Leaving HIV Stigma in the Eighties Inside this issue:

#HIVNotRetro

Theatre Review:

Wilderness

Seasonal Affective

Disorder

Preparing for Finals:

Study Quiz

Sunrise Day Camp

Self-Care

Upcoming CAMS

Events

Grand Rounds

Schedule

CAMS on Campus

Newsletter DECEMBER 2016 · VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1

News from the Child and

Adolescent Mental Health

Studies Program

This year, National AIDS Trust—the organiza-tion behind World AIDS Day—launched a ‘Not Ret-ro, Just Wrong’ campaign. People were encouraged to use the hashtag #HIVNotRetro on social media to bring attention to the lingering stigma sur-rounding HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Im-mune Deficiency Syn-drome). The hashtag was meant to raise awareness that while certain aspects of the eighties are great to revisit, HIV and AIDS stig-ma are not among them.

With World AIDS Day just behind us (December 1st), it is important to keep the conversation going. HIV continues to be a sig-nificant problem across the globe, but it is also im-portant to celebrate that HIV management has come a long way since the epidemic of the 80s. With early detection and medi-cation, people worldwide can live long and healthy lives, and it is important that they do not face dis-crimination.

Though many of us consider ourselves educat-ed and responsible

individuals, there is still a lot of misinformation when it comes to those with HIV and AIDS. It is vital to separate fact from fiction—both so we can be more responsible in our own lives and so we can spread knowledge about misconceptions to reduce HIV’s stigma.

See how much you know about HIV by taking our quiz below. Whether you get all the answers correct or not, try to use the quiz as an opportunity to learn something new and to educate those around you.

By Molly Prep

1. People who are HIV positive automatically have AIDS. 2. HIV makes a person less capable. 3. HIV medication needs to be taken regularly. 4. HIV can be transmitted through kissing. 5. In the UK, there is a less than 1% chance of an

HIV positive mother passing on HIV to her child.

Find out the answers on Page 5!

True or False: HIV Stigma Quiz

Wilderness: A Documentary Theatre Project Page 2

By Cecilia Jakobsson

December 2016

As the days get shorter and dark-

ness arrives earlier, your body and

mind can be sensitive to seasonal

changes. Also known as the winter

blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder

(SAD) is a category of depression

that occurs when there is less expo-

sure to sunlight, reducing one’s sero-

tonin levels. Serotonin is a brain

chemical that maintains mood bal-

ance. Longer, darker days can also

lead to an increase in the secretion

of melatonin—a hormone that affects

your biological clock. This can make

you feel more lethargic earlier in the

day than usual. These disruptions to

the body can manifest in symptoms

such as: feeling anxious or sad, crav-

ing more carbohydrates, difficulty

concentrating, feeling tired despite

getting enough sleep, loss of interest

in usual activities, and/or weight

gain. Recognizing these signs in

yourself or others can help you get

started on taking proactive measures

to treat SAD. You will be able to im-

plement a healthier lifestyle that you

can maintain for seasons and sea-

sons to come.

Treatments for SAD can include:

antidepressants, light therapy, vita-

min supplements, cognitive behav-

ioral therapy (CBT), and dietary

changes. Furthermore, exercise is

also essential to boost serotonin, en-

dorphins, and other chemicals that

your body may be lacking. Waking

up early and taking morning walks

during the bright, winter day can

help provide some exercise as well

as a refreshing and necessary dose

of sunlight. Vitamin D from sunlight

Navigating Seasonal Affective Disorder By Sophia Wu

Wilderness programs have given rise to a lot of controversy. Their aim is to expose young people with substantial behavior prob-lems (e.g. aggressiveness, anger, and/or oppositionali-ty) to adventure-based ther-apies in which they are brought closer to nature. Adolescents complete tasks in order to increase their self-reliance and self-respect.

However, to get teens to the program, parents have the option to hire escort companies that will physi-cally remove the child from their home and bring them to the wilderness. This expe-rience can be traumatic, as these teens are typically tak-en from their homes at night and without warning. This abrupt removal is a last re-sort for parents, but it is

sometimes deemed neces-sary by mental health care providers and the family.

Some professionals question the effectiveness and accountability of wil-

derness programs, and view them more as boot camp than therapy.

Wilderness is a play that brings these issues, and more, to light. The play’s

producer/co-writer, Anne Hamburger, based the play off her own experience as a parent whose child attend-ed a wilderness program in 2014.

The play takes place in Dixon National Forest, Utah and, with the help of technology, integrates the real stories of six teenagers with the action on stage.

For example, projected on the set’s backdrop are Skype interviews with parents whose children were actually in the wilderness program, providing the audience with a greater context to under-stand the teens the actors are recreating. In the deeply intimate setting, the audi-ence is also able to gain in-sight into the characters’ histories of neglect, abuse, bullying, and drug use.

Wilderness had a limited run in New York, and is now on a national tour.

In October, the CAMS department offered students tickets to an exclusive pre-view of Wilderness. Be sure to look out for upcoming CAMS exclusive screenings and talk backs; there is at least one every semester!

can also improve your mood!

It is important to remember that it is normal to have sluggish or unmoti-vated days in the winter, but if the symptoms linked to SAD are disrupt-ing your life and regular routine, then you should consider asking for help from a professional. NYU’s Wellness Exchange has more re-sources and information, should you need it.

How Do You Study Best? 4. What is your college?

A. None of the colleges listed below. B. Steinhardt or Tisch. C. Stern or CAS. D. Gallatin or College of Nursing and Dentistry.

5. How detailed are your notes? A. Not very detailed, I focus more on the lecture itself. B. I write the general ideas down. C. I write down everything so I can look back at it later. D. I write down the notes I find applicable to my life out-

side the classroom.

Page 3 December 2016

Sunrise Day Camp: Finding a New Beginning The summer before my

junior year, I discovered the

career of Child Life and im-

mediately fell in love. Child

Life Specialists work in pedi-

atric hospital settings, help-

ing children and families

cope with the many issues

that come up during a hospi-

tal stay. They are able to

provide emotional support

and help explain medical

jargon and procedures to the

child, as well as make the

child’s experience in the

hospital more normal. Child

Life had everything I was

looking for in a career, and

after extensively researching

the field, I was sold.

As I searched online for

jobs opportunities, I found

Sunrise Day Camp. Sunrise

Day Camp is a camp for kids

with cancer and their sib-

lings, where everything is

provided free of charge. I

applied for a position the

summer before my senior

year, and was offered the

By Annie Levinson role of a scrapbooking coun-

selor. Thus began one of the

best summers of my life.

I had worked with Child

Life Specialists for almost a

year at NYU before starting

at the camp, in addition to

working with two other day

camps previously. I soon

found that working at Sun-

rise was a completely differ-

ent experience. The campers

I met gave me the oppor-

tunity to see how cancer can

be dealt with in an entirely

new way. Though campers

and their siblings are facing

various stages and forms of

treatment, cancer is never

mentioned at Sunrise. To

the staff and campers, it is

just like any other camp.

Sunrise is a place where no

one talks about needles,

fevers, or chemo—and for a

child who constantly hears

about these things for the

other nine months in the

year, Sunrise is a safe haven

and a second home. The

campers are also able to

support each other in a way

that no one else can:

through shared experience.

Though most of the staff

has not had cancer them-

selves, we were still able to

support these kids simply

by providing an environ-

ment of normalcy.

Now that I am back at

school, I savor the memories

from this past summer. The

passion and joy I feel when I

think of my experience at

Sunrise is a testament to my

passion for helping kids, and

also to the magic of Sunrise

and the people who are in-

volved in carrying out its

mission. I hope to carry this

passion with me in all other

aspects of my life. At Sun-

rise, I learned that medicine

is necessary, but through

arts and crafts, ukulele les-

sons, and/or a quiet mo-

ment in the cabin, these kids

can feel human again. I am

so proud to say that I got to

contribute and witness it

firsthand.

If you are interested in

getting involved as a counse-

lor or a volunteer with Sun-

rise Day Camp, go to

sunrisedaycamp.org to get

more information!

Feeling daunted by finals? Take our quiz and check out the results on Page 4 to find out your best studying approach.

1. Do you like studying with other people?

A. Yes, it helps to see them hard at work. B. Yes, I like to discuss class topics with others. C. No, I like to be by myself when I study. D. It doesn’t really matter to me.

2. Do you feel like you must attend lectures to do well in class?

A. Yes, the professor does or says things that could be important.

B. Yes, but I find that the recitations help me more. C. In a way, but I find looking over my notes afterward

more helpful. D. No, I do not think lectures are especially helpful.

3. What type of environment do you usually study in? A. In a lecture hall type of setting (e.g. classrooms). B. In a coffee house or lounge (e.g. 9th floor Kimmel). C. In a desk and chair (e.g. Bobst). D. At the park or open space (e.g. Washington Square

Park).

By Joyce Bae

Page 4 December 2016

IF YOU CHOSE MOSTLY B's:

You learn best by talking. What does that mean? At-tending the discussions and recitations where you will be able to ask questions is vital to your study habits. You can try to talk aloud when you are studying, almost as if you are teaching yourself. Maybe you can even ask a couple of friends in the same class to listen to your lec-tures, so that it will benefit both you and your friends. You will do great!

IF YOU CHOSE MOSTLY A's:

You learn best by watch-ing and listening. You should try to record the lec-tures and review them later. That way, you will be able to refer back to what the pro-fessor said. Try having your friends in the same class teach you some of the mate-rial as though they are the professor, that way you can review the lecture. Good luck!

slept? Sometimes putting down your notes for the night to get rest is bet-ter than trying to cram your tired brain with last-minute information. Sleep also facilitates knowledge con-solidation, so getting rest will help you remember what you have re-viewed.

Optimal self-care does not happen overnight—it requires you to know

As finals approach, it is possible to lose sight of your self-care. Finals week or not, self-care should always be a priority. Every day, even if you are busy or stressed, there should be a time set aside to do the things that make you feel happy and well. A short and simple break from focus-ing on expectations can go a long way. While it is important to have goals and aspirations, it is just as important to be mindful and not get lost in thinking about the future. Have you eaten? A nutritious snack can give you energy and help you refocus. Have you exercised? From time at the gym to taking a walk around the block, moving your body a little can go a long way. Have you

By Lexi Sirota Keep Calm and Get Your Self-Care On

How Do You Study Best? (Answers) By Joyce Bae

IF YOU CHOSE MOSTLY C’s:

You learn best by review-ing. Review, review, review. Make sure to take detailed notes, or record the lectures to take more notes after the lecture is over. Continue to look back at your notes and memorize them. You should try to be in a quieter envi-ronment when you study, so that you will not get distract-ed. If the professor provides it, try to review the class’ PowerPoints and make your own study guide. I cannot emphasize this enough - re-view the material and you will do amazing!

IF YOU CHOSE MOSTLY D’s:

You learn best by doing. What? Doing? Yes, doing. You are a hands-on learner. Try to apply what you are learning in the classroom to another setting. If the pro-fessor tells you about how the water pressure is differ-ent in various parts of Man-hattan, find friends in differ-ent boroughs and test it out yourself. Try studying out-side where you can observe your course material come to life. Act out a play. Sing the song that the textbook only writes out. Observe your surroundings. Do not worry; you will be done with finals before you know it!

“SUCCESS IS NO ACCIDENT. IT IS HARD WORK,

PERSEVERANCE, LEARNING, STUDYING, SACRIFICE

AND MOST OF ALL, LOVE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING

OR LEARNING TO DO.”

-Pele

who you are and what helps you most, and that certainly takes time. Getting in the habit of in-corporating daily self-care will help regulate and balance your life. Making a compliment jour-nal, meditating in the park, or taking a dance class could be helpful first steps. Whatever you decide is best, GET STARTED!

This newsletter was created by the CAMS on Campus Committee:

Joyce Bae

Cecilia Jakobsson

Annie Levinson

Molly Prep

Lexi Sirota

Sophia Wu

To get involved, email mep488@nyu.edu

Upcoming CAMS on Campus Events December 12th: End of Stress-mester

Where: Kimmel, 905-907

When: 2:00PM—4:00PM

Grand Rounds Schedule Where: 1 Park Ave at 33rd St, 7th Fl

December 16: Autoimmune Encephalitis William Gallentine, DO & Heather Van Mater, MD, MS Associate Professors of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics/Pediatrics-Neurology, Duke University January 6: How Does Adversity Exposure Get Under the Skin to Increase Risk for Psychopathology? Margaret Sheridan, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology & Neurosci-ence, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill January 13: Gender Equity in the Genital Wars (And the New Genital Aesthetics) Richard Shweder, PhD William Claude Reavis Distinguished Service Professor of Hu-man Development, University of Chicago. January 20: Improving Mental Health: Four Secrets in Plain Sight Lloyd Sederer, MD Adjunct Professor, Columbia/Mailman School of Public Health, Medical Editor for Mental Health, The Huffington Post, Chief Medical Officer, NYS Office of Mental Health

January 27: TBA

David Barlow, PhD - Distinguished Visiting Presenter

Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry Emeritus, Founder

and Director Emeritus, Center for Anxiety and Related Disor-

ders, Boston University

Live stream broadcast available – NYULMC only

Why you should get involved in writing for The

CAMS on Campus Newsletter:

“Journalism keeps you planted in the earth.”

- Ray Bradbury

True or False: HIV Stigma Quiz (Answers)

1. False. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV—it is the point when one’s weakened immune system can no longer fight off infection. However, if detected early, medicine can keep HIV under control and stop the progression to AIDS.

2. False. With the treatments now available, many people who are HIV positive are able to

live long and healthy lives. NYU graduate Javier Muñoz, currently playing Alexander Hamilton in the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, is HIV positive and an active advocate in reducing stigma.

3. True. If a person who has tested positive for HIV takes medication regularly, the virus

can be kept under control. However, if the person stops taking medication, the virus will become active again.

4. False. Although HIV testing can be done using saliva, there is not enough of the virus to

be transmitted through kissing. Other bodily fluids, however, can transmit the virus, in-cluding: blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal fluids. Unprotected sex and sharing in-fected needles are among the most common ways the virus is transmitted.

5. True. If the right steps are taken, there are ways to greatly reduce the risk of an HIV posi-

tive mother passing HIV to her child. To put it another way, treating an HIV positive moth-er means there will be more than a 99% chance of HIV not being passed on to her child.