18 million college students.
That’s the estimated number of college students that are dealing with mental health issues according to statistics gathered in a new study by American University and Maharishi University of Management that’s slated to be published in the American Journal of Hypertension this month.
The information gathered from colleges across the nation shows there has been a 50 percent rise of diagnosed depression, and more than twice as many students are receiving psychiatric medications than in recent years.
“I see [depression] often,” said Eileen Colucci, a counselor in DCCC’s Marple Campus Career and Counseling Center. “I’ve had four serious cases of depression come into my office and I’m only one counselor.”
Colucci’s encounters with depressed students represent only a few of the many serious cases that seem to be plaguing college students for a number of reasons.
Loneliness and financial problems can cause stress any time; however, during the holidays there is additional pressure to spend, spend, and spend some more. Everyone either wants gifts or wants to buy gifts that will surprise their friends and families. For many people this comes with a very high price tag — overwhelming stress and depression.
The physical demands of the holidays are arguably enough to exhaust a professional athlete. Feeling exhausted increases a person’s stress, which lowers the immune system and leaves the body more vulnerable to illness.
It’s a vicious cycle.
A serious loss, chronic illness, difficulty with a relationship, or unwelcome change in life patterns can trigger a depressive episode.
According to Mental Health America (MHA), the multitude of life’s changes that occur during college years can also trigger serious depression.
Colucci acknowledged that there are a number of different types of depression, ranging from situation to major depression.
Depression can affect anybody, some more than others, says the National Institution of Mental Health (NIMH). Often, a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors are involved in the onset of a depressive illness.
Students Against Depression, a Web site which provides information, resources and real student stories, says the typical symptoms of depression include persistent sad, anxious or “empty” moods, feelings of remorse, unimportance or despair.
Physical symptoms include a change in appetite and weight, lack of sleep, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once pleasurable, as well as difficulty making decisions, remembering things, and focusing.
Other physical symptoms of depression that may not respond to traditional treatment include chronic pain and headaches.
The MHA recommends that students who are struggling with any of these symptoms seek immediate help.
Colucci said students only need to make one connection with a person they can talk to. It may not be a person they expect, but if they don’t try, they don’t know how influential it can be to them mentally and emotionally, she said, adding, “there is someone for everybody.”
“There’s always a counselor on duty for day and evening at all DCCC campuses for students to address serious issues,” Colucci says. “It’s our job to make sure that every student is safe when they leave this office. We take it very seriously.”
Contact Ryan S. Williams at
communitarian@mail.dccc.edu
