Student depression rises

An article published in the National Post on Jan. 24 described the unsettling results of a study focusing on student mental health.

A team of US and Canadian researchers surveyed students who visited campus health resources.

They discovered that 25 per cent showed signs of clinical depression, while 10 per cent admitted having thoughts about suicide. The researchers behind the study insist that campus health centres need a blanket mental health screening policy, in order to catch students who might otherwise go undetected.

The results of this study are troubling, and point to a need for greater on-campus resources to address mental health problems. Many of the students initially sought help for physical ailments, but later admitted to depression-related concerns. This suggests that a certain amount of stigma still surrounds mental health issues.

Students need to feel comfortable addressing concerns about their mental health and seeking help when they feel they need it.

Support at the campus level needs to come from peers, health resources and instructors, all of whom need to be informed about the serious consequences of undiagnosed health issues.

While instructors are sometimes completely disinterested in the personal lives of their students, they need to be prepared to tackle these issues as they arise. University dons and residence life staff have a valuable opportunity to teach first-year students about early signs of depression—an opportunity which must be capitalized upon.

It’s important to recognize the limitations of this study. It concluded that 25 per cent of students showed symptoms of depression, not depression itself—a crucial distinction in many cases.

It’s also important that individuals be concerned about their long-term mental state and recognize that what they consider an ordinary emotional experience could be one of distress.

There are no easy solutions to this problem. Where many campus health experts agree with the need for additional support, they insist that they lack the resources they require. Identifying mental health issues isn’t the result of one conversation or consultation, but the end product of a lengthy diagnostic process.

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Skip to content