How do you know when what you are experiencing is just a bad day or something more serious? We all have our ups and downs depending on how our day or week is going. The transition from bad day to rut to clinical depression can be gradual and leave even the strongest person thinking, "What is wrong with me? I just have to try harder! Why am I so lazy? Why can't I get out of bed?" " Why do I worry all the time?"

College offers new experiences and challenges. This can be exciting—it can also be stressful and make you, or someone you know, feel sad. But when "the blues" last for weeks, or interfere with academic or social functioning, it may be clinical depression. Clinical depression is a common, frequently unrecognized illness that can be effectively treated. Anxiety can be worrying over a test or being socially awkward. Anxiety disorders can produce mild generalized anxiety to severe panic attacks.

Depression:

Every student experiences times of feeling down or sad. It is normal to experience a range of different moods, and to feel blue at times. However, negative feelings that extend beyond a few days and into weeks, or interfere with the ability to function and interact with others may be signs of a depressive episode. Depression is different from normal mood fluctuations in that symptoms are intense and lasting, and interfere with the ability to enjoy life. It can be difficult to recognize depression because symptoms may happen gradually, or one may misconstrue depressed feelings as evidence of personal failure. In reality, self-blame and feelings of worthlessness are common symptoms of depression and may stand in the way of seeking help. Often, a roommate, friend or family member may notice a problem before the person who is suffering realizes he/she is depressed.

The following is a list of symptoms common to depression:

• feeling down or depressed much of the day
• lack of interest or pleasure in daily activities
• social withdrawal
• loss of appetite, overeating or digestive problems
• excessive sleeping, insomnia or early morning awakening
• loss of sexual desire
• physical complaints, such as headache, backache or other unexplained pain/discomfort
• physical agitation or restlessness
• chronic fatigue, loss of energy or lack of motivation
• feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt or self-blame
• difficulty concentrating, impaired memory, indecisiveness or confusion
  neglect of physical appearance or hygiene
• irritability or rapid mood change
• thoughts of death or suicide

If you feel you may be experiencing a depression, Contact the Counseling Center at 515-2423 or come by the center to set up an initial appointment. Also, for a screening for depression, see the Online Screening Section of our website.

More Information on Depression:

What is Depression? What to do about it? (UT Austin)

Depression (Villanvoa)

Understanding Depression (U Illinois)

National Foundation on Depressive Illness

National Institute of Mental Health

Anxiety:

Job interviews. Oral presentations. Final exams. First dates. Public speaking. Meetings with your professors. What do all of these situations have in common? For most of us these seemingly different situations produce similar reactions: the heart pounds, palms sweat, muscles tighten, and the senses go on full alert. We feel apprehensive, uneasy, and even dizzy. In a word, we experience ANXIETY. "Normal" anxiety helps us flee from danger or conquer stressful situations. It is perfectly natural and beneficial; however, severe, recurring anxiety can impair performance and interfere with decision making.

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.

What Are the Different Kinds of Anxiety Disorders?

Panic Disorder - Repeated episodes of intense fear that strike often and without warning. Physical symptoms include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal distress, feelings of unreality, and fear of dying.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Repeated, unwanted thoughts or compulsive behaviors that seem impossible to stop or control.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Persistent symptoms that occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as rape or other criminal assault, war, child abuse, natural or human-caused disasters, or crashes. Nightmares, flashbacks, numbing of emotions, depression, and feeling angry, irritable or distracted and being easily startled are common. Family members of victims can also develop this disorder.

Phobias - Two major types of phobias are social phobia and specific phobia. People with social phobia have an overwhelming and disabling fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, or humiliation in social situations, which leads to avoidance of many potentially pleasurable and meaningful activities. People with specific phobia experience extreme, disabling, and irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger; the fear leads to avoidance of objects or situations and can cause people to limit their lives unnecessarily.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Constant, exaggerated worrisome thoughts and tension about everyday routine life events and activities, lasting at least six months. Almost always anticipating the worst even though there is little reason to expect it; accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache, or nausea.

What Are Effective Treatments for Anxiety Disorders?

Treatments have been largely developed through research conducted by NIMH and other research institutions. They help many people with anxiety disorders and often combine medication and specific types of psychotherapy.

A number of medications that were originally approved for treating depression have been found to be effective for anxiety disorders as well. Some of the newest of these antidepressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Other antianxiety medications include groups of drugs called benzodiazepines and beta-blockers. If one medication is not effective, others can be tried. New medications are currently under development to treat anxiety symptoms.

Two clinically-proven effective forms of psychotherapy used to treat anxiety disorders are behavioral therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy focuses on changing specific actions and uses several techniques to stop unwanted behaviors. In addition to the behavioral therapy techniques, cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients to understand and change their thinking patterns so they can react differently to the situations that cause them anxiety.

More Information on Anxiety:

Anxiety Disorders (Villanova)

National Institute of Mental Health

Are You Living in Fear: Getting a Handle on Panic Attacks (UT Austin)

 

Suicide:

Have you ever gotten so frustrated with the circumstances in your life that you wanted to end it all? Death seemed a better option than the challenge of life? Most people think about suicide at some point in their lives, yet very few actually attempt suicide. Experiencing a suicidal crisis can feel unsettling, painful, and overwhelming. In order to transition out of a suicidal crisis, it is important to determine what brought about the crisis, to understand the feelings of the suicidal person, and to deal with suicidal thoughts.

Behavioral Signs of Suicide Risk:

A person might be at risk for suicide if showing any of the following signs:

• Talks about committing suicide
• Has trouble eating or sleeping
• Experiences drastic changes in behavior
• Withdraws from friends and/or social activities
• Loses interest in hobbies, work, school, etc.
• Prepares for death by making out a will and final arrangements
• Gives away prized possessions
• Has attempted suicide before
• Takes unnecessary risks
• Has had recent severe losses
• Is preoccupied with death and dying
• Loses interest in their personal appearance
• Increases their use of alcohol or drugs

If you currently considering suicide or fear that someone you know is: Please Contact the Counseling Center at 515-2423, or come by and be seen through our Urgent Care Services, or contact Campus Police 515-3333. If you would prefer to be seen Off-Campus, call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Room.

Other Useful Links:

National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

Surving Suicide

Suicide Prevention (Villanova)

Helping Someone in a Suicidal Crisis (U Wisconsin)

How You can Help a Suicidal Friend (UT Women's University)