Depression

There are various ways our mood may change throughout the week. At times, we may feel especially “down” or “tired”. If this “down” feeling also includes unexpected crying, changes in eating/sleeping, or even suicidal thoughts - - and seems to last for a few weeks, you may be experiencing symptoms of depression. For more information about depression, click here.

How will I know if I'm depressed?

If you've been feeling sad, pessimistic, hopeless and down more often than not over the past two weeks or more, and you've stopped enjoying things that used to be fun, you might be depressed. Check the symptoms below - if you have experienced three or more it is likely you are experiencing a bout of depression.

• Finding it hard to get motivated and feel interested in thing because of lacking energy and feeling sluggish.

• Wanting to avoid friends and everyday activities.

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.

• Losing interest in eating, or overeating.

• Sleeping difficulties or feeling fatigued nearly every day.

• Thinking about death, or planning suicide.

• Having unpleasant, negative thoughts (like feeling guilty or that you are a bad or unworthy person).

• Getting pains in your body or headaches that don't seem to have any physical cause.

How did I get depressed?

Sometimes stress builds up in our lives and overwhelms our ability to cope. You may have lost someone you love, experienced some significant failures, or been too busy for too long. Ongoing stress like coping with injuries, doing poorly academically and failing tests, or feeling lonely and isolated can lead to depression.

Sometimes people get depressed for no obvious reason; the heavy feelings just seem to come out of the blue. This sometimes happens when people come from families who seem more vulnerable to becoming depressed after relatively mild stress. No matter how you became depressed, the effects are debilitating and will affect your academic performance, play, and relationships if left untreated.

What if it's the blues?

It may still be useful for you to discuss your worries and low mood with a professional. At the UCPS we encourage you to come for assistance before little problems become big ones. This may prevent disruption of your studies, social life, and ability to enjoy college.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

No. Depression is more common than most people think. In fact it is about as common as asthma! One in seven people will experience a bout of depression at some stage in their lives.

Ok, so I'm depressed - what now?

Depression can be treated. It's important to treat it like any other illness and seek help. Depression involves changes in brain chemistry and can influence the way you respond to the world around you. Options for dealing with depression include:

• Talking with a Counselor or Psychologist who will

  • Help you learn skills for solving problems, planning ahead and improving interactions with others

  • Help you see the positive side of yourself, others, and your circumstances

  • Assist your relationships with others

• Other options

  • Reduce unnecessary stress in your life

  • Be aware of your negative thoughts (“Nobody here likes me”) and how they affect your mood. Try to stop them and replace them with more realistic (“I’ve met some people I could build a relationship with”) or positive (“I’m going to feel good today”) thoughts

  • Spend more time with people (this may mean you just have to get out of your room and into a public area)

  • Eat a balanced diet and reduce substances that negatively affect your mood (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, caffeine)

  • Find ways to express your feelings (e.g., journal, friend); don’t suppress them

  • Discus with your therapist, the possibility of seeing a psychiatrist to discuss the possibility of using antidepressant medicine to correct the imbalance of chemicals in the brain

Often counseling, together with lifestyle changes, is useful for alleviating depression. In some cases medication may be necessary to help resolve a severe or long-standing bout of depression.

If you think you are depressed

Talk to one of our counselors, or to your Gryphon. If you would like to make an appointment with a Counselor please contact us at 610-758-3880.

*Special thanks to Massey University and UNC Chapel Hill Campus Health Services.

Suicide Prevention

One of the most severe symptoms of depression is suicide. While many people at some time in their lives contemplate the question, “is life worth living?”, students who are depressed tend to answer that question in more pessimistic and hopeless ways and become at risk for hurting or killing themselves. What can you do if your friend says she or he is having serious thoughts about suicide?

• Get your friend to talk about what’s bothering him or her. Use conversation to direct your friends’ thoughts toward getting help.

• Listen. Be aware of what your friend is saying and how he or she is feeling. Don’t push your friend to the edge by saying only, “Things will get better… But you have so much to live for…” Let your friend talk first about how he or she feels and then about the problems that created those feelings.

• Encourage your friend to seek professional help. Treat mental health as you would physical health. Advise your friend to seek help from someone who can help resolve the problem.

• Remove, or encourage your friend to give up anything that could be immediately lethal (e.g. extra pills, gun). Removing such items may reduce the possibility of an impulsive suicide and your actions will convey your concern.

• Don’t leave your friend alone if you discover he or she has a plan or a timetable – take it seriously. Don’t be brushed off by, “I’m okay now.”

• You must get help for the person if they will not seek help for themselves. Contact someone who can help (e.g. Gryphon, RLC, student life dean at 8-4156, counseling center at 8-3880, or campus police at 8-4200).

Suicide Warning Signs

• Depressed behavior (lack of energy, lack of appetite, change in sleep patterns)

• Talking about wanting to die or hurt himself/herself

• Preparing for death (giving away possessions, acquiring means to commit suicide)

• Sudden or unusual or changed patterns of interaction with peers and faculty (e.g. irritability, avoidance)

• Decline in academic performance

• Use of drugs or alcohol to cope with life

Suicide Myths

1. Those who talk about it don’t do it. Three out of four victims talked about suicide before they died. Verbal cues such as “Sometimes I wish I could just sleep and never wake up…” are warnings of suicide and should be recognized as a plea for help.

2. Those who attempt suicide and fail won’t try again. If a person’s feelings about life don’t change and new coping skills were not learned and practiced, a person is likely to rely on suicide to cope with future depression and loss of hope.

3. College students have no reason to commit suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students and, 7.5 of every 100,000 college students take their own lives. The fact that their “whole lives are ahead of them” may be more of a threat than a comfort to some.

4. Talking about suicide will cause someone to do it. If someone is so upset that he/she might be considering suicide, you won’t be putting ideas into his/her head by bringing it up. Be direct and ask, “Do you want to die?” Talking about it openly could prevent a person from acting.

If you are in crisis or you are feeling suicidal, we have resources and people you can talk to, or visit ULifeLine, a site dedicated to providing suicide information and resources.

The Jed Foundation web site also has information about suicide awareness for college students.

 

Self Help Books and Interesting Reading

Burns, D. D. (1999). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. New York : Penguin