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Depression

Depression

Depression is one of the most common reasons students seek counseling. College life, while exciting and challenging, can place new demands on students and sometimes these demands are scary and overwhelming. You can end up feeling "blue", out of sorts, and just not connected to anyone or the campus. These feelings can be normal, especially if you are transitioning to something new (graduating, beginning college) or losing something (break-up with a partner, missing family or friends from home). Usually, these feelings pass in a few days or after a specific event has passed. But if these feelings last more than two weeks, and talking with friends and family doesn't seem to help, you may be experiencing what is called "clinical depression."

Some of the signs of depression include:

  • Disturbed sleep, either too much or too little
  • Feeling pessimistic beyond what is expected for a situation
  • Poor concentration
  • Feeling down most of the time
  • Not enjoying things you did in the past
  • Social isolation
  • Low energy
  • Recurrent thoughts of death and/or suicide

It is important to note that depression is not simply a matter of a "bad attitude" or just not being optimistic enough. Depression is a serious condition that needs and deserves treatment and so just hoping it will get better or ignoring the problem will probably not help. The good news is that treatment is available and it can help. Treatment can include talk therapy, medication, or both. If you feel you are experiencing symptoms related to depression, call Health Services at 218-726-7913 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.

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Last modified on 10/31/12 10:58 AM
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