Student Depression

Despite all of the fun and good times that are reported about student life, for some, it can be a very difficult experience.

Many people are living away from home for the first time and miss their family; some people can’t cope with the work load and responsibility of not having teachers to harass you in to doing your work.

When you actually think about it there are a lot of worries associated with being a student, money, work load, social life, careers etc. This can add up to a lot of stress and stress can very easily lead to depression.

Where can I go if I'm depressed?

There are places you can go if you’re suffering with depression at university.

• Your course tutor – Your tutor is usually a good place to start if you feel that any problems may have an effect on your work. Your tutor may be able to extend due in dates for work or offer you advice on how to stop feeling so overwhelmed with the workload.
• Student Union – Student unions will usually have a counselling service in place for students who are feeling the stress of university. Check your student union website or speak to one of the union reps within the union building for more direction about where to go.
• University GP centre – A lot of universities have a GP practice on campus. If you’re suffering to the point where your work has already been affected then it may be best to speak to a doctor and see if the doctor can speak to your tutor about any deadlines that you may have already missed.

Often a really great help with stress and depression is just talking to someone about it. Other people can offer a different perspective on things and you may very well find you’re not alone with your problems.

Here are a few quick tips for good mental health:

• As soon as you start to feel pressure talk to someone, this can be anyone from a friend or family member to a professional such as a councillor or a doctor.
• Remember to eat well, this can have a massive effect on how you feel.
• Regular exercise, this is very effective for mild to moderate depression.
• Avoid drinking too much. Alcohol is actually a depressant so don’t think you can drink your sorrows away.
• Find out what services are available for you.
• Write down your problems and try to come up with a plan to combat them. Once you’ve got a plan things can often be put in a very different light and what you thought was insurmountable may have a solution.

Students feeling depressed at university may wish to consider changing course if their course is causing them problems.