“Every college or school could benefit from having some kind of office like CAPS.”
(Photo by Makaylee Moore) Brigham Young University junior Makaylee Moore says the stress of classes, the effects of the pandemic and the prevalence of perfectionism have highlighted the need for mental health resources on college campuses. talk.
this is part of the series Interviews with Utah youth who are making a meaningful impact on the mental health of their communities and themselves. read more.
Research shows that the percentage of college students experiencing mental health issues has increased by nearly 50% since 2013.
The stress of classes, the effects of the pandemic and the prevalence of perfectionism have highlighted the need for mental health resources on campuses like Brigham Young University, junior Makaylee Moore said.
After struggling with body image and anxiety, Moore called Counseling and Psychological Services and was able to see a nutritionist and therapist for free.
Currently, Moore is working with the Counseling and Psychological Services Student Outreach Council to provide information about mental health resources available to BYU students, including individual counseling, couples therapy, group therapy, and biofeedback services to measure stress. I’m helping spread the word.
Moore recently spoke about how CAPS is helping students like her access those resources for free, and how she and her colleagues are working to combat misinformation. He told the Tribune about it. This Q&A with her has been edited for length and clarity.
Sarah Weber: Is the need for mental health support unique to BYU undergraduates?
McKaley Moore: 100 percent. I think BYU is definitely a mishmash of perfectionists and achievementists. We all arrive there wanting to do our best, but we often put ourselves down. I think any university or school could benefit from an office like CAPS.
What challenges do you face in your daily work?
It’s kind of shocking how many people don’t know about CAPS. Maybe it’s because I’m a psychology major, but I thought, “Oh, these are my people.” But we do presentations in class, ask people who know about CAPS, and give them a 30-second overview.
Therefore, I think that there is a lack of information and that there is incorrect information being spread. Crisis walk-in – A lot of times when people hear that, they’re like, “You have to actually be in a crisis to qualify,” or, “You have to actually be in a crisis.” Go to group therapy or individual therapy. ‘If you think you can benefit from it, if you think you deserve it and you’re entitled to it, I wish I could tell everyone that. If you find it useful, you should get it.
Do you have any advice for other young people who want to help their peers improve their mental health?
My advice to BYU students in particular is if you want to get involved with CAPS, join the Student Outreach Council.
I would like to say this to the general public. First, take care of your own mental health. You cannot draw water from an empty well. Please educate yourself. Reach out and get trained. CAPS conducts QPR training every few months.
By educating ourselves about those things, talking about mental health, and trying to have that conversation open, we inadvertently make people think about mental health, depression, anxiety, suicidality, dietary concerns, etc. We can eliminate such prejudices. All these things are very real. People around us are experiencing them. And not talking about it only helps them live in shameful secrecy.
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