Why are People so Depressed in College?

[Koolay]

Cases of severe depression among college students have become more common over the last decade, according to a new study that backs up what mental health professionals at university counseling centers have been saying for years.

Students have also become increasingly impulsive, more often attempt to injure themselves, and more likely to be diagnosed with more than one mental disorder...

According to the American Psychological Association, more young people are arriving on campuses with pre-existing conditions than they were 10 years ago, and 1-in-4 college students is on psychiatric medication.

[bennyboy]

Well, given that 50% of kids (I'm exaggerating, maybe-- I don't know the actual number) who don't have a burning desire to study in Grade 1 are diagnosed with ADHD, and that almost every teenager who feels less than chipper for more than a week is put on Prozac or another antidepressant, this is hardly surprising. I don't think the people are changing that much; I think the way we objectify emotions and behaviors to excuse them is out of control.

My kids showed signs of ADHD for a while. Then I told them I'd take away their phones, declare all junk and snack foods forbidden, and "help" them study (i.e. by sitting there next to them). Thank Jeebus, now they're fine!

Now, I know that some boys just can't sit down and study. That's fine. They're aren't defective-- they're boys. We shouldn't plan for them to be brain surgeons-- we should start training them how to fix cars, or to box professionally. Trying to put them through university (like they're going to be good enough students to land great jobs at this point anyway?) is cruel.

--edit--
Also, how is this philosophy?

[festive1]

Nuh-uh. Not wasting 40 minutes to watch.
The 1 in 4 stat, does that include drugs for ADD and ADHD, like Ritalin and Aderall? If so, that explains part of it.

[Koolay]

Well, given that 50% of kids (I'm exaggerating, maybe-- I don't know the actual number) who don't have a burning desire to study in Grade 1 are diagnosed with ADHD, and that almost every teenager who feels less than chipper for more than a week is put on Prozac or another antidepressant, this is hardly surprising.

Yeah, it's pretty horrific any way you look at it. Drugging children for non compliance with the state's 'education' system is chillingly similar to how they treated soviet dissidents.

My kids showed signs of ADHD for a while. Then I told them I'd take away their phones, declare all junk and snack foods forbidden, and "help" them study (i.e. by sitting there next to them). Thank Jeebus, now they're fine!

Oh really? that's good. I don't think it was the phone thing, but more time spent with parents shows almost universally positive effects.

Now, I know that some boys just can't sit down and study. That's fine. They're aren't defective-- they're boys. We shouldn't plan for them to be brain surgeons-- we should start training them how to fix cars, or to box professionally.

Or better yet, ask them what they want to do and go from there

Also, how is this philosophy?

Although a conversation on how the brain works and such is interesting, a philosophically grounded discussion on why college students have so much anxiety I think would provide more of a solution and conversation.

[bennyboy]

I think mainly they have anxiety because they have only one path in front of them, requiring MASSIVE commitment from them, and they can see that the chances of it leading to a prosperous future are far from guaranteed.

Right now, I'm planning to train my children in basic business skills: sales psychology, basic economics, market research techniques, etc. before they finish high school. If they think they have the right stuff to run a business, I'd rather fund that than spend $200,000 (or whatever) on college so they can get a PhD in the philosophy of footwear-- perspectives through history.

[Polaris]

They find they have to take care of themselves and start taking responsibility for their own life decisions, even the simple ones they took for granted.

[Gilgamesh]

I hate when people use depression as a label. "I have depression" just doesn't register in my brain. It's dumb.

It's just easier to get diagnosed these days. I don't think youths are any more depressed on average than 10 years ago. Maybe somewhat, since society keeps getting more and more unnatural for our paleomammalian complex and our reptilian complex to function in, which is going to -and is - fucking people up.

[MindForgedManacle]

When I attended university the first time after high school, I ended up having something like a nervous breakdown and ended up stopping school for the next semester, so I can definitely empathize with having a hard time adjusting to college.

Heh, my sporadic inattentiveness and out-there-ness has gotten to the point where my Mom is going to take me to get "checked on" to see if there's something wrong with me.

[bennyboy]

When I attended university the first time after high school, I ended up having something like a nervous breakdown and ended up stopping school for the next semester, so I can definitely empathize with having a hard time adjusting to college.

Heh, my sporadic inattentiveness and out-there-ness has gotten to the point where my Mom is going to take me to get "checked on" to see if there's something wrong with me.

Probably just need a big steak, early nights to bed, and a regular bowel movement, and you'll be fine.

---

I hate when people use depression as a label. "I have depression" just doesn't register in my brain. It's dumb.

It's just easier to get diagnosed these days. I don't think youths are any more depressed on average than 10 years ago. Maybe somewhat, since society keeps getting more and more unnatural for our paleomammalian complex and our reptilian complex to function in, which is going to -and is - fucking people up.

I was borderline suicidal when I was a teenager. The solution? 1) a lecture from Dad about how it's a normal phase, and just wait; 2) make friends, go to parties, try to get laid, and otherwise distract myself from how horrible my existence was; 3) realize that if you have friends, go to parties, and sometimes get laid, existence is pretty good.

Prozac would have cut down on that "sexy edginess" that teen boys have that ALLOWS them to occasionally get laid.

[genkaus]

I see this increase more as a result of over-diagnosing and pharmaceutical lobbying than any actual change in societal health. Clinical depression is a serious problem - but diagnosing and medicating any sort of depression just seems to trivialize the issue. Getting depressed sometimes is to be expected - especially when some major life changes are going on, such as being in college.

Yeah, it's pretty horrific any way you look at it. Drugging children for non compliance with the state's 'education' system is chillingly similar to how they treated soviet dissidents.

Wow, Koolay blames the state. Shocker.

Although a conversation on how the brain works and such is interesting, a philosophically grounded discussion on why college students have so much anxiety I think would provide more of a solution and conversation.

They are anxious because they have just left everything they've known and come to this new and unfamiliar place where they face a ton of new responsibilities and an uncertain future. My solution: get over it. Make new friends, learn new things. Enjoy this brief period of independence while it lasts. And don't use depression as an excuse for being lazy.