Depression
Academic pressure, being away from home, relationship stress, and new responsibilities can make you feel down. We all face an unexpected grade, the loss of a relationship, or other disappointment at some point. But when feelings of unhappiness last for weeks or months, or keep returning, you could be depressed.
Signs of Depression
- Sadness or numbness
- Tiredness and low motivation
- Anxiousness; feeling stressed
- Edginess; impatience
- A low opinion of yourself
- Worry about being rejected
- Feeling like nothing matters
- Problems getting going; a sense of powerlessness
- Difficulty concentrating and focusing on academics; drop in grades
- Difficulty making decisions
- Feeling alone or out of synch with friends and surroundings
- Loss of interest in work, friends, and activities you used to enjoy
- Spontaneous crying spells
- Insomnia or sleeping more than usual
- Eating more than usual, or less
- Attempting to appear happy
- Feelings of guilt
- Negative thoughts, including thinking about suicide
- Physical symptoms that don’t respond to treatment (e.g., headache, undefined aches and pains)
What to Do
Depression is not a sign of laziness,weakness, or a bad attitude. It is a common psycho-biological condition in human beings, so don’t criticize yourself for it.
One in five Americans is affected by depression sometime in their life. Recognize the signs and get help early; you’ll save yourself a lot of needless suffering.
- If you think you’re depressed, tune in to your feelings, and monitor them
- If you sense that something is “not right,”pay attention to it
- Get professional help
- Accept the depression while you take steps to treat it; don’t feel ashamed because of it
- Don’t struggle alone: reach out to friends, family, and others you trust
- Stay active; don’t give in to the urge to remain in bed for hours
- Try to remain current with your work – getting behind adds to your depression
- Write down your academic and social accomplishments
- Do things that you can enjoy
- Avoid alcohol and drugs – it’s easy to develop a dependence on them
- Call a friend when you feel down
- If medication is prescribed, take it – it will help to restore your energy, and increase your motivation
- If you are depressed, be patient with yourself – healing takes time
Depression is treatable.When you are less depressed, your relationships and your grades will improve, and you’ll deal more effectively with day-to-day stressors. So if you suspect you may be suffering from depression, get help now. You may soon feel much better.