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The silent struggle
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College is usually portrayed as the best years of a person’s life, a time to make friends, have new experiences, and enjoy life to the fullest. But for about 15 percent of college students, even normal activities like making it to class and interacting with their peers can be a daily struggle. These students suffer from various forms of depression, and their numbers are growing.
“Depression is a huge problem in the college student population,” Dr. John Greden, executive director of the University of Michigan Depression Center, said in the Center’s newsletter. “The estimates are that probably 15 percent of the college student population may be struggling with depressive illnesses.”
Greden stressed that depression is an illness, not a ‘funk’ that someone can pull themselves out of with enough willpower.
“People don’t just routinely adjust, adapt and ‘get over it,’” he said. “Without that recognition, a person can begin a lifetime course of depression that tends to get worse. That’s when you start seeing risk of suicide, chronic illness, loss of jobs and hospitalization . it’s essential that we not just attribute students’ symptoms to just ‘emotional stress.’”
The national media drew attention to the issue of mental illness on college campuses after the shootings at Northern Illinois University. The shooter, former NIU student Steve Kazmierczak, had reportedly stopped taking medication for his mental illness.
A Boise State student who requested to remain anonymous shared her struggle with depression and anxiety, and the lack of understanding surrounding it.
“People will tell you, ‘Just stop being sad,’ but it’s not something that you can just turn off on a whim,” she said. “I wish it were. It affects every aspect of my life. I’ve had to drop classes, quit jobs, end relationships – all because I can’t control what goes on inside my own head. Sometimes it feels like I’m watching a movie or something, and I have no say in what my body does or how it feels.”
According to Greden, depression has both physical and environmental causes.
“Depression is both a physical disorder, rooted in brain chemistry and our genes, and an emotional and environmental disorder, meaning that it’s accentuated by stressful life events,” he said.
A family history of depression adds to the likelihood of developing the illness, while outside stress factors can make it worse. From grades and tests, to balancing school with work and recreation, to relationships-the college years can be a stressful time.
Add this to all the changes inherent in adapting to college life and the fact that mental conditions often emerge from the ages of 18 to 25, and the result is increased risk for depression among the student population.
The BSU student who shared her story reported that she is now taking anti-depressant medication and seeing a counselor, which allows her to manage her depression and continue in college.
“It’s not like a physical ailment, where you can just take a deep breath and say ‘It’s all in my head,’” she said. “That’s the problem with anxiety and depression-it really is all in your head. And that’s what makes it so dangerous.”
“Counseling can be a valuable resource during painful times, and a foundation to successfully handling the tough times that come later,” Carol Pangburn, of the Counseling Center, said.
For BSU students who suspect they may be depressed, the Health and Wellness Center offers an online screening that is free, confidential and takes about 10 minutes to complete. It is available at boisestate.edu/healthservices/info/mental, and the screening results will recommend whether the user should seek further treatment.
BSU offers diagnosis and treatment options for depression through the Health and Wellness Center, located at 2103 University Drive.
Counseling is available through Counseling Services, at B103 inside Taylor Hall. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on other weekdays. Visits to the Health and Wellness Center are covered by SHIP insurance. The first visit to the Counseling Center is free, with a $10 charge for successive visits.
For more information about depression issues, contact the Health and Wellness Center at 426-1459 or go to their Website, boisestate.edu/healthservices.
JENNIFER SAWMILLER
Lead News Writer
