Edited by Sophia Savva
First year can be overwhelming. The workload can seem insurmountable, and students are under intense pressure—often suffering from very less sleep, lack of social time, and possibly entering into a crippling state of depression.
Sometimes, it can be difficult for students to recognize when they are experiencing mental health issues; we may not comprehend the problems we are experiencing during a bout of depression. However, that doesn’t mean we should stop ourselves from confronting those symptoms of depression that we tend to underplay.
Unfortunately, those who are experiencing depression don’t always gain the help that is needed. As a result, students experience more stress, higher anxiety, and sometimes lack the coping skills or even close peer support necessary to help.
According to the Toronto Star, the American College Health Association suveyed 25,164 Ontario university students, which showed that between 2013 and 2016, there has been a 47% increase in depression, a 50% increase in anxiety, an 86% increase in substance abuse, as well as a 47% rise in suicide attempts. A lack of mental health facilities and services for Canadian post-secondary students creates serious issues that have gone undetected for years.
Cece Wang, a 2015 Rotman Commerce graduate, says she suffered from depression during first year.
“My depression was coming from loneliness and pressure in first year,” says Wang. “I felt disconnected even though I made some friends…. I didn’t know who I was and had no self-confidence.”
Wang explains that she tried to please others and attend social events she wasn’t interested in, and “completely lost” herself in the process.
“During the second semester, I spent a lot of time in the library studying and sometimes made excuses of going there just to avoid social activities that made me feel stressed,” explains Wang. “I sort of found my comfort zone, which helped in the short term…. Classmates came to ask me to help them solve some academic problem[s] or study together. I started feeling like I could contribute something and I was sort of worthy in some way.”
However, no one reached out to Wang about her mental health.
“I was not a very expressive person at that point of my life and I wouldn’t want to be seem like I complained a lot and spread negativity to my friends,” says Wang. “I thought others were dealing with the same workload too and they seem smiley and fine. So why should I get the privilege to make a big deal out of it. I also considered being vulnerable as a weakness at that time.”
Wang says some tell-tale signs of depression are a decrease in “vitality” or if they become less social. However, she notes that it can be difficult to detect depression if someone hides his or her symptoms.
Wang says the best way to talk to a university student experiencing depression is to share similar stories and act in a compassionate way.
“Most depression that I know comes from loneliness, hopelessness, and self-worthlessness. So knowing we are not alone in this situation really helps,” says Wang. “Another method that I would use is I would make the person engage in anything more often and also let them get involved with something simple with warm and kind surroundings.”
Wang says therapy sessions, informational lectures, and building communities are ways universities can help students’ mental health.
“I think self-realization or awareness of going through depression is important … because sometimes we don’t even know we are suffering from depression and all we know might be that we feel hopeless for a while,” says Wang.
Since depression is not as clearly visible as physical wounds, this makes it very difficult for someone to know whether an individual is experiencing depression. However, there are certain signs they inhibit that may be indicative of depression, such as difficultly concentration, fatigue, hopelessness, insomnia, abnormal eating patterns, migraines, or thoughts of suicide.
Sometimes the best help you can offer someone suffering from depression is to provide your full and undivided attention. Let them know you are concerned, ask open-ended questions and carefully listen, and tell them to seek professional help.