Combating Depression (Op-ed)
PHOTO: Wes Brooks
11/14/18 – East Peoria, IL – If you are feeling alone, overwhelmed, anxious, or nervous, you are not alone. I happen to battle depression. Many college students today also suffer from depression. Though most clinical depression is a chemical imbalance, there is a social depression that is as real as the sky is blue.
The mounting pressure from society on political correctness and “screen door” morality has infected the character of the youngest members of American societies. As students strive to enrich their knowledge and skills by continuing their education, this experience becomes more of a paradigm of survival. This mindset of survival strips away the authentic character of the student who has entered the college environment unprepared emotionally. This infection has a major impact on the student who suffers from depression already. And if a student is not already suffering from depression, the environment of college can surely instigate a level of depression. However, it is not the college or the college environment that contributes to the depression directly; it is the preceding experiences, as that environment was subject to multiple institutional influences that have produced ‘accumulative trauma’ by an inconsistency of emotional readiness. This kind of trauma is a bunch of little trauma compiling into a mountain of trauma. A typical student who suffers from depression goes undetected until treatment or a reaction occurs, identifying the behaviors associated with depression.
While at college, the best way to combat depression is to avoid isolation and become involved in group events, projects, or support groups. It is true that there is strength in numbers. It is also true that every student is a valuable asset to themselves first before anyone else. So, getting that ‘A’ and not missing classes is top of the priority list as that is the first step in putting yourself first. Not only does combating depression together give us strength, but when the work at school is getting done with positive results, the battle of depression is being fought to win the war in a way that provides the tools for a lifetime. Personal experiences can be very different person-to-person. Each conversation with a new person can be uplifting. Isolation can be easily conquered by just simply saying “hi” to someone in passing. It is a good way to practice. So, give it a try!
By David Prim