
            A 2008 survey conducted by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America found that 34 percent of college students felt depressed at some point in the three months leading up to their participation.   Many psychologists believe that number has risen significantly since 2008, due to increased pressure on college students, academically, socially, and financially.  Depression is a serious issue for all demographics, but it certainly needs to be addressed in colleges and universities across the United States, as suicide, for which the leading cause is depression, is the second-leading cause of death among college students.  Often untreated, depression can inhibit the daily functioning of students, significantly decreasing their likelihood for success in any or all facets of life.  

            College can be an incredibly stressful time for students, due to many different factors.  First, there is the media's portrayal of college life, which ingrains in prospective students' minds that college is a big four-year party, before they even step on campus.  Then, there is the reality of college:  attending classes, doing homework, studying, and making money to support oneself, all while trying to manage time effectively and transitioning to life away from home likely for the first time. Of course, students want to partake in the side of college often displayed in media as well, which adds social pressure and another chunk of time to be balanced into the mix.  With all the time spent focusing on those aforementioned things, students are not likely to devote time to focusing or improving their mental health.  Because of all the added stressors and the lack of focus on mental health, college is a dangerous cocktail for students, with potential outcomes of depression or other mental illness.

            So what does this mean for college students? How does depression alter one's daily life?  Not only does depression leave students without motivation or energy to complete their necessary tasks, but it can, and often does, have ill physical effects on the body as well.  Depression is correlated with higher stress levels, which over time can increase the risk of heart disease, as increased heart rate will tighten blood vessels.  Also, the central nervous system is greatly affected, as depression has a negative impact on memory, concentration, decision-making, and many other aspects of functioning, in addition to creating a lack of interest in things a person used to enjoy.  However, while depression has many physiological effects, its primary damage still comes on the emotional level.

Depression can often lead people into situations they could never imagine.  Many people who suffer from depression turn to alcohol and/or drugs in an effort to numb the pain, which can lead to addictions or even overdoses.  Even in the best scenario, using these substances to cope with depression is a poor strategy, as one has no chance to resolve the issue, he/she is simply pushing the issue away, which will likely backfire eventually, as the depression will worsen and even potentially become insurmountable.  Unfortunately, many lives are lost to depression-related suicide each year, particularly in the young adult demographic.  People suffering from depression can be swarmed with thoughts of death and self-harm, which often ends with a family losing a loved one.  According to an American College Health Association Study in 2002, one of every dozen college students had actually devised a suicide plan at one point, and three of every two hundred students had attempted to take their own lives.  Away from home and the support systems that had been established for the first eighteen years of their lives, students often feel that no one will understand the problems that they are enduring and choose to suffer in silence, fearful of judgment from their peers.

People who suffer from depression often do so without telling anyone, and their inner circle is often unaware of the daily struggle they endure.  Actor and comedian Robin Williams, who made a career of making people laugh with his silly antics, was generally assumed to be a happy person, until the news broke that he took his own life in August of 2014.  While depressed and/or suicidal people generally display warning signs, people often miss the signals, or simply have no inclination of how to help.  Suffering in silence is an issue that needs to be remedied, as there are plenty of resources for depressed people that could decrease the suicide rate, such as therapy or suicide hotlines.  Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental illness, particularly depression, is so strong that it prevents people who are practically dying inside from seeking help.

Society as a whole tends to see mental illness as a sign of weakness, and some people believe mental illness can be defeated if the person who is suffering simply tries harder or stops feeling sorry for themself.  With people like that around, the reasoning behind not seeking help holds weight.  Unfortunately, that stigma carries over into the idea of therapy, and many depressed people who could benefit from visiting a psychologist believe doing so would be admitting insanity, which is not something they are comfortable doing.  This way of thinking prevents people from the help they need, which is why people around the country are advocating to defeat the stigma that surrounds mental illness.  If the masses could see those who suffer from mental illnesses for what they truly are, people who are sick and need help, just like those suffering from cancer or diabetes, more people would be willing to step out of the dark and seek help, as they would not have to fear judgment from their peers.

With all of the stress on the modern college student, depression is a sad reality that many students will face in their pursuit of a degree.  The effects can be dire, ranging from body pains, to heart disease, to suicide.  However, as advocates continue to work towards a society where depressed people are not looked down upon and considered weak, the ill effects of depression could be minimized, as more sick people will find the help that they so desperately need.  

