Term Paper : Depression Among College Students Essay

According to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, major depression rates for American adults increased from 3.33 percent to 7.06 from 1991 to 2002. “Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act”(Parekh). Although some may believe that depression is stagnant, more Americans are in fact dealing with depression than in years prior. I heard this and was unsettled. In a time of openness and greater opportunity than ever before, why is depression increasing in Americans? My research has lead to the conclusion that social media, the modernization of western culture, and the average American diet has been leading factors in

Mental health among college students has been proven to be a relevant social issue that our society faces. There are certainly a few different institutions that play a large role within the development of this social issue. The first institution, and the primary institution at play with this issue, is the higher education system. In terms of mental health and having access to resources, college students haven’t always been as lucky as they are today. One study in 2007 explains the story of Junior at Syracuse University (Kravets, 3081). Anita Rutman had a history of mental health issues; she even found herself being admitted to a mental health hospital. One morning in February, she threw herself off of the eighth floor of Boland Hall and landed on a patio and fortunately lived. However, her attempt stemmed from the university sending her letter three days prior that informed Anita that the school was planning to dismiss her because of her suicidal tendencies (Kravets, 3081). Anita later sued Syracuse for ten million dollars for malpractice and negligence in handling her condition.

"Men pray to the gods for health and they ignore that it is in their power to have it."

Millions of Americans suffer from clinical depression each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2017), 322 million people are affected by depression around the world. Concerning industrialized Western world countries, it remains as the number one psychological disorder affecting its population (WHO, 2017). Most clinicians begin primarily with prescribing either pharmacologic or psychotherapy interventions. With billions of dollars spent in revue on treating depression (Chisholm, Sweeny, and Sheehan, 2016), exercise used as treatment in reaction to mental illness is often overlooked by mainstream health care professionals. However, it has been proved by recent research exercise acts as both a preventive and reactive

Mental health is a serious topic that is often not taken seriously. Due to my own struggles with depression, I have experienced the impact mental illness can have on a student’s life. Mental illness can make everyday life feel unbearable and can have just as serious of an effect on a person as a physical illness. The causes of increasing mental health problems in college students are numerous, and it will take work from both students and universities to overcome this problem, but change is necessary for the health of U.S. college students.

An intercept survey was conducted on a small percentage of CSUN students. The participants were asked a series of questions that touch on awareness, knowledge on symptoms, experience with symptoms, and resources. Majority of the participants expressed that they have experienced symptoms of depression but have not been diagnosed with depression or do not consider themselves as depressed. Some participants have disclosed that they experiencing or have experienced depression was due to the combination of financial difficulties, stress from school, and relationship problems.

The mental health of college students has declined in the last several decades. As some students enter college, their lives drastically changes. They go through many different difficulties in trying to live a college life without realizing what it can do for them. Everyone comes to college with an expectation of doing well in classes and enjoying what college has to offer. As the pressures builds for some people, their state of mind alters in a negative direction, where help from counseling services are needed. Nationally, 22% of collegians are seeking therapy or counseling each year (Marano 2015). That would be approximately 14,000 students at The Ohio State University, which is considered significantly

In 2011 it was found that about 30% of college students reported feeling “so depressed it was difficult to function” (Depression and College Students 1).

Today, clinically-major depression remains a prevailing social issue among college students across the world, ultimately affecting a students ability to perform everyday tasks. The National Institute of Mental Health defines major depression as “a common but serious mood disorder causing severe symptoms affecting how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working” (“Depression,” 2018, p.1). Furthermore, adjustment to college life and attending a university for the first time can be a stressful experience for many students. Because of the challenges faced when adapting to these new-life changes, college students are at a high risk of developing depression.

One of the most common issues that affect college students on campus are mental health conditions, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. In fact, the American College Health Association concluded that almost half of the participants in their 2009 study met the criteria for having a mental disorder (American College Health Association, 2009; as cited by Demyan & Anderson, 2012). The high stress environment that colleges and universities provide students with can lead to unhealthy behaviors that can affect class performance and can allow preexisting mental health conditions to get worse. A student going through a mental health crisis may lose their drive to do well in school, lose their desire to socialize with their friends and peers, and lose their motivation to attend class (Brandy, 2011).

In a study conducted by Eisenberg (2007) Prevalence and Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidality Among University Students was studied and it was found that these concerns need to be addressed in which students in Public Universities are reporting an estimated prevalence of any depression and anxiety disorder was a 15.6 % for undergraduates and 13.0% for graduate students. Suicidal ideation was reported at 2% within the last 4 weeks. These findings highlight the need to address mental health in our young adult populations.

This article speaks about personal and psychological problems college students can face; mostly focusing on family issues, depression, eating disorders, and substance use. It also mentions statistics about college students having mental illnesses and how to get counseling. It ends telling readers about campus services and how they are becoming more common. The article explains how they would be beneficial to students with personal and psychological problems.

The affect of depression on college students is extremely harmful in the progression of education. The factors of depression can contribute to the progression of depression well past the collegiate years. The one aspect that has the greatest effect of prolonging

Thesis: Mental Illness in colleges needs to be addressed because of the rise in college students being diagnosed in mental health problems.

Depression and anxiety among college students is something that experts have focused on for the past twenty years. The information they have been gathering ranges from the different stressors of college life to the effects of one's culture on how they deal with depression or anxiety symptoms. They have identified a few core characteristics of depression and thoughts of suicide. These are both serious concepts in which people need to seek help for. It is important for students to reach out to friends, family, or professionals to support them during this time. Many campuses offer counseling centers which are seeing many more people over the past few years.