For many students, going away to college is the first time they have been away from home for an extended period of time, which can be a difficult adjustment to make.
The transition is often a difficult one, and because of this, many new college students find themselves dealing with something unlike anything they've experienced before.
What Causes Depression in College Students and How Many It Affects
Leaving friends and family, entering a different world with new people to meet and new challenges to overcome can leave many students feeling anxious, especially those entering their first year of college.
Some students join clubs or work part-time jobs on campus to deal with the stress. But others never fully adjust to the new demands and responsibilities, and gradually, depression sets in.
In a survey by the American College Health Association, 15 percent of college students were formally diagnosed with depression. And nationally, one in four college students will experience a form of depression by the time they reach age 24, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
What Happens When Depression Isn't Clear
But not all students dealing with depression get diagnosed, and sometimes the families and friends of these young people do not learn about their loved ones' depression until it is too late.
According to the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen Development Center, which helps the adjustment, well-being and professional development of midshipmen, one in twelve U.S. college students have made a suicide plan. The MDC also reported that each year there are 1,100 suicides on college campuses, the third leading cause of death among college students after homicides and accidents.
Programs That Are Helping Students Deal With Depression
Many colleges are taking steps to help students who may be dealing with depression, mental illness, or struggling with thoughts of suicide. The University of Pittsburgh, for example, has a Stress Free Zone, where students can get a massage while listening to New Age music, or take yoga classes.
In addition to the Stress Free Zone, the university has also launched the Talk to Me campaign, where 160 specially trained students are on hand to listen to any problems their fellow students might have.
Programs like the Stress Free Zone and college counseling centers can be great resources for students dealing with depression, but only if they actually make the effort to seek help. It is important that students talk to someone, even if it is just a friend or family member, if they are feeling depressed. The worst thing they can do is try to deal with it on their own, or deny that they are having problems.
Resources For Students Dealing With Depression
Students who may be wondering about, or dealing with, depression have several resources available outside of their college campus, such as the American College Health Association, which provides advocacy and education to advance the health of college students, and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, which is dedicated to improving the lives of those living with mood disorders.
Depression is treatable, but it does take time to begin the healing process. Students that are depressed should seek out any help or support system they can find, even if it is just talking to a friend. The college years are supposed to be the best years of a person's life, and no one deserves to lose that time.
Sources:
American College Health Association: http://www.acha-ncha.org/pubs_rpts.html
American Psychiatric Association: http://www.psych.org
Midshipmen Development Center: http://www.usna.edu
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: http://www.dbsalliance.org
Tayla Holman - Tayla is a student at Hofstra University, where she is majoring in print journalism and English with a concentration in publishing ...
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