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Signs & Symptoms of Depression Among College Students

High school students shifting to college often encounter obstacles to settling in with new people, a new city and an overall new environment. This change can be very dramatic for some and can often lead to depression. Depression is considered a disorder affecting the brain where a person feels prolonged sadness and lethargy. The National Institute of Health estimates 20 million Americans suffer from depression. Parents, staff and professors know that depression is a common ailment at colleges and universities, and should know the symptoms in the event a student is clinically depressed.

  1. Sleep Patterns

    • Depression affects all college students’ sleep habits differently. Some experience having trouble falling asleep or wake up throughout the night. Others sleep 12 or 14 hours a day and still feel sleepy. Insomnia is also common.

    Eating Habits

    • Overeating or eating very little are side effects of depression. Students will eat to cope with depression or cut off all food intake altogether.

    Loss of Interest

    • Many depressed people lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Psychologists acknowledge this and recommend depressed people to engage in new activities to ward off this feeling.

    Irritable

    • College students are stressed financially, socially and academically. It makes sense to be occasionally irritable. A sign that irritability is too prevalent is when things are going well and a student is still irritable.

    Difficulty concentrating

    • College students often are overloaded with academic work. As a result, students can feel overwhelmed and defeated. Depressed students have a hard time starting to study and struggle to concentrate once started.

    Fatigue

    • People who are depressed often feel tired and exhausted, even if having a full night’s sleep. Depressed students often feel like the smallest tasks feel insurmountable.

    Feeling worthless and unwanted

    • Depressed people tend to think poorly of themselves. Depressed students also expect friends and loved ones to feel the same way about them.

    Reclusiveness

    • Many times, students will pull themselves away from their friends and social circles, instead spending time by themselves. Even students with friends to spend time with will cancel on plans or make up an excuse not to attend.

    Stop going to class

    • When depressed, college students will distance themselves from peers, professors and classes. Even high-achieving students, who regularly attend all classes, will find that depression affects their desire to attend classes.

    Thoughts of suicide

    • Often, students who are depressed will think at least once about committing suicide. Some believe the world would be better off without them. Although depression and suicide are linked, not all depressed students commit suicide.

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