Depression In College Students Research Paper

Depression in College Students In her first year at college, Ms. Kathryn DeWitt did not waste a minute trying to recreate her high school schedule as she signed up for clubs, programs, and a Christian group in honor of her parents. She found all too soon that she could not repeat history. While DeWitt’s peers seemed to have had everything in their lives all neat and together, DeWitt was drowning in the workload. During Dewitt’s descent into depression a fellow classmate of hers by the name Madison Holleran, unfortunately, jumped to her death from a parking garage. “Ms. Dewitt would write: ‘What the hell, girl?! I was supposed to be the one who went first! You had so much to live for!’” (Scelfo). Today, the now 20-year-old Ms. DeWitt can share her experiences at meetings for Active Minds, a nonprofit youth mental health advocacy group. Ms. DeWitt’s story is just one of many that shows …show more content…
Students should be taught it is okay to be stressed so long as the student isn’t too stressed, it is okay to drop things to make them less stressed, and it is okay to admit when they can’t handle it and when they need help. It would be better for a student to drop out of school and do something easier than succumb to the depression they would fall into if they maintained such a high stress level. Depression is a serious problem that must be addressed. Some stress is okay, but stress pushed to the point of depression, which is then pushed to the point of suicidal tendencies, is not okay. The framework of college should be rebuilt so students know that everyone struggles, and there is no need for a “happy face”, because being depressed does not show signs of weakness. Being depressed simply means a student is drowning and needs help. So, the student should be supported in whatever decisions he or she needs to make to be healthy again, because in the end of the day all that matters is the student’s