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College Students and Depression
by Dr. Gregory Hall
Bentley College
The lay person uses the term depression much the same way we use the terms
'virus' and 'flu'. These terms are used to describe a general condition. There
are many classifications of depression.
- Mood depression is often referred to as the 'blahs' or the 'blues' lasting
for a brief period from a few hours to a couple of days. Most people experience
such moods on occasion. The blues are not typically associated with lasting
consequences. Most people simply endure the blues as they would the common
cold. Psychologists do not really consider this condition as depression.
- Common depression is associated with physical and emotional warning signs
that are longer in duration and affect quality of life. Usually this type of
depression is treatable with short-term counseling sometimes referred to as
'talk therapy'. The symptoms are often so slow to develop that the individual
doesn't recognize the change until they experience an unexplainable decline in
quality of life. It is analogous to standing in the middle of your yard
watching the grass grow. No matter how closely and intently you watch, you
can't see the grass grow. However, by Saturday someone has to take the
lawnmower out and cut the grass! Some symptoms include:
- Decrease in physical activity; living the 'coach potato' life
- Lack of appetite; disinterest in food; junk food diet; over-eating
- Social withdrawal
- Increased class absence for no apparent reason
- Decrease in physical sex drive
- Reduction in motivation, self-esteem and self-confidence
- Clinical depression is associated with significant and durable
symptoms often requiring medical intervention. The symptoms tend to be
debilitating and can be life threatening. The warning signs of common
depression are experienced in the extreme. Such symptoms are compounded
by the following signs:
- Significant changes in body appearance such as care of dress, hygiene,
weight, color
- Withdrawal from extra-curricular activities
- Inability to tend to daily functions of school, chores, work schedule
and other routine responsibilities
- A general sense of hopelessness and worthlessness
Clinical depression is most successfully treated by a combination of counseling
and medication. Most medications to treat depression are designed to restore
normal levels of serotonin, a naturally produced chemical essential to normal
brain functioning. The general term for this classification of drugs is called
antidepressants. Often times students are reluctant to accept these types of
medications due to stubborn social norms that have no basis in fact. Depression
is an illness plain and simple. Depression can be successfully treated. If
you or someone you know has the symptoms of common or clinical depression,
please seek help.
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