2019 Archive

A message to our readers: choosing mental health as theme for 2019 coverage

by OIDJ Editor

The numbers aren’t pretty: About one in four Oklahomans will experience a mental illness, while only one in three of those residents will get the services they need to be well. Three times as many people die by suicide than by homicides each year in our state. Oklahoma had the highest suicide rate in the country among young veterans ages 18-34. When the Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism was considering a theme for its 15th anniversary summer journalism camp this year, mental health and wellness was a topic we knew we had to tackle. Our 13 high school students…

Seasonal Depression

by OIDJ Editor

By Gigi Robertson

Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism celebrates 15th year

by OIDJ Editor

By Silas Bales It is the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism, the program the students have been attending this week. The students have been writing, working and learning all about the journalism world in a short week filled to the brim with workshops, tours and activities. Watch this video to find out about the program and its impact on the students, past and present.

Stress can knock athletes off their games

by OIDJ Editor

By Kiami Whitfield College is a stressful time for everyone. Being away from home, finding a job and adjusting to a new atmosphere can be extremely difficult. However, this stress can be elevated especially among student athletes. In fact, 80 percent of college students say they frequently experience daily stress, according to a 2011 study reported by The OU Daily. While there are some perks to being a student athlete, there also are downfalls. They not only deal with all the stresses of college life, but also with the demands of collegiate athletics. For Levi Anderson, captain of the OU men’s…

OU and Norman Public Schools offer resources to help those who suffer from abuse

by OIDJ Editor

By Keren Florez OU and Norman Public Schools have prioritized helping victims and survivors deal with the consequences of emotional and physical abuse. “Abuse, whether physical, emotional, verbal or sexual, can have long-term effects on your mental health,” according to a study published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in August 2018. Too often, victims of abuse are young people. Katy Powers, who works with OU’s Behavior Intervention Team, or BIT, said OU offers many resources for those who have suffered abuse or trauma. Several campus resources are available 24 hours a day so that those who…

A perhaps unexpected source of veterans’ PTSD: Sexual assault

by OIDJ Editor

By Rachel Barney Some veterans come out of the military with post-traumatic stress disorder. For nearly one in four women veterans, a source of PTSD may be sexual assault. According to the Battered Women’s Justice Project, nearly 25% of women veterans who seek health care services from the Department of Veterans Affairs remember being assaulted at least once while in the military. Victims in the military – both men and women – frequently do not report the assaults for many of the same reasons as the victims outside of the military: Embarrassment, fear or shame. The justice project notes that…

Food insecurity and Norman’s plan to handle it

by OIDJ Editor

By Chloe Dean Breea Clark has already made strides for her generation by becoming the first millennial mayor in Norman, Oklahoma. But her unique approach to spreading awareness about food insecurity may be a bigger stride needed for the community. Over 55 percent of Cleveland County lives in an area with low access to food, according to the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank. And Clark believes that food insecurity is a root cause of many issues. “You can’t truly be a productive citizen when you’re hungry and malnourished,” Clark said. Clark, who took office in July, wants to host themed mayoral…

Marginalizing minorities affects school environment

by OIDJ Editor

By Taylor Chase McArthur Minority students in Oklahoma are suffering from marginalization, and it’s causing drawbacks in furthering their education according to a college official. Koretta McArthur said she often has minority students come to her with the problem of marginalization on campus. She is the University of Oklahoma’s coordinator of special events for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Price College of Business. “I have about three to four students who come each week talking about the treatment inside and out of the classroom.” McArthur said. “As a diversity officer, my job is to report and document to…

Before the test itself, a lot rides on combating test anxiety

by OIDJ Editor

By Jacqueline Garcia You place your writing utensils on your desk after hours of preparing for the final exam of the semester, which will examine how much you have learned. You read through the test and notice you don’t know some of the answers. You start doubting yourself and the chances that you will perform well. Suddenly, you are sweaty, dizzy and uneasy. Welcome to test anxiety, something many students experience, according to an article from the Educational Researcher, on standardized test or just general exams. Test scores can affect the future and careers of students. For example, students taking…

Under pressure: College students find ways to deal with stress

by OIDJ Editor

By Bailey Coyle College can be a stressful time in a person’s life and if not handled correctly can lead to serious mental health issues, experts say. Studies show that students are more stressed than others notice or realize. Feeling overwhelmed, sweating palms and feeling lost are just a short list of symptoms of stress reported by the American Institute of Stress. A 2018 study by Harvard Medical School examined high stress rates, mental health diagnoses and suicidal thoughts among 67,000 college students. More than 75 percent of students surveyed faced more than one stressful event as defined by the…