Feeling down and tired isn't always a sign of a college student's lifestyle.
Brandy Smith, psychologist at Auburn Student Counseling Services, said students need to be more aware of the signs of depression, which could be feelings of sadness, loss, anger or frustration strong enough to interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer.
Smith said decreased interest in activities, changes in weight, sleep patterns or appetite and feelings of worthlessness or guilt are all symptoms of depression.
"You do not have to have all of these signs at once to be considered depressed," Smith said. "Some students may just have one or two of these symptoms."
Smith said Student Counseling Services normally addresses one of two types of cases.
"We have some cases where the student is just feeling down because of relationship problems, school, work, family or because of other situational problems," Smith said. "This type of case can normally go away after a short period of time, but we also have cases where there is an intense feeling that can't just go away. These types of cases can be related to biological reasons."
Smith said she tries to help students understand that although depression is not always related to problems in day-to-day life, one's daily routine can have an impact--students should be aware of the amount of sleep they are getting, their eating habits and the amount of physical activity they perform each day.
Brett Sullivan, junior in pre-pharmacy, said antidepressant medication is used to bring into balance brain chemicals that can cause depression.
"I do believe depression is common in a college town," Sullivan said. "However, I think it depends on the student's situation. College is a major adjustment for a lot of students."
Michael Hansen, a pharmacist in Birmingham, said most mental health experts agree that medication can help with severe depression. The role of medication comes into play when therapy, exercise or self-help strategies do not work.
"Some common side effects of antidepressant medications are nausea, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, dizziness, weight gain, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation and headaches," Hansen said. "Some side effects go away after a few weeks of drug treatment, others will continue and even get worse.
"Along with side effects, there are health risk factors for people over 65, pregnant women, teens and young adults and people who may have bipolar disorder."
Hansen said changes students go through in their college careers could result in more students being depressed.
"I think that a lot of students don't realize signs of depression because they think it's a part of the college lifestyle," Smith said. "I want to emphasize that depression will not look the same for every person and that there is nothing wrong with acknowledging what is going on."
Student Counseling Services is located in the Auburn Medical Clinic and offers free individual or group counseling sessions.
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