Letter from the Editor

Dear Daily readers,

With the busy lives we lead on this campus, it is all too easy to forgo our mental health. Approaching deadlines, exams and adulthood forces us to put aside our feelings, our pain and our sorrow for later. We learn to ignore it. We learn to tell ourselves it's not a big deal. Sometimes, we share our stories and they are met with apathy, condescension or even systemic punishment that only further silences those of us affected by mental health issues and their loved ones.

Growing up, I was ashamed of my own stories. Stories of seeing someone so important to me struggle with mental health issues all her life. Stories of losing a friend to depression and feeling I could have done something before it happened. Stories of making tough decisions for my loved ones and of dealing with my own pain and sorrow. All of them seemed too personal and too daunting to talk about. The reactions I have received further discouraged me from sharing my stories, despite their being a very real part of my life.

These not-uncommon stories take different forms for everyone. They can go untold if you wish, but they cannot be silenced by others. Today, the Daily has dedicated much of its coverage to the topic of mental health, with the hopes of sharing these important discussions and resources with you, our readers. We are featuring stories from members of various mental health support networks on campus, coverage of basketball star and mental health advocate Kevin Love's recent discussion about his struggle with anxiety and depression, as well as a new initiative by Active Minds at Tufts to better support students. Today, we are also publishing the first episode of "A Blight on the Hill," a Daily podcast that will explore structural issues at private universities, including Tufts. The first episode will focus on the ways in which the Tufts administration responds to students dealing with mental health issues and can be accessed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

If you have questions about our coverage, please reach out to us at daily@tuftsdaily.com. In addition, here are several campus, local and national organizations that provide counseling and other resources for those in need of support:

Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service 617-627-3360

Tufts Health Service 617-627-3350

Tufts Ears for Peers 617-627-3888 (for calls); 617-394-1954 (for texts)

Tufts University Police Department (on-call counselor) 617-627-3030

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

Psych Central psychcentral.com/resources/

U.S. Government  usa.gov/mental-health-substance-abuse

ULifeline ulifeline.org

Sincerely, Seohyun Shim Editor-in-Chief