College depression curable with recognition
Aaron Blatch
Issue date: 3/6/07 Section: News
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Youngstown State University senior Laurie Lyden has struggled with depression for most of her life.
Lyden said her depression wasn't just sadness.
"I would get overwhelmed by everyday things," she said. "It's like a fatigue and heaviness, [and] not really wanting to do anything."
For many students, college is the time for gaining independence, meeting new people and partying. However, the changes that can lead some people to call college the best time of their lives can also have the opposite effect, according to research done by three mental health care professionals.
Tim Evers, a licensed social worker with a master's degree in counseling, said that college students experience stress due to financial worries, added responsibilities, difficult class work and relationship problems.
This stress often leads to depression, an illness that affects 45 percent of college students, according to an article published by Dr. Richard Kadison in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Harvey Kayne, a local psychologist, said there is a difference between feeling sad and being depressed.
"Everyone is going to be sad sometimes," Kayne said. "But if your sadness starts to interfere with your functioning, you need to get some assistance."
Kayne said that antidepressants are not always the answer for depression. A person must show noticeable symptoms to be prescribed medication, and antidepressants should only be used to fight moderate to significant depression, Kayne said.
For college students, the most effective way to deal with a changing lifestyle and the stress that comes with it is to stop depression before it starts. Kayne said that a common cause of depression in students is overexertion.
"Many students really drive themselves too far," Kayne said. "Then they add to stress and make life more difficult by putting off studying and getting involved in too many things. This can lead to a lot of anxiety and difficulties for the student."
Lyden said her depression wasn't just sadness.
"I would get overwhelmed by everyday things," she said. "It's like a fatigue and heaviness, [and] not really wanting to do anything."
For many students, college is the time for gaining independence, meeting new people and partying. However, the changes that can lead some people to call college the best time of their lives can also have the opposite effect, according to research done by three mental health care professionals.
Tim Evers, a licensed social worker with a master's degree in counseling, said that college students experience stress due to financial worries, added responsibilities, difficult class work and relationship problems.
This stress often leads to depression, an illness that affects 45 percent of college students, according to an article published by Dr. Richard Kadison in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Harvey Kayne, a local psychologist, said there is a difference between feeling sad and being depressed.
"Everyone is going to be sad sometimes," Kayne said. "But if your sadness starts to interfere with your functioning, you need to get some assistance."
Kayne said that antidepressants are not always the answer for depression. A person must show noticeable symptoms to be prescribed medication, and antidepressants should only be used to fight moderate to significant depression, Kayne said.
For college students, the most effective way to deal with a changing lifestyle and the stress that comes with it is to stop depression before it starts. Kayne said that a common cause of depression in students is overexertion.
"Many students really drive themselves too far," Kayne said. "Then they add to stress and make life more difficult by putting off studying and getting involved in too many things. This can lead to a lot of anxiety and difficulties for the student."
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