1 in 10 Students Experience Depression in College

Mental illness is a common problem for college students. More dramatic examples of mentally ill college students, such as the Virginia Tech shooter Seung Hui Cho grab the most press, but most college students with mental illness live their lives without others knowing they have an illness. According to Psychiatric News, about one in ten college students will experience a mental illness during their college career. The fact that others cannot necessarily tell that people have a mental illness by looking at them doesn't mean that living with mental illness is easy. The most common mental illnesses among college students are mood disorders, and the most common mood disorder among most populations is depression. I first experienced symptoms of depression around age fourteen when I was hospitalized inpatient for about a week. I didn't experience another significant period of depression until college.

The stresses on a college student are significant. Students are away from home, face pressure to earn good grades, and the pressure of making a living on their own. Many students with depression probably won't experience symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization. Most hospitals will only accept patients who pose an immediate danger to themselves or others, and most insurance companies use the same criteria in deciding whether or not to pay for inpatient hospitalization.

Students can still experience significant disruption in their lives due to symptoms of depression. Grades might slip, relationships with friends and family might deteriorate, and students can quickly find themselves in a downward spiral. Common symptoms of depression include difficulty sleeping and difficulty maintaining concentration. Part of a plan to manage depression usually includes adequate rest, something often difficult to get in college, especially if your roommates are party animals. Choose the people you live with carefully. College students spend large amounts of time reading, and the difficulty concentrating can hurt you in the classroom. Finding the right balance between personal time, work, and social life can be difficult. Seeking treatment can benefit students even if they aren't contemplating suicide. Left untreated, mental illness can worsen and lead to increased disruption of life and even death.

Fortunately, most universities have proactive approaches to dealing with student issues and have some kind of on-campus mental health counseling. They can refer you to more intensive services if they think you need it. When I first met with a campus mental health counselor, she recommended in-patient hospitalization. As with most undergraduate students, my parent's health insurance still covered me, so paying for the stay wasn't a problem. As with most medical services, hospitalization is expensive. A week-long stay in a secure mental health unit can cost over $8000. My university allowed me to obtain a cab ride to the hospital and billed the cost of my cab ride to my student account. Usually there are ways to work around the cost issue in order to get you the treatment you need. Social workers and employees in the business offices of hospitals are especially helpful at working out something to pay for hospital stays.

People experience depression differently, so how people respond to treatment varies from person to person. With medication and psychotherapy, some people experience a complete remission of symptoms and never experience another depressive episode. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, most people respond positively to treatment. People with more severe depression might face a tougher road.

Sources
Joan Arehart-Treichel "Mental Illness on Rise on College Campuses". Psychiatric News.
NIMH. "NIMH: Men and Depression". NIMH