It’s a topic we don’t discuss. When we think of depression, the words “mental disorder” flash across our minds, and we assume that it is something better left in the dark. We were led to believe that depression is something that affects the middle-aged; it was never an issue that a group of adolescents needed to concern themselves with. But the truth of the matter is that every year more cases of depression are diagnosed among college students, leading many to ask the inevitable question: why?
Experts at Marquette tend to agree that a leading contributor to depression among students is the one word that could accurately define one’s college experience: stress.
“Neuroscientists have realized for some time that there is a link between stress and depressive illness,” said William Cullinan, dean of the College of Health Sciences. “Recent evidence indicates that adolescence and young adulthood are developmental periods in which hormonal responses to stress can be exaggerated, suggesting increased susceptibility.”
Stephen Saunders, associate professor of psychology, further explained that an inherited biological factor increases an individual’s vulnerability to depression. “If someone is exposed to a lot of stressful situations, then that allows the potential to become the reality,” Saunders said. He added that part of the problem is the increased level of stress that students seem to be facing nowadays because “there is more pressure to do well at college.”
However, not all depression can be attributed to life stressors or biological factors.
“There are some people who do become depressed for no real reason at all and have nothing going wrong in their lives,” said Michael Wierzbicki, chair and associate professor in the psychology department. Wierzbicki explained that data during the last few decades has shown an increase in depression among the young, a situation that cannot be ignored.
Colleges across the country are responding to the increased number of cases by promoting centers for counseling and by spreading awareness. In the past couple of years, the Counseling Center, which has diagnosed 11.2 percent of Marquette students with depression, received a substantial suicide prevention grant from the government.
“With that grant we have done some extra programming and extra publications about depression and suicide,” said Michael Zebrowski, director of the Counseling Center.
However, for Zebrowski, the struggle to “normalize” depression remains a challenge.
“I think the more we can do to normalize mental health issues, the better off we are,” he said. “It would be very rare for a person to go through life without experiencing a mental health issue, but when you get something, you go get help and get treatment.”
Although there are different forms of depression, Saunders stresses that the severity of the illness should be taken seriously and treated immediately.
“At any level of depression, treatment is probably a good idea for the simple reason that treatment is so effective,” Saunders said. “Research suggests that nine out of 10 people, if they go for the appropriate amount of psychotherapy or counseling and maybe also take medications, can overcome or at least manage their depression.”
In order to be diagnosed with depression, Zebrowski said an individual must exhibit one of two conditions. The first symptom is a depressed mood and the second is lack of pleasure. Additional side effects may include lack of energy, lack of motivation, feeling hopeless, lack of concentration, feeling worthless, thoughts of suicide, eating disturbance and sleeping disturbance.
Free treatment and counseling for depression and other disorders can be found at the Counseling Center, located on the second floor of Holthusen Hall, or the Center for Psychological Services, located on the third floor of Cramer Hall.
The Counseling Center urges that you seek help immediately from professionals if you or a friend are having suicidal thoughts.