Cheer up
By Daily Bruin Staff
Oct. 22, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Friday, October 23, 1998
Cheer up
If only life were that easy: many students go through bouts of
depression and should be aware of the options open to them on
campus if they need help
By Trina Enriquez
Daily Bruin Contributor
It’s something people say when they’re feeling blue.
"I’m depressed."
Unlike occasional bouts of unhappiness, however, people with
clinical depression don’t overcome their change in mood very
easily.
People dealing with this mood disorder cannot simply "snap out
of it."
"Sometimes it feels like you’re in a coffin, buried alive," said
Deborah Deren, who has suffered from major depression. "You’re
screaming inside your head, but no one can hear you."
Clinical depression encompasses a range of symptoms and
variations of an illness that includes dysthymia, seasonal
affective disorder and bipolar depression.
One of the most prevalent types of the disorder is major
depression.
Causes of clinical depression are not strictly defined, although
genetic and biochemical factors appear to play a role in its onset.
Events such as unemployment or the death of a loved one may also
contribute to its development.
The disorder isn’t limited to sadness, though. Clinically
depressed people have also reported feeling numb or empty.
"(Being depressed) feels like being a ghost," said Deren, who
maintains an Internet site titled "Wing of Madness: A Depression
Guide."
"You float through your days feeling insubstantial, cut off from
warmth, light and all feeling," she added.
Other symptoms of depression include irritability, anxiety, low
self-esteem, chronic lethargy, unexplained crying spells, changes
in eating and sleeping patterns and inability to concentrate or
find happiness in formerly enjoyable activities.
If at least four symptoms persist for more than two weeks, a
person may then be diagnosed with clinical depression by a mental
health care professional.
According to the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive
Association (NDMDA), the leading cause of suicide in the United
States is untreated depression.
Suicide, in turn, is the second-leading cause of death in
college students.
Despite these grim statistics, most students are not what one
might call major depressives, said Dr. Harold Pruett, director of
Student Psychological Services (SPS).
"Students come in (to SPS) experiencing dysphoric feelings all
the time," Pruett said, "but more tend to come around midterms and
finals. By then, things have built around stress and how well
they’re going to do."
As opposed to those students who feel overwhelmed, "only a few
actually have clinical depression," Pruett said.
"Exams usually bring about more anxiety and stress than
anything," said Dani de Jesus, a former resident assistant at
Sunset Village.
"Most people (who come to RAs) feel depressed because of
homesickness and feeling like they don’t belong or fit in," she
added.
There are no clear-cut answers as to what causes depression.
Pruett maintained that genetic, biochemical and environmental
factors are only associated with the disorder.
"There’s no X causing Y in depression," Pruett said.
Fluctuations involving neurotransmitters in the brain can cause
corresponding fluctuations in mood.
Experts suggest that these chemical changes may be aggravated by
a traumatic event, especially if one lacks adequate coping
skills.
According to the National Mental Health Association (NMHA),
taking drugs  either illicit or medicinal  may cause
depressive side effects.
Alcohol, which is itself a depressant, has been linked to
clinical depression both as a symptom and as a possible cause.
The NMHA has also said that genetics may play a role in
developing depression.
Studies have shown that the disorder’s occurrence within a
family is higher than that found in the general population.
On the other hand, a family history of depression does not
necessarily mean that one will develop the illness.
Like the numerous physical and psychological factors that can
contribute to depression, the illness itself varies in both degree
and type.
Because people are unaware of its range of symptoms, intensities
and durations, clinical depression often goes undiagnosed and
untreated.
Other physical illnesses may also mask the presence of
depression.
It should be noted that depression differs from grief.
Psychiatrists have stated that grief does not inhibit day-to-day
functioning or incite feelings of worthlessness.
Once diagnosed as clinically depressed, though, people can
benefit greatly from the support and encouragement of their loved
ones, as they may either believe they cannot be helped or lack the
energy and motivation to see a doctor.
Yet, upon seeking and continuing treatment, 80 percent of those
who seek help respond favorably and can overcome their
depression.
Treatment of the disorder ranges from individual counseling to
antidepressants like Prozac which restore chemical balance in the
brain of a depressed person.
Pruett warned against Prozac and its sister treatments as a
cure-all for depression, though.
"Medications help alleviate some symptoms of depression,
particularly if the symptoms are intense," Pruett said. "But not
everyone who’s depressed should take it."
Psychotherapy is recommended for less severe forms of
depression, though it may be used in conjunction with
antidepressants when the depression proves more intense.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on changing negative
thoughts and behavior, while interpersonal therapy concentrates on
improving those relationships that may contribute to
depression.
Therapy often benefits those who exhibit signs of major
depression and what Pruett called the "everyday depression" of
feeling blue.
It is crucial to distinguish the blues from depression, though,
because unlike the blues, depression won’t go away by itself.
It is not a character weakness, according to the NDMDA, and a
lag in diagnosis and treatment could prove deadly.
Yet, response to treatment is very favorable, and with
recognition of the disorder as well as the support and
encouragement of loved ones, people can overcome this illness that
affects more than 17 million adults in the United States every
year.
Comments, feedback, problems?
© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]
