There is always that one week during term time crammed with essay deadlines when the amount of library books stacked on your bedroom floor exceeds the amount of shoes the average Exeter girl owns (bearing in mind this is A LOT!), when the predictable house disagreement over who’s turn it is to buy the next round of loo rolls or the trek to campus in the wet and windy weather seems to take its toll… that justifies an inevitable break down in the Timepiece toilets after a few too many vodka lemonades. We’re all in need of a little TLC (tender, loving care) now and then. Whether it be a girly night in with some chocolates and film or a weekend break at home where you are waited on hand and foot, it doesn’t take long for us to pick ourselves back up again and face the demands of Uni life. Yet for some picking yourself up, getting back on the straight and narrow becomes an almost impossible task making the demands of Uni life seem painful and unbearable, leaving the person trapped in a “dark” place that they are unable to escape from. This dark side of Uni life is Depression.
Hidden behind the social stigma associated with the term Depression, lies a serious mental illness. Defined by the NHS as a “low mood in its mildest form that does not stop a person from leading a normal life”, however there is cause for concern when “depression begins to affect many aspects of your life, it can make you feel tearful , or guilty, you may lose interest in things you have previously enjoyed causing you to lose confidence in your abilities.”
An illness that is becoming increasingly common, yet it remains beneath the forced smile of an otherwise “healthy” individual. However, it is important to note that there are now many services that are in place to treat and manage depression. The NHS advises that you will need to see your GP for a diagnosis and treatment plan. This might consist of taking anti-depressants or talking therapy, or a combination of both to ensure the most effective treatment plan is being undertaken.
With charities and organisations like MIND.org. trying to share awareness of the mental illness it is important to know what to look out for and when to ask for help. Below are some of the symptom’s used by GP’s to diagnose depression as found on the NHS website:
-you might feel sad low or miserable
-you might lose interest in family, friends and your favourite things.
-you might feel useless, helpless and hopeless
-you might feel anxious, agitated or worried all the time
-you may have suicidal thoughts of thoughts of hurting others (seek help immediately)
-you might feel tired all the time and have low energy
-your appetite might change
-your sleep pattern might change
-you may have issues with your self esteem
-you might find yourself being extra sensitive to everything around you
-you might have problems concentrating
These are just a few of the symptoms for a full list head to… http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en…
If your (or a friends) ‘termly blues’ don’t seem to be disappearing, and you are experiencing any of the symptoms above there are a number of services (Student Health Centre, GP’s, Student Well being and Counsellors) in Exeter all put in place to help you cope with depression and defeat that dark side of Uni life.
Image Credits: wikipedia.org