Life as a university student brings excitement of new opportunities and challenges for one’s future. However, along with this burden, comes enormous amount of pressure and high expectation to succeed. Inevitably, the pressure and high expectation result in serious depression.
Picture illustrating a student with depression
from http://www.epigram.org.uk
Depression is one of the most common student issues that counselors must deal with in universities. For example, a 2011 survey conducted by the University of Alberta concluded that from 1,600 student participants, 51% reported within the past 12 months, they felt depressed, hopeless, overwhelmed with anxiety or even worst, suicidal. Shockingly, 1% of those who felt suicidal had attempted it. The study suggests that this result is not unique only to this university but is a common finding from universities across North America.
There are many factors that must be considered that lead to depression. Three of the common issues are laid out. Firstly, there are those who are perfectionist. These are the type who cannot take anything below what they feel “perfect”. Therefore, if this is not achieved, the feeling of failure and disappointment can be a start of depression. Secondly, unbalanced lifestyle has a big impact. For instance, lack of sleep, unhealthy eating habits, absence of physical exercise and excessive amount of alcohol and/or drug consumption can negatively influence a student’s mental state. Last to be discussed is peer-pressure and high expectation from family members and peers. For some, expectation of doing well in school is more so than others. While this can be a motivation for students, more often than not, this results in overwhelming burden for students.
What can be done to help with those in depression? It is important to seek for help. According to Globecampus, approximately 15% of university students are diagnosed with mental illness while at school. However, research shows that this is a misrepresentative number since more than half of those who struggle with depression do not seek for help. This is very problematic since treatment can only be given to those who seek for it. Furthermore, it is vital to figure out what the problem is, and if there are signs of depression in students close by, such as roommates or classmates, it is a good idea to communicate.
University is a place where students come together to learn, bond, share and most importantly, be happy with what they have chosen to do in life. It should not be a place where students come to feel depressed. There are many ways this feeling can be dealt with. Seek for help or help those in need.
Here is a youtube clip on depression and suicide among university students from username ResearchChannel:
-Ryan Song
Video used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21lKc_wKcM
Image used: http://www.epigram.org.uk/2012/02/bristol-blues-bite-hard-at-start-of-2012/
