Dear Dr. Jeff: A friend of mine seems to be pretty down. How would I know if he's depressed? ?J.B.
Dear J.B.: We all feel blue and moody from time to time, and transitory feelings of sadness, self-doubt, or discouragement are likely perfectly normal and situational. Depression, on the other hand, lasts longer, is more intense, more pervasive, deeper, and incapacitating.
Depression comes in many forms and degrees. Common symptoms include:
-feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or irritability, that have no clear cause or seem out of proportion
-feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or guilt
-loss of interest in usual activities, including eating and sex
-insomnia or oversleeping, along with low energy levels and fatigue
-chronic aches and pains, especially headaches and abdominal pain, that defy diagnosis and don't respond to treatment
-abusive use of alcohol or drugs (really self-medication)
-persistent thoughts of death, self-harm, or suicide
There are a number of "symptom checklists" you can run through on your own, if you think you or a friend might be depressed. The Counseling Center web site, for instance, has a totally confidential and anonymous on-line self-screening test for depression (and alcohol abuse and eating disorders). Both the Health and the Counseling web sites also have links to other sources of helpful information about depression and other screening tests.
You are, of course, always welcome to come into the Health Center or the Counseling Center and talk things over. You might suggest the same to your friend. Both staffs have considerable experience in helping people sort their feelings out and certainly can help your friend figure out what the right next steps for him might be.
Depression is very common. Some experts estimate that one out of every five adults will experience clinical depression at some point in their lives. Depression is the second-most-common chronic disorder, mental or physical, seen by primary care providers in their offices. Eight percent of adolescents and two percent of children are thought to suffer from depression.
Not surprisingly, depression is also unfortunately common here at Bowdoin. In spring surveys, over 80 percent of students report feeling depressed (more than "just" unhappy) at least a few times each year. More than half report worrying about their mental health and more still feel negatively impacted by someone else's mental or emotional problems. Our Counseling Center continues to see significant numbers of students who are depressed.
Bowdoin is by no means unusual in this regard. Recent reports nationwide point to increasing student visits to college counseling centers. On average, those numbers have more than doubled over the last 15 years. The same has been true for the number of college students taking psychotropic medications, especially antidepressants. Some studies have reported that figure as high as 15 percent.
Commentators have considered various causes for these trends. Greater pressures on students to succeed academically and the breakdown of effective family support systems are thought to be foremost. There also may be greater awareness of mental illness and an easing of the stigma attached to seeking psychiatric care. Clearly, the greater availability of effective psychotropic medications, with fewer side effects, has also played a central role. While it is true that these medications have been marketed aggressively by drug companies, it is also true that they have helped some people advance in their schooling and careers when they might not have been able to do so years ago.
There are a wide variety of helpful treatments available for those struggling with depression. Come in to the Counseling Center or Health Center to talk it over. If that seems overwhelming, talk to a proctor, a dean, a professor, or a coach.
Talk to someone, and talk to each other.
Take good care of yourselves?and take good care of each other!
Jeff Benson, M.D.
Dudley Coe Health Center