Depression Information

Depression is Underdiagnosed in College Students


Everyone feels down or blue once in awhile. Especially during difficult times, it's normal to feel sad or discouraged. But when those feelings persist for two weeks or longer, it could be depression. It's a common illness that affects an estimated 19 million Americans-that's nearly one in ten! It's also one of the most under-diagnosed illnesses on college campuses. The symptoms can come on so slowly that one day, a person realizes that he can't remember the last time he felt good. Here are some warning signs for depression:

Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Loss of interest or enjoyment in things that used to be fun
Decreased energy, fatigue
Restlessness, irritability
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Trouble sleeping, or oversleeping
Appetite or weight changes
Thoughts of suicide

Many students suffer needlessly. Depression is often very treatable. Not everyone experiences every symptom, and the severity can vary over time. Depression is not something you can just "snap out of" and make better on your own. This assumption can reinforce feelings of hopelessness and failure. It's important to seek outside help. Through counseling and, in some cases, medication, the majority of people notice significant improvement! If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above for two weeks or longer, here's what you need to do today: Make an appointment with a counselor on campus. Your counselor can screen you for depression and get you the immediate help you need. Do not spend another day suffering in silence!

To learn more about depression, take the National Mental Health Association's online depression screening at www.depression-screening.org.

To learn more about suicide prevention, visit the Jed Foundation Web site at http://www.jedfoundation.org/index.php.

For help with someone who is threatening to commit suicide, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. Their Web site is http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.

Susan Fee is a licensed counselor and author of the college survival guide, "My Roommate Is Driving Me Crazy! Solve Conflicts, Set Boundaries, and Survive the College Roommate from Hell" (Adams Media). She offers more college survival tips on her Web site, http://www.myroommateisdrivingmecrazy.com


MORE RESOURCES:

The Star-Ledger - NJ.com

'Helen' movie review: Sadly, this film about depression isn't very good
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
One of the thousand depressing things about depression is just how difficult it is to get on the screen. Other illnesses — manic-depression, ...
Ashley Judd on Battling Depression and Her Political ActivismBlackBook Magazine
Interview with Sandra Nettlebeck: Writer/Director of HelenHuffington Post (blog)
Exclusive CS Video: Ashley Judd is HelenComingSoon.net

all 4 news articles »




For your inner fanboy
Los Angeles Times
A TOPICAL DEPRESSION: Rowling had plenty of personal challenges in her life -- there are many stories about the single mom's lean-money days before the ...

and more »


CBS News

Obama Says `Tough Decisions' on $60 Billion Automaker Aid Now Paying Off
Bloomberg
... Co. and Chrysler Group LLC have led to a “hopeful story” of economic recovery following the nation's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. ...
Autos, banks, jobs: Obama's political challengeUSA Today
Visiting Obama deserves credit for saving GM, ChryslerDetroit Free Press
President Obama Visits General Motors and Chrysler TodayThe Brilliant Stories (blog)
Los Angeles Times (blog)
all 1,232 news articles »


Is the Republican Victory Plan Another Great Depression?
OpEdNews
Every time they reach the economic concentration levels that currently exist, we have a serious depression. This is a direct result of increasingly ...
LETTER: Why should wealth be redistributed to others?Clarksville Leaf Chronicle

all 3 news articles »


New York Daily News

Zac Efron loses kid brother, slips into serious depression, and still retains...
Philly2Philly.com
Zac Efron loses kid brother, slips into serious depression, and still retains flawless skin in 'Charlie St. Cloud' By Jim Teti at 2:51 am on Friday July 30, ...
Nonprofit screens Zac Efron movie tonightFlorida Today
Zac Efron gives a shout out to TWLOHA supportersHollywoodnews.com

all 1,202 news articles »


Extravagant Chelsea Clinton Wedding a National Disgrace
NewsBlaze
America is suffering thorough the worst economic period since the Great Depression. There are millions of unemployed and underemployed ...

and more »


Washington Post

Wyly brothers built an empire side-by-side
Washington Post (blog)
Born during the Depression in a northeast Louisiana plantation town of 3000, Charles Wyly and his younger brother ...
Wealthy Dallas brothers become SEC fraud targetThe Associated Press

all 631 news articles »


Top Doctors: Understanding depression
Newsday (subscription)
Depression is a recurring theme in television dramas and celebrity tell-alls. Yet many Americans keep their own ill feelings bottled up, suffering in ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006