Psychiatrists At UHS Report Increase In Visits This Year

Anxiety and depression have been sending more people to the University Health Services to see psychiatrists this year than last year.

There were 7493 visits to the Psychiatry Department at UHS from July 1971 to March 1972. For the same period of time last year there were 7077 visits, Dr. Preston K. Munter, assistant director of UHS, said yesterday.

Munter, who is one of six full-time UHS staff psychiatrists, said that a steady increase in visits over the past decade was probably due to changes in the way psychiatric services are offered.

He noted however that this year's increase of almost 500 visits was larger than usual, and that it could be considered significant if it reflected problems in the community rather than changes in services. However, Munter said he doubted this was the case.

"This has been a quieter year in terms of public political activity," Munter said. "Students seem to be internalizing rather than externalizing and this could be one reason for the increase." Visits resulting from problems with drug use seem to be declining, he added, although there are no exact figures available.

Dr. Paul A. Walters, Jr., psychiatrist to UHS, said that the Psychiatry department of UHS has started group therapy on a limited basis. The department has also begun to allow fifth year graduate students in Social Relations with previous clinical training to see patients this year.

These two innovations might be responsible for increased use of the UHS facilities, Walters added.