Students may fall prey to depression

Brian D. Rothschild Arizona Daily Wildcat Dr. Kenneth Marsh, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the Campus Health Center, says depression is a common problem in society and students are just as susceptible to it as anyone else.

Dr. Kenneth Marsh, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the Campus Health Center, said depression is a very common problem among college students.

"(Depression) is common in our society in general. Being a student doesn't make one immune," he said.

CAPS sees more than 1,700 students every academic year, one-third of whom are diagnosed with depression, Marsh said.

More than 18 million Americans suffer from depression, according to an informational booklet distributed by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression.

Depression can arise due to a situational problem, such as the break up of a relationship, or due to a strong biological element, Marsh said.

Rachael, a senior majoring in English who asked that her last name be withheld, was on two anti-depressant medications over a period of 18 months.

She said she began taking medication in April 1994, when her parents were divorced, and she was caught in the middle.

Rachael said she enrolled in group therapy at the Campus Health Center because she could not control her emotions and cried constantly.

"I had good friends, classes were fine, I had a boyfriend, and I wanted to cry," she said.

In Rachael's case, the daily pressures of school helped keep her focused, she said.

Dr. Marian Binder, CAPS clinical psychologist, said there is not a specific time when more students become depressed, symptoms of the illness may be detected as early as the beginning of the semester.

Binder said that some students start out the semester feeling that they don't have the energy to carry it through, while others become overwhelmed as the semester continues.

"Anything that requires an extra effort or concentration is going to be harder," she said.

Breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend or getting bad grades are the most common reasons students seek help at CAPS, Binder said.

While depression can also be caused by a chemical imbalance, some personality traits put some students at high risk of becoming depressed.

Perfectionists, control freaks and those with high expectations are predisposed to depression, Marsh said. Stress, a symptom most college students are familiar with, can also lead to problems.

"Your own inner resources are depleted. You're giving, giving, giving, and you're empty," Marsh said.

Binder said there has been an increase in the diagnosed cases of depression in the past years, something she attributes to the publicity that has made more people aware of the illness.

"It's common now for almost any student to know someone that's on an anti-depressant," she said.

Since Prozac can now be prescribed by any primary-care physician, Binder said she has noticed an increase in the number of incoming freshmen at the UA who have taken Prozac since high school.

While depression does not go away on its own, it can be treated with anti-depressant medication or counseling sessions.

CAPS, which is staffed by four psychologists, two counselors and one psychiatrist, is accessible on a walk-in basis from 1 to 4 p.m. daily. The first visit is free.