According to the University of Michigan, one in seven college students experience depression. OrganizedWisdom.com estimates that 25 percent of students are poor at managing stress, 58 percent feel anxiety or worry about grades, and 71 percent report that the grades they receive directly affect the amount of stress they deal with.
Students are often sick because of the negative effect stress has on the immune system, and those surveyed admitted that exams were very stressful for them.
College students, like non-students, become depressed for any number of reasons, and depression may not be caused by college life itself. People often have an underlying chemical imbalance they are not aware of until stress sets it off. Their depression may be genetic, the result of childhood abuse or trauma, due to family problems or the death of a loved one, and for many other reasons.
The stress of studying and exams, as well as homesickness, can trigger depressive symptoms. Partying in college may involve excessive drug or alcohol use, which are additional triggers to depression.
There are many symptoms of depression, but they commonly include one or more of the following: overwhelming feelings of sadness or despair, hopelessness, loss of interest in things formerly enjoyed, physical aches and pains, excessive weight loss or gain over a brief period of time, and fatigue and lack of motivation.
Depressed college students should know that help is available to them. Most institutions have a campus counselor that students can meet with. Campus health centers also employ sympathetic people who are trained to listen and work with depressed students. Students with suicidal thoughts should seek help immediately by contacting any of these resources, or by calling the campus's emergency services. Students who live in dorms can also go to their resident assistants for help.
To avoid becoming depressed, HealthCentral.com suggests that students take good care of themselves physically by eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, as well as regular sleep. They also suggest speaking to a counselor over the short term to deal with stress, homesickness, etc. In addition, it is in students' best interest to get involved on campus and socialize, preventing isolation and helping them feel they make a difference and have things to look forward to.