as the accused perpetrator was also on campus. “Seeing, maybe from far away, someone who kind of looks like them, I would instantly get this surge of anxiety and try to turn the other way,” the student said. “Sometimes I would just completely freeze in the middle of walking to class.” Unfortunately, she’s not the only student who has had this experience. In a 2018 Association of American Universities survey of about 182,000 university students, 13% reported non-consensual sexual contact by force or with inability to consent since their university enrollment. Ellen J. Lin, an SJSU Counseling and Psychological Services licensed psychologist, said the trauma sexual assault survivors experience can leave lasting effects. Those who survive sexual assault can sometimes experience triggers, which Lin described as something that reminds a person of a traumatic event. “It could be smell, it could be sound, it could be music, it could be a person moving a certain way,” Lin said. “It could be the type of car if there was a car involved.”

She said being questioned on what led to an assault and reliving the trauma can make survivors feel alone. “What makes it even more difficult actually, because they feel isolated and they’re not able to talk about [their experiences], [is] particularly [when] people around them don’t believe them or they start to question [survivors] about what happened as if they’re being interrogated,” Lin said. “That makes it way, way harder.” The anonymous student said SJSU’s Title IX process and questions were difficult. “Having to sit in an office and see the person who assaulted me, their eir name, pop up just on paper and being asked, ‘oh, what were you wearing and were you under the influence of any drugs or alcohol,’ that was all just really, really hard to relive,” she said. nd While she felt isolated and missed the on-campus experience during the pandemic, realizing she was safe from her alleged assailant was comforting. “Knowing that person [was] still on campus everyday and that I might see them or run into them was a lot for me mentally,” the anonymous student said. “I’ve been grateful for this time away from campus.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers conducted a National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey in 2015 and found one in three U.S. women have experienced sexual violence, stalking and/or physical violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline reported 2,000 average daily calls pre-pandemic. The number plummeted to around 950 daily calls in the pandemic’s first two weeks, according to an April 3, 2020 Guardian article.

However, this isn’t because abuse has stopped. YWCA Silicon Valley, a local nonprofit that provides a support hotline and other resources, also reported a decrease in calls when the pandemic began. The 24/7 hotline helps survivors and victims of all genders experiencing domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault. Andrew Rivadeneyra, the nonprofit’s crisis support and counseling manager, said this was because of limited technology access, a shifting world and unsafe home conditions, not because of reduced abuse or violence. bec “During [the beginning of March 2020], we had a lot of clients, we had a lot of callers, calling [the support hotline] from outside of the home, like on walks to groceries or on walks to the parking lot because home wa no longer really a safe place,” was Rivadeneyra said. Nandini Ray, manager of the Bay Area nonprofit Maitri, said the organization experienced a similar drop in calls during the same time period. Maitri promotes gender equity and offers holistic approaches on how to live independently and build healthy relationships for South Asian domestic violence survivors, according to its website. Ray said some women who experience domestic violence, especially those under constant threat, face physical and mental health issues. “If a person is living under constant fear, agony, helplessness, then that person cannot have a peaceful mind,” Ray said. “It is very much possible that they face anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, panic attacks and other forms of maladies.”

“This is why it’s important for survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse and other traumas to seek independent and group therapy,” Rivadeneyra said. He said individual therapy is ideal for processing traumas with a trained professional while group therapy can offer a safe community. “What group therapy offers is the ability to be with survivors, to be in a shared safe space with other survivors,” Rivadeneyra said. “Sometimes what can be immensely healing for people is the ability to express and share their story, share their experiences with other people that are safe.” For the anonymous student, therapy and finding solidarity with other survivors were crucial for her to process and cope with what happened. She said the SJSU Gender Equity Center’s event “Reclaim the Narrative” specifically helped her. “[It was] kind of like this open mic night, where you could sign up, you go up and you just talk about an experience of assault or violence,” she said. “It was specifically geared towards sexual assault and that was super powerful.” She also said events like Reclaim the Narrative should continue, not only to help victims, but to educate the SJSU community. “I think that more events like that are really crucial to help individuals, survivors, but also help the environment on campus be more open to talking about assault, which hopefully, will lead to more prevention,” the anonymous student said.

Follow Christina on Twitter @christina_casi

Latinx community disregards mental health issues By Madilynne Medina STAFF WRITER

Negative stigmas surrounding mental health concerns affect many people and their ability to access health care and some Latinx students are challenging deeply-rooted cultural and familial beliefs in an effort to have important conversations and better access to resources. Political science junior Ashley Guerrero said it was difficult to talk to her family about heavy topics when she was younger. “I bottled a lot of my emotions growing up, but I feel like as I matured and got older I was definitely able to communicate that with my family,” Guerrero said. “It takes a lot of communication to get them to understand. It was a lot of unlearning for them. I feel like I had to teach them that I had emotions.” Common mental health conditions among Latinx individuals include anxiety disorder, major depression, PTSD and substance use. However, only 20% of Latinx people with mental illnesses talk to a doctor about their symptoms, according to a March, 5 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation study, a nonprofit that researches U.S. health issues. Child and adolescent development alumna Giselle Arellano agreed with Guerrero and said many Latinx families have a “hard work will pay off ” mentality which often ignores someone’s emotions. “There’s a certain point where hard work should not be all in one’s life because it causes exhaustion,” Arellano said. “Especially among men. Machismo has

a lot to do with the way one is able to be the man of the house and show up for the family.” She said “machismo culture” creates an atmosphere where individuals, especially men, don’t show emotion. Machismo, or strong masculine pride, is embedded in many Latinx families that it’s both accepted and expected, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. Guerrero, who works at the Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center (Centro), also said unequal distribution of resources creates barriers for minorities, including Latinx people who want professional help. A 2015 nationwide American Psychological Association survey also found only 5.5% of psychologists said they could provide Spanish services. Counseling and Psychological Services employee Vi Nguyen said many students of color seek help from CAPS because of identity issues. Although this period of isolation has taken a mental toll on many marginalized groups, Nguyen said the number of calls CAPS received has “significantly decreased during COVID because students prefer in-person services.” Language barriers, lack of insurance and misdiagnosis among Latinx individuals are some of the biggest factors contributing to lack of resources for the community, according to a 2020 report by the medical care provider Cardinal Innovations Healthcare. The same report found some Latinx people may also describe their symptoms

ILLUSTRATION BY DAISHA SHERMAN

physically because of fears and stigma which may lead doctors to misdiagnose. Arellano said the main issues she’s noticed within her community are related to immigrationn and law enforcement. She said this is a shared stressor and “if it does not affect one’s self, it affects one’s husband, wife or family.” Guerrero said many students who visit the Centro attribute a portion of their mental health challenges to being first-generation students. “I’ve had students that I mentor like myself and they did not have the same resources as other students,” Guerrero said. She mentors a group of freshmen at the Centro and many have opened

up to her about their mental health struggles. “We talk a lot about our personal identities and how we struggle with identifying ourselves,” Guerrero said. She also said the main way she has seen Latinx students seek comfort and help aside from counseling is through community building. “I was able to slowly open up to people and be more comfortable with people and that helped a lot,” Guerrero said.

Follow Madilynne on Twitter @madilynneee

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Therapy gave me the tools to heal, cope Bryanna Bartlett NEWS EDITOR

During my sophomore year of college, I suffered from intolerable insomnia, panic attacks and waves of dark depression. During the times I finally found sleep, calamitous night terrors antagonized me. I distanced myself from my friends, as I constantly thought of taking blades to my skin to release my agony. I blame the antidepressant I took for two months for driving me toward making the biggest mistake of my life. The day I felt my mind asking me to end my life was the day I reached out for help. A part of me knew Lexapro was seriously affecting me and I needed to seek out a professional. Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant usually prescribed to treat depression and is often used in combination with therapy, according to the United Kingdom National Health Service SSRI webpage. When I initially looked to Stanford Health Care for sleep medication, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and prescribed Lexapro. But four weeks later, the adverse symptoms of the drug began resonating. I was warned by a family medical doctor that the drug could have the opposite effect and increase suicidal thoughts, violent behavior, restlessness and mania. However, he assured me it was only a 1% chance and sent me on my way without directing me to any form of therapy or follow-up appointments. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a “black box” warning on antidepressants for those ages 18-24 regarding the drugs’ associations with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The FDA recommended their use only when the need outweighed the risk, according to its antidepressant revisions document. Black box warnings appear on

ILLUSTRATION BY DAISHA SHERMAN

prescription drug labels to alert users that it has serious or life-threatening risks, according to the FDA Consumer Health Information document.

Therapy and trauma work is like being a midwife to your own birth. Mark Olfson, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, said in a 2012 American Psychiatric Association (APA) journal most Americans are either overprescribed or underprescribed antidepressants. “Many adults with major depressive disorder go for long periods of time without

receiving treatment,” Olfson said in the peer-reviewed APA journal. Meanwhile, he said many people with mild depression or anxiety are prescribed antidepressants even though they aren’t likely to benefit from them. After surviving the darkest period of my life under the influence of this medication, an adult I considered a guardian helped me find a therapist. My first therapist, who I’ll call Ann for privacy concerns, was a psychotherapist who specializes in using talk therapy to help patients access information about themselves they’ve either forgotten or haven’t yet recognized. Psychotherapy is talk therapy for people with various mental illnesses and emotional difficulties, according to the APA psychotherapy webpage. It can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can further develop their well-being. Before calling Ann to make an appointment, I researched her degrees, her expertise and confirmed we shared similar belief systems. Seven months of therapy with Ann brought to light many painful childhood memories I had forgotten, suppressed or refused to recognize as abuse for most of my life. I learned that many of my everyday battles with mental illness stem from abandonment wounds and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That recognition gave me a surreal sense of clarity and enabled me to finally see myself as a survivor. I didn’t need Lexapro to pump “happy” chemicals into my brain at the risk of losing my life. I didn’t have depression or an anxiety disorder. I just needed to begin healing. When I lost my job after shelter-in-place mandates began during the coronavirus pandemic, I could no longer afford the co-payments for each session with Ann. However, Ann agreed I should find someone with more expertise in the fields of trauma and abuse to continue on my therapy journey. I joined BetterHelp, a mental health services app, in October. There I took a

survey detailing my background, reasons for looking to therapy and what I was looking for in a therapist. BetterHelp offers remote access to “licensed, trained, experienced and accredited” psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers and board licensed professional counselors, according to its website. The app matched me with a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), I’ll refer to as Mary for privacy concerns, who specializes in trauma and abuse, family conflicts, addictions, PTSD and various other fields. An LCSW coordinates therapy and holds specialized knowledge about clinical social work without the consultation of a psychologist, according to the Social Work License Map website. The app can also match people with a licensed masters social work, who has similar expertise to an LCSW but must complete about 1,500 to 6,000 clinical hours under supervision of a psychologist, according to the same website. My sessions with Mary were terrifyingly real, sometimes leaving me emotionally depleted and other times I didn’t want to show up at all. Despite this whirlwind of emotions, she always greeted me by commending my courage to show up and invited me to engage in mindful practices that made me feel prepared to confront my needs. I never knew how important it was to have a trustworthy professional advocate for me to come out of hiding and evolve toward healing, understanding and coping. Therapy and trauma work is like being a midwife to your own birth. Each time you go to a session or practice therapy tools, you’re working for your inner child and your future self. The weight of it can be burdensome, but eventually it begins to set you free from the constraints of the mind.

Follow Bryanna on Twitter @brybartlett

MENTAL MAINTENANCE

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Creating art serves as expressive therapy By Christina Casillas STAFF WRITER

Whether it’s the tip of a pencil dancing on paper, the bristles of a paintbrush gliding across a canvas or the gentle movement of a pen placing words on paper – creating art can be therapeutic. Matty Heimgartner, an SJSU creative writing master’s student, said art along with sobriety from previous substance abuse reconnected him with his emotions. He considers himself an emotional person, something he often conveys through his art. “In the morning, I can be totally chill and just really peaceful and if I were painting, maybe [I would] paint some flowers and a fairy or, you know, something cheesy and happy,” Heimgartner said in a phone call. “But then by the end of the day, if something triggered me, then I can be completely on the other side, like painting, I don’t know, expressionistic demons or something.” He also said the therapeutic qualities he finds through art aren’t about the final product, but rather the process of creating his work. With the help of music, Heimgartner said he’d let his guard down and channel whatever emotion a certain song portrayed in his work. “You’re kind of expected to be, you know, present and listen and engage [during day-to-day life],” Heimgartner said. “But when I’m with my paintings I literally can do whatever I want, it’s kind of my way to check out of this world.” San Jose clinical psychologist Ayelet Hirshfeld said creating

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTY HEIMGARTNER

Creative writing master’s student Matty Heimgartner poses in front of his art at his studio in East San Jose.

art can increase serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that elevates mood and increases neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to an experience, according to an Oct. 4, 2017 article in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology. Hirshfeld also said producing art can help people understand their feelings and relieve emotions associated with depression including anguish. “Creative process in any form allows for the release of emotions and unconscious material in a sublimated way,” Hirshfeld said in a phone interview. “[Art] allows one to immerse oneself in the process.” She said this can especially help those who’ve experienced

You’re kind of expected to be, you know, present and listen and engage [during day-to-day life]. But when I’m with my paintings I literally can do whatever I want, it’s kind of my way to check out of this world.

While some may be addressing emotions while creating art, others might use art to do the opposite. An SJSU sophomore, who prefers to go by the alias Donald Blake for privacy reasons, said he draws when he’s stressed to take his mind off his feelings. “My favorite de-stress thing is doodling because I’m never going to show them to anybody,” Blake said. “And then it’s just whatever characters [I draw] from TV or comics, something that I’m thinking about . . . I guess familiarity is key.” He also said some art styles can be indicative of someone’s mental state and changes in their art style should be addressed. “You know to look for what’s going on [with someone’s art style],” Blake said. “Every once in a while someone will do something that’s not characteristic of what they [usually] do and it’s kind of like a code.” Hirshfeld encourages people to try using art as a therapeutic experience, especially by setting up a time and confronting a blank page or empty canvas. “Then try to notice what emotion is evoked by their creation,” Hirshfeld said. “What comes to mind about the art, what does it say, what story does it tell and what memories does it resurrect?”

Matty Heimgartner SJSU creative writing master’s student

traumatic events because it allows them to process and understand what occurred. “[Creating art] allows for less repression and disintegration

CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE

or fragmentation and more integration of these different facets of the traumatic memory that were stored as bits and pieces before,” Hirshfeld said.

SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

Follow Christina on Twitter @christina_casi

JOKIN’ AROUND What animal is always at a game of cricket?

A bat.

SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS

ACROSS

1. “Smallest particles” 6. Midmonth date 10. A dog wags one 14. Cowboy sport 15. Where a bird lives 16. Go on horseback 17. Organize 19. Bright thought 20. Brook 21. Uncooked 22. An escape of water 23. Hardy wheat 25. In an unfortunate way 26. Beige 30. Shoelace hole 32. Next to the forehead 35. In some way 39. An 8th century social system 40. Colorful wrap 41. Cleaning device 43. Roman household gods 44. Benni 46. Gave temporarily 47. Yellowish-brown 50. A strict vegetarian 53. Unit of pressure

54. Female sib 55. A very attractive woman 60. 64 in Roman numerals 61. Train engine 63. Assistant 64. Winglike 65. Toys with tails 66. Sow 67. Sly trick 68. Smell DOWN

1. Circle fragments 2. Horn sound 3. Smell 4. No more than 5. Soft drinks 6. Hotel 7. So very much 8. Demesnes 9. Goulash 10. Involving three parties 11. Assisted 12. Something to shoot for 13. Not watertight 18. Evil spirit 24. Snake-like fish

25. Seminal fluid 26. F F F F 27. Team 28. Debauchee 29. Unmerited 31. Fail to win 33. Become narrower 34. Beers 36. Despise 37. Not closed 38. Toward sunset 42. A pasta dish 43. Dowel 45. Peyote 47. Collection of maps 48. Daring 49. _____ and groom 51. A high alpine meadow 52. Recesses 54. Shredded cabbage 56. Ear-related 57. Go fly a ____! 58. Not odd 59. A musical pause 62. Mineral rock

5/5/2021

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