Depression: mentally, physically, socially affecting students' lifestyles

By: Antoinette Grajeda

Posted: 10/20/06

About half of all college students reported feeling so depressed that they have trouble functioning, according to a 2004 survey by the American College Health Association.

Almost 15 percent of those students met the criteria for clinical depression.

"Depression affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things," according to the National Institute of Mental Health Web site. "A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood."

"Many people in today's society think depression is not a big problem," said Christine Snyder, junior psychology major.

"In all actuality, it's a serious medical condition that requires medical and psychological assistance in many cases," she said.

Three types of depressive disorders are major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder.

The severity, persistence and number of symptoms vary with each type of disorder, according to the NIMH Web site.

The causes of depression are different for different people, said Pam Matthews, a counselor at the Pat Walker Health Center.

Depression can be caused by both family history and some biological factors, Matthews said.

Often depression is related to a lack of purpose or direction in life, she said.

"I think people have this idea that depression is a bad thing," said graduate student Jason Engstrom.

"Sometimes it's okay to be depressed because it's your mind or body telling you something's wrong," he said.

Symptoms of depression can include persistent sadness or anxiousness, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, loss of interest in hobbies, fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, insomnia, loss of appetite, irritability and thoughts of suicide, according to the NIMH website.

These feelings could be signs of depression if tehy are persistent for more than two weeks, Matthews said.

Coming to college is a very stressful situation and students often experience life in extremes, she said.

This environment can cause a conflict of beliefs which can lead to some symptoms of depression, Matthews said.

When these feelings start interfering with your functioning, it is an important sign that you may need to seek help, she said.

Taking a depression-screening test is a quick and easy way to determine if a person is experiencing symptoms of clinical depression, according to www.depression-screening.org, a Web site sponsored by the National Mental Health Association.

The test is anonymous and confidential, but people should visit a physician or a qualified mental health professional for an accurate diagnosis, according to the NMHA sponsored Web site.

If a student thinks he is depressed, he should have a physical examination by a doctor first, according to the NIMH Web site.

Sometimes medications can cause the same symptoms as depression and a doctor will check for that. If this is not the case, the person should have a psychological evaluation, according to the NIMH Web site.

During an assessment you will talk to a professional about your symptoms and what has been going on in your life, Matthews said.

The doctor will also ask how long these symptoms have been occurring, she said.

If a student thinks he might be depressed, there are places on campus where he can seek help.

There is the psych clinic in Memorial Hall or they can come to the health center, Matthews said.

Counseling and Psychological Services, which is located on the second floor of the Pat Walker Health Center, has walk-in appointments available from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, she said.

If students have a friend they believe is depressed, they could point out the differences in their friend's behavior and or offer to walk over with them to the health center, Matthews said.

"I believe that honesty and directness is the best approach," she said.

Most of the time people want help, but each person has to decide if they need help, Matthews said.

A walk-in is a short session where people can consider their options, Matthews said.

A counselor will sit down with you and ask what led you to believe that you are depressed, she said.

The counselor will then discuss options for support or treatment if necessary.

Treatment of depression depends on the individual. There is not a blanket remedy, Matthews said.

Talk therapy and medication are two forms of treatment, she said.

It can be both or just one of the treatments; however, medication is usually combined with counseling, Matthews said.

When prescribing medication doctors may try a variety of antidepressants and change the dosage until they find the most effective combination, according to the NIMH website.

Despite improvements that may been seen in the first few weeks, antidepressant medication generally takes three to four weeks to have a full effect.

"It is important to keep taking medication until is has a chance to work," according the NIMH website.

"You can't see the hurt or pain, but we know getting assistance for that is very important," Matthews said.

To learn more about depressive disorders, students can visit campusblues.com/depression.asp.