Crossroads Initiative Edition 3: FORWARD

Front Cover Photo by: Simrah Ahmad Design by: Shailee Sankhala 4-5 Theme Explanation 6-7 OPINION 8-9 “Real men don’t cry” 10-11 Political Division and Mental Health: Staying Hopeful During Election Season 12-13 The Things We Say and Don’t Say 14-15 FEATURES 16-19 @mldyht TikTok Creator Feature 20-21 Astrid Q&A 22-23 Active Minds: A Voice for the Silent Sufferers 24-25 Anonymous Quotes About the College Applications Process 26-31 Films 32-33 Jump of Faith: Creative Piece 34-35 NEWS 36-37 Recent Changes of Labels on Benzodiazepines Predicted to Impact Mental Health Community 38-39 2020 Presidential Election’s Outcomes and its Effect on Healthcare Inclusions for Mental Health 40-41 The Impact of Long-Distance Learning on Students’ Mental Health 42-43 The Center for Humane Technology’s Contributions on the Internet 44-45 Seasonal Affective Disorder: Symptoms, Treatment and More 46-47 Credits



Such a simple word with such a complex meaning. It is easy to get lost, but in today’s society, moving forward highlights the importance of growth, progression, and change in one’s journey. Making sure history doesn’t re- peat itself is moving forward. Changing current day problems for the better is moving forward. Moving backwards doesn’t allow the world to advance into a better place. Society has constantly been working to- wards improving various aspects of life. Without doing so, we wouldn’t be where we are today, and won’t get where we want to. We have to keep moving forward in order to make the change we want to see in the world. Progression is crucial. When things get hard, the only thing you can do is move forward. Pushing yourself to change, rebuild, and start again is the hardest but most necessary part of growth. Progression is a part of build- ing a person’s character. When someone makes a mis- take, they should evaluate themselves in order to prog- ress into a better person. - Crossroads Initiative





Story by Hari Sreeramagiri “Real men don’t cry” “Real men never step foot in the kitchen, because that’s a women-thing” “Real men don’t do dance or choir” Photos by: Sophia Steinert “Real men don’t like pink… that’s for girls” Article by: Hari Sreeramagiri “Real men are strong and well built” Young children have been told this for centuries, by their family, friends, and a society that wants so badly for them to conform to its unrealis- tic version of manliness. A version in which men are not men, but mechan- ical robots with large biceps and the emotional capacity of fruit flies. The problem with hypermasculinity is that it preaches the opposite of fem- ininity, which it considers weak. Men who dress in flowery colors or enjoy “womanly” activities like dance or cooking are underespected, because apparently real men only dress in dull colors and enjoy working out with the boys. This idea of shunning all emotions and embracing “manliness” stems from a need to prove oneself as dominant and more powerful than other members of society. Men who cry are considered weak, whereas it is considered normal for a woman to cry openly because we are more “emotional” anyways. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi and Minnah Tanzeen

But we have to take some blame for this. The idea of hypermascu- linity is all around us, and yet we rarely acknowledge its existence. Children watch cartoons where Prince Charming saves the damsel in distress, play video games where they gain points based on the amount of people they kill, and watch movies where men run the household. These manifest in the form of domestic abuse, sexism, and other forms of violence. Hypermasculinity also has a hand in the deep rooted homophobia of many straight men, who believe that being a homosexual male is equatable to being a female, which isn’t masculine. In other words, men love feminine women and will objectify them at any given moment, but are disgusted when other men possess their traits. They love the existence of women and the pleasure they gain from them, but can’t respect them for the quali- ties they possess. Whether it is introducing young chil- dren to healthy forms of expression instead of telling them to “suck it up,” or teaching then about the impor- tance of gender fluidity, there are so many ways we could be addressing this issue in homes and classrooms. It all starts somewhere, so the next time you see a guy friend being made fun of for “simping” for a girl, or for wear- ing a “girly fit,” tell them how amazing they look, and how powerful feminin- ity really is.

Article By: Bia Shok For some who are more invested in politics than others, Graphics by: Krisha Konchadi preventing such stress may be inevitable to some point. However, there are ways in which individuals can re- Every four years, the national dilemma relapses; it is duce this stress without being politically disengaged. once again election season, and the mental well-being According to Michigan Health, it is important that indi- of many citizens is declining due to table-side family viduals are conscious of the time spent on engaging on political debates, media division regarding both parties political content through media and through physical and even tireless bickering among friends. For individu- relationships. In order to reduce stress, one must natu- als to remain hopeful, it is important that such interac- rally censor the amount of political engagement they tions are limited to a way where the absorption of poli- might be getting during the season. tics and information remains accurate and not Other methods include stepping away from conversa- overwhelming. tions when needed and being more open to more With politics being such a prevalent topic in society, the viewpoints by listening to others while assuming less conversation of the nation’s future is a subject hard to animosity towards others. ignore. “While it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in This being the case, lead researcher of the study pub- our country and the world, you need to take care of lished on PLOS One and chair of political science at the yourself and mental health too,” psychiatrist and associ- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kevin Smith, states he ate director of the University of Michigan Comprehen- has found in his study that nearly two out of five Ameri- sive Depression CenterMichelle Riba, M.D., M.S., said in cans say politics is stressing them out and one in five an interview with Michigan Health. had friendships damaged due to the cause of politics. For a sustainable engagement in politics, it is important “A surprisingly large number of American adults per- that during this election season individuals’ involvement ceive their engagement in politics as having negative in politics is directed in a healthy, meaningful and accu- effects on their social, emotional and even physical rate way that will not damage our physical and mental health,” Smith said in an interview with Web Md. wellbeing or inflict unnecessary stress. The stress produced a variety of results in multiple sectors of citizen’s lifestyle. According to the study, 31.8 percent said watching media outlets promoting views contrary to theirs “can drive me crazy” and 38 percent of the respondents said politics had caused them stress, as paraphrased in the Minn Post. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi



Article by: Shannon Wu Photos by: Theresa Le The first time I heard about suicide was on the Sunday morning news. “We thought he was fine.” The five words whistled against my ear as I gravitated towards the rough fabric edge of my leather chair. Unaware of the situation, I glanced at my mother who was aggressively pecking at the keyboard, while muttering her thoughts. “God forbids you to make a decision similar to what he did,” she quietly spoke, clearly disturbed. My mind hastily filled in the blanks about the decision he made. A high school mathematics competitor, a philosophical Chinese American and an influential college soph- omore named Luke Tang died from suicide. But if you searched his name on Google, you would see that the headlines read: Harvard Faces Wrong- ful Death Lawsuit Over 2015 Student Suicide. Several more trickle down and are structured in a similar fashion: As Student Suicides Rise, A Harvard Case Opens New Questions About Schools' Responsibility. Although he drowned his thoughts into diaries, the cause of Tang’s suicide was difficult to find. While the results were roaring, there was silence in the stressor. In order to construct a sound argument, we need to address the suppression of mental health issues in AAPI communities from a young age. Asian Americans share a tendency to go out of our way to fulfill our immi- grant parents’ wishes. But where does this stem from? Some claim it is the filial piety tradition, or a theory of Confusian ethics which emphasizes respect towards parents. Others say it is to compensate for the failures associated with immigration. But in reality, it’s a mix of everything. In Racial Melancholia, Racial Dissociation, psychotherapists David L. Eng and Shinhee Han use race theory to outline changes associated with “immigration, displacement, diaspora, and assimilation” through comparisons of psychoanalysis cases on specific individuals from Generation X and Y. In the study, Eng and Han demon- strates how the model minority myth shapes the repressed identities of second-generation Asian American immigrant children. By generalizing academic and economic success with flawless social lives in Asian Amer- icans, people who do not fit the ideals of a “model citizen” are estranged to only become associated with the word failure. Along with the fear of not being able to conform to this stereotype, we are to endure this conquest of achieving a life without defeats, to make up for their parents’ hardships. As a result, a perfectionist becomes the highly preferred attitude to show to family members. Eventually, our education becomes an extension of our household life. In order to achieve academic success, we gravitate towards high achieving peers, forgetting that vulnerability and honesty can go further. The fear of be- ing excluded draws a wall against mentioning anything out of the norm, transforming our fakeness into withheld secrets. The direct causation in the model minority myth and stigma against mental health sees the rise in suicides of younger generations. We experience an exhaustion of crafting ourselves to expect to know everything, to ac- complish alone, to excel in every role, to set impossible standards, and handle everything with ease from school and home. There is no buffer period where we get to be honest with someone else about ourselves, beyond the identity of being a perfectionist. A step towards destigmatizing mental health is to hold those conversations. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi and Minnah Tanzeen







@mldyht tiktok creator

Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

@mldyht tiktok creator

Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

Article by: Shreya Shankar Photos by: Astrid Kashalkar Astrid Kashalkar, a senior at Northwood High School, has struggled with mental illness throughout their whole life. Being a star student was always expected of them, but Astrid managed to find an escape from the constant stressors and anxiety through theatre. They share their experience with helping loved ones, coming to terms with their identity, abd learning how to love themself. What is your experience with mental health? I am naturally a social person, but for that entire year I mostly kept to myself. I ended up making a friend the next year who emotionally abused me every day making fun of my grades, my level of intellect and body. They were extremely toxic and would manipulate and prank me in hurtful ways. I couldn’t escape it until I moved back to America. I’ve had major depressive episodes both the years I was harshly bullied in school. The summer before my junior year of high school, which was last year, was the first time I had an episode when I was doing well socially and academically. I realized someth- ing was wrong because I began isolating myself like I did when I moved to India, however this time the- re was no external stimulus influencing this. Feeling down is a normal feeling to have, but I started having this constant numb feeling for several days in a row that felt unnatural. This was the biggest red flag for me. Most of my time was occupied with theatre, which was perfect because theatre is my escape where I get to be in charge of my anxiety. It’s the only place where I know exactly what is happening around me and I have a little bit of authority as a stage manager. It gives me a sense of stability. However, having such an overwhelming schedule took a toll on my health so quarantine is the perfect opportunity to cool down from the nonstop activity. I get more time to practice self love and build confidence in myself. How did you go about reaching out for the help you needed? At first, I was lost as to what I was going through. I realized I had been bottling up all my feelings for several years so I decided to vent to a close friend. They were understanding and told me that getting help from an adult would be a good solution. I ended up going to the wellness counselor at my school and she spoke to my parents about how I was dealing with a lot of trauma and needed to see a therapist. After 6 months of seeing my therapist, she said that it would be a good idea to have a psychiatry session to see if I needed to be diagnosed with any mental illnesses and I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Episodes and General Anxiety Disorder. I still see my therapist to work on coping mechanisms. If you could talk to your past self before you got the help you needed, what would you tell them? I had an unhealthy habit of tending to everyone else before thinking of caring for myself. I would tell my past self I’m worthy of the same kindness I offer the people around me. I’d also tell myself that I wasn’t being a burden and that I wasn’t asking for attention by expressing my feelings. What are some stress relievers that you found to be the most helpful for you? I usually sit up straight and try to ground myself by controlling my breathing or saying my three times tables. Bottling in your emotions is harmful, but I often do it to prevent my problems from snowballing into an even worse problem. However, if I’m in an environment where expressing myself wouldn’t be appropriate (like during class), I would use a trick my friend taught me. If you force a wide smile, your brain is tricked into making you feel happier and this can work as an emergency plan. What were some major roadblocks you experienced during your journey of recovery? Self isolation was a major obstacle I faced because I found that I wasn’t able to express myself at all anymore and I wouldn’t let my friends help me. The biggest obstacle for me to overcome was quarantine. The rapid change and complete lack of socializa- tion was bad for me because I was still only recovering from my self isolation. It took a while, but after a month of quarantine I was finally able to start talking to my friends a bit which gave me the little spark I needed to gain some confidence in myself. Online school was hard on me, but luckily my teachers were understanding and gave me as much time as I needed on assign- ments because they knew I was struggling. I’m grateful for this accommodation because, without it, both my academic and social life would have collapsed again. I lost all the stability I sought in my typically neat and structured life and this was terrible for my anxiety. It took a few months, but I eventually got used to staying inside and doing school and work online. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi



Article by: Annie Pei Photos by: Simrah Ahmad Teenagers are often overwhelmed by all kinds of uncontrollable emotions. Active Minds is an organization that helps to raise awareness about depression and offer resources to those who are struggling. An organization like Active Minds serves as the light to many students lost in the darkness within mental health. In a society where mental health is a sensitive topic, people often avoid discussing and educating themselves on the matter. Because the topic is never talked about, many believe they are suffering alone or in shame, thus driv- ing them further from help. This lack of discussion causes many suffering students to make fatal decisions. Alison K. Malmon, the founder of Active Minds, has personal experience as she lost her only brother to depression. On March 24, 2000, Malmon’s brother ended his life during her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania. “After my brother’s death, and knowing how preventable it was, I resolved — no matter what — to do something to change the way we approach mental health in this country,” Mamon said on the Active Minds website, active- minds.org. Mamon decided to bring out the silenced voices of those who think they are suffering alone by offering Active Minds as a platform for those who are current or past victims of a mental health disorder. Severe mental illnesses often appear between ages 14 to 24; thus Active Minds focuses on students between these ages. In hopes of eradicating the existing stigma surrounding mental illnesses, Active Minds provides a safe haven for students around the country. For example, some campuses working with Active Minds have sent out silent packages. People around the country can volunteer to write an encouraging note for people to reach out to the resources around them. At each mail stop for these notes, trained professionals are available to distribute appropriate men- tal health resources. To provide directly for students, Active Minds partners with over 800 colleges and high schools across the coun- try. These schools have a network of students to represent Active Minds and offer support to others on campus. “We write an annual report and send it to the Active Minds headquarters. During COVID, Active Minds reached out to us and offered advice to help the student body on campus,” says Andrej Klema, an Active Minds Head at Groton School in Massachusetts. On campus, Klema claims that the organization acts as a support group to point out the available resources for those in need. “The most outstanding quality of Active Minds is its nation-wide support system which forms a community be- yond one campus,” Klema said . Mental health disorders have been surrounded by a negative connotation for decades, putting on an invisible blame on those who suffer disorders. An organization like Active Minds is striving to change the public tide and provide a safe haven for victims of mental illnesses. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

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FEATURE FILM By: Shailee Sankhala, Grace Shao, Jake Sanjongco Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

By: Alex Guo, Sanay Saboo, Alice Chiang SHORT FILM

PSA By: Shailee Sankhala, Cece Mou, Emily Pham Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

DISCUSSION By: Grace Shao, Kathleen Pan, Adena Aguilar, Alice Chiang, Shailee Sankhala

Graphics by: Krisha Konchadi Written by: Zahra Daya My breath wheezes as I climb the steps to see why he hasn’t come down for break- fast yet. I stand outside of his door and knock, my ears trained to wait for the “Come in.” My ears strain as all that meets them is silence. Frowning, I push open the door. I open my mouth, bombarding ques- tions flying through my mind. I shut my mouth. I halt in my tracks, my blood turning icy. Glass. Everywhere. I spot flecks of blood embellishing fragments of glass scattered throughout the room. We’re twenty storey’s high - there’s no way… A tremor slides down my back, a fragment of glass catching a ray of sunlight, drowning my world in gold for a few moments. A dream. Must be a dream. I pinch myself, praying, willing, to wake up from this night- mare. I still stand in his doorway, staring at my son’s own suicide. I can’t make myself look out the broken window. Wildly, I stare around the room, as if he’s merely hiding under his bed, just waiting to jump out. In the midst of it all, I find myself on the floor, staring glassy-eyed at an abandoned noose that had been left in the corner. I embrace it and rock it on my chest, endeavoring to comfort this unexplained hole of emptiness within me. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

The funeral took place the very next day, a small one, considering it had only been a family of the two of us. The sorrow within me was trapped - unable to escape in one form or another. I had on, a constant mask of bravery, but beneath it, I was disorientated - a mess overall. I just couldn’t bring myself to understand why. Maybe if I had known sooner… It was my fault and I’m sure of it. I must’ve snapped one day and that pushed him over the edge - quite literally. I attempt to listen to the sermon but decide to zone back out when I hear the same old words. I sigh. He had been more than that. More than someone to just disap pear without many people really knowing him. More than someone to receive general talk of how he was such a sweet boy. His angelic face swims before my eyes, his brown hair wispy in the wind and his pale green eyes silent as they keep ahold of all his secrets. As his face starts to ebb away in the wind, my eyes adjust to the scene that surrounds me, and I spot something. It provokes thought and I find myself lost in my own world again. The half-empty glass. It stands there so blatantly, it just has to be a sign. Though not easy, I work on flipping my way of thinking around. The glass is half-full. I re peat it, over and over, until it seems engraved in the depths of my mind. I imagine him peaceful, surrounded by stretches of fields and nature, sprouting wings and looking over us all. At least his will to leave this world had been fulfilled. The sorrow seems to be clawing its way up my throat, seek ing an outlet. I collapse onto the relative nearest to me as the tears stream down my face, acknowledg ing that the hole will never be full again.





Article by: Risha Koparde Graphics by: Jessie King & Manasi Narsina The United States Food and Drug Administration is requiring Benzodiazepines to have an updated warning on boxes, as of Sept. 23. The updates on the label must include risk factors for the consumption of the drug. According to the FDA, this includes “abuse, misuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions to help improve their safe use.” Dr. Teresa Amato, the chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills hopes that “by adding verbiage to the current warning that providers will be extra careful in not only prescribing these medications, but also to be mindful of the duration.” Benzodiazepines are drugs used to treat anxiety, depression, seizures, and more impediments. These drugs are lethal in an overdose. Many substance abusers in the world take Benzodiazepines. Xanax, known as Al- prazolam, is one of the most common drugs to be abused; according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse survey in 2016, 12.5% of adults in the U.S. take Benzodiaze- pines. In that 12.5%, at least 2.1% have misused them. Layout by: Alejandra Guio-Perez

While this may seem like a small number, those who have not prescribed the drug are unaccounted for. Users may experience withdrawals, which can lead to an addiction to Benzodiazepines. Although there are many risks, benzodiazepines are essential ther- apies, but are often misused and combined with other drugs or alcohol, claims FDA commissioner Stephen M. Hahn. This is one of the reasons why the label change is so important. It will allow a user to refrain from combining drugs or limiting the amount they take. Mental health ties into the abuse of Benzodiazepine because those who suffer from mental health are prescribed these drugs. If patients receive drugs classified as Benzodiazepines and are possi- ble risks to themselves (suicidal), there is a high chance of substance abuse, which will most likely lead to suicidal ideation. Many peo- ple taking the drug as medication are often misinformed about the dangers of taking it mixed with other medicines. The specification described previously will be written on the bottles of the medica- tion. The labeling change will potentially generate professionals to be more aware of their drug prescriptions and the risks associated. Designs by: Jessie King and Manasi Narsina

Graphics by: Alejandra Guio-Perez Article by: Krisha Konchadi Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

The outcome of the 2020 presidential election could affect how health care pro- viders supply mental health support to youth. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), put in place during Barack Obama’s presidency, was aimed towards covering medical treatments, services and medications. The ACA benefited people with mental illnesses because it covered behavioral health treatment, inpatient services, and substance use and abuse treatments according to Healthcare. gov. This election will decide if the Affordable Care Act is repealed by the republicans, or saved by the democrats. “If we look at the top reasons why people do not seek mental health support, one of the biggest reasons is that it can be really expensive, and some insurance plans do not give full coverage to it.” IVC student Franz Kievet said. “So I think it is really import- ant that we make health insurance affordable and that we cover as many people as pos- sible. If we look at what the two parties are doing, Democrats are trying to protect the Affordable Care Act, with plans to expand it.” Furthermore, repealing the ACA will prevent young adults up till age 26 from be- ing covered under their parent’s health care plans. According to USAtoday, these healthcare eligibility extensions are helpful for students who already have lots of college and job debt leading into adulthood. Taking away a young adult’s access to health care for their mental health would correlate with an increase of the fatal or physically harmful psychological disorder ef- fects. “Honestly there is so much that needs to be done. We need a really diverse set of men- tal health professionals from a variety of back- grounds because it is really hard to connect and be open with someone who does not understand your culture,” said Kievet. “We also need to keep having a conversation about mental health. Needing mental health support should never be seen as a sign of weakness, and we as a soci ety need to help each other.”

Article by: Sreenidh Dhurjati Photos by: Kriti Jain Evidently in the Irvine Unified School District, students have had increased strain on mental health from new isolated learning environments re- sulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. With a loss of the in-person interaction factor, a Hybrid learn- ing model, was put in place so that students could easily assimilate into a new virtual learning environ- ment. However, this new system of learning has left students with a bigger risk for mental health issues, as stated by an anonymous student, “With online learning, I’m finding myself harder to connect with peers and teachers who support me in school.” With an online classroom, there can be a lack of social interaction as students learn individually in their own homes, a key factor in preventing mental health disorders. Instead of being able to socialize with teachers, friends, and school staff members, students are left looking for someone they can talk to other than their family. Layout by: Alejandra Guio-Perez

The result of social isolation is an increased strain on mental health, as students keep the same workload but none of the fun, as felt by Siddhanth K., a student at Northwood HS. One way schools are trying to bring social interaction to online classes is via breakout rooms. Through this feature, students are placed in video meetings together to foster interaction. However, many students complain of the complete silence and awkwardness and awkwardness in these rooms, as described by Anshil P., a stu- dent at Portola HS. Currently, options for increasing social interac- tion in online classes seem limited. To combat this, most students are opting for the Hybrid vari- ant of schooling, allowing them to experience social interaction. However, some IUSD schools have seen COVID-19 cases, includ- ing Woodbridge and Portola High. With many fearing of getting the disease, students are now demanding schools to let them con tinue their education through Irvine Virtual Academy. As of now, a petition regarding the matter has reached over 1,000 student signatures. With social isolation being a key disad vantage to online classes, preventing the spread of COVID-19 is as im portant. As Governor Newsom of California said multiple times, stu dents should only go to in-person schooling if it is safe enough.

THE CENTER FOR HUMANE TECHNOLOGY’S CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE INTERNET Article by: Sophia Rodriguez Graphics by: Jessie King Layout by: Safah Faraz

The Center for Humane Technology has made documentaries, The documentary explores the new tech and how it increasingly online resources, and a positive platform encouraging safety on dominates our social fabric also undermines it. The docu-film’s the internet and on social media. goal is to shift the mindset from which persuasive technology sys- tems are built, and to use that process to support crucial parallel They “...envision a world where technology supports [civilization’s] shifts in our larger economic and social systems. shared well-being, sense-making, democracy, and ability to tackle complex global challenges.” “Technology is not only a staple of modern life that has created, decimated, or utterly reinvented basically every industry there is, Their work goes beyond tech addiction but to the broader societal but also something that has fundamentally changed the way in threats that the attention economy poses to society’s well-being, which we interact with both the world and each other,” film writer relationships, democracy, and shared information environment. of Pajiba entertainment website, Cira Wardlow said. They address these threats to conquer humanity’s biggest global challenges like pandemics, inequality, and climate change. ‘The Social Dilemma’ looks to have sparked conversation through- out all ages and demographics. Having conversations between all The Social Dilemma, is a Netflix documentary that features the different age groups can be crucial to societal growth due to the Center for Humane Technology’ co-founders and advisors. Ac- different perspectives based on where people are in life and what cording to The Center for Humane Technology’s website, the film these people have lived through. explains how social media harms society’s mental health, relation- ships, and democracy. With organizations like the Center for Humane Technology, they can encourage users of social media to be more cautious and “The documentary was important to watch because it showed know what they are viewing or putting on the internet. how influential social media is and how it has made our youth unaware of its dangers,” said Joanne Rodriguez, a recent viewer of the film.

Article by: Julia Hartlep Photos by: Simrah Ahmad We’re all acquainted, at least superficially, with depressive disorders. However, most people aren’t aware of the many different types. One of the most “common” types, Sea- sonal Affective Disorder (SAD), affects around five percent of adults in America. With symptoms typical to depression, SAD is related to the changes in the seasons within the year. But what does this actually mean? Usually, those who are affected by SAD will experience symptoms within the fall and winter seasons, but can also experience them within spring, or even early summer. Many hypothesize that the symptoms of SAD come into play as a consequence of the new lack of sunlight found within these seasons. In fact, living further from the equator can heighten the risk of this disorder, and the symptoms associated. This disorder can overlap with others, most commonly bipolar disorder. The com- pounding of these two disorders can elevate the already apparent dynamics of mania and depression through the seasons--especially as the sun appears for less time. Therefore, a common course of treatment is phototherapy (light therapy). Many also utilize medications and/or “normal” psychotherapy. However, this almost always has to start with seeking out a doctor’s advice. There are some steps to soothing these symptoms that you can take from home. Some things as simple as allowing more light into your home or going outside more has shown to be effective, though this is obviously limited to your natural environment. Physical activity has also been claimed to help ease the stress that is associated with SAD. Although it might seem daunting with the symptoms associated with SAD, looking after your own health (physical and mental) can both help prevent and treat disorders such as these. This includes the previously mentioned physical activity, but can also refer to your sleep schedule and stress management.

Still, symptoms are often dismissed as a regular case of the winter blues. But SAD symptoms are almost always more intense, and can generally include the following: Feeling depressed for large portions of the day Losing interest in previously engaging activities A lack of energy Insomnia, or sleeping for excessively Experiencing changes in appetite and/or weight Feeling sluggish and/or irritable Having hopeless feelings Feeling worthless and/ or guilty Contemplating Suicide or death Layout by: Krisha Konchadi



Krisha Konchadi - Creative Director, Layout & Graphic Designer, Writer Safah Faraz - Layout Designer Alejandra Guio-Perez - Layout & Graphic Designer Minnah Tanzeen - Layout Designer Lindsey Ko - Layout Designer Sonia Goyal - Graphic Designer Manasi Narsina - Graphic Designer Jessie King - Graphic Designer Iris Cheung - Graphic Designer Natalie Yu - Graphic Designer Shailee Sankhala - President, Co-Media Producer & Filmmaker Grace Shao - Co-Media Producer & Filmmaker Alex Guo - Filmmaker Cecilia Mou - Filmmaker Emily Pham - Filmmaker Kathleen Pan - Filmmaker Adena Aguilar - Filmmaker & Graphics Designer Sanay Saboo - Filmmaker Alice Chiang - Filmmaker Jake Sanjongco - Filmmaker Simrah Ahmad - Photography Supervisor & Photographer Sophia Steinert - Photographer Kriti Jain - Photographer Theresa Le - Photographer Joy Chen - Editor in Chief & Writer Bia Shok - Copy Editor Hari Sreeramagiri - Writer & Opinion Editor Ryne Dunman - News Editor Risha Kaporde - Writer Annie Pei - Writer Shreya Shankar - Writer Julia Hartlep - Writer Sophia Rodriguez - Writer Shannon Wu - Writer Sreenidh Dhurjati - Writer