Dear Dr. Jeff: I feel pretty down sometimes. How would I know if I'm depressed and need medication? J.M.
Dear J.M.: We all feel blue and moody from time to time, and transitory feelings of sadness, self-doubt, or discouragement are perfectly normal and situational. Depression, on the other hand, lasts longer and is more intense, pervasive, deep, and incapacitating.
Depression comes in many forms and degrees. Common symptoms include feelings of sadness, hopelessness or irritability, whichhave 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 (self-medication); or 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 might be depressed. The Counseling Center website, for instance, has a totally confidential and anonymous on-line self-screening test for depression (and alcohol abuse and eating disorders too). Both the Health and the Counseling websites also have links to other sources of helpful information about depression and other screening tests.
You are, of course, always most welcome to come into the Health Center or the Counseling Center, and talk things over. All of us have considerable experience in helping people sort their feelings out, and we can certainly help you figure out what the right next steps for you might be.
Depression is very common. Some experts estimate that one of every five adults will experience clinical depression at some point in his or her life. Depression is the second most common chronic disorder, mental or physical, seen by primary care providers in their offices. eight percent of adolescents, and even 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.
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 may also 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 few untoward side effects, has also played a central role. Medications have helped many people advance in their schooling and careers, whereas 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. Visit the Counseling Center or Health Center to talk it over. If that seems overwhelming, talk to a proctor or R.A., or a professor, or a coach, or a friend. 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