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BEST TIPS FOR DEALING WITH DEPRESSION IN COLLEGE

Depression has become one of the most serious and important issues for college students across countries. College students may be prone to depression due to a lot of factors such as the stress of school work, or of the university one of the major possibly factor can be the feeling of isolation after moving away from friends and family. students who move away from their hometown to study face a lot of problems and are seen more depressed and anxious as it gets hard for the students to adjust to a completely new environment and people. College students should be aware of how they can differentiate depression from occasionally feeling sad, being sad does not mean you are depressed depression is a serious but now a common and treatable medical illness. No student or adult should suffer in silence, we all know how society puts a strain on people who suffer from any mental illness but regardless of that a person has the right to get the proper help that is needed this is their fundamental right. Symptoms of depression can basically include a depressed mood (feeling sad, empty, or hopeless),lack of interest or pleasure in activities that you used to enjoy at one point, sudden gain or loss of weight, difficulty in sleeping or insomnia, low energy, feeling worthless, feeling guilty, difficulty concentrating, difficulty making decisions, feeling irritable, feeling restless, or feeling suicidal. We can say that the symptoms of depression can also cause major difficulties in the day to day activities of a person. Traditionally, when people think of trying to manage depression they think engaging in therapy or taking medication will be the best solution of their problems but this may also vary from the type of depression a person might be suffering from. While medication and therapy are helpful they are often recommended to people who suffer from clinical depression. List of things that we recommend to people who are struggling from depression: Engage in Psychotherapy No one should deal with depression alone on in isolation from the world. There are a lot of trained and licensed mental health professionals who can provide you with ample support and help you to find relief and get back to normal again. Psychotherapy may help you to identify with all the issues that are contributing to your symptoms of depression and the best way to address these issues. There are many things to consider when it comes to choosing a therapist, research has shown that the relationship between the therapist and client is the center to positive changes in therapy and in the client,s life. If you have tried therapy before and it didn’t be of any help to you, don’t assume that it can’t ever be helpful, maybe your therapist was not right for you. Many college campuses have started to provide an on-campus counseling center’s for students to get help at the campus. Therapists on college campuses are often hired on their ability to connect with and support college students and do the best they can for them. If your depression is impacting your ability to focus on studies you can request special accommodations from the college. We encourage students to begin their search for a therapist with their campus counseling centers. Explore Medication Options If you have been experiencing symptoms of depression it is always a good idea to talk to your primary caretaker. You can seek the help of nurse practitioners, a doctor, or psychiatrists all of these can prescribe a medication to you. Sometimes psychotherapy may not be enough for more severe forms of depression and therefore the doctor may decide that medication is also needed. With advances in medicine, medications that can be effective in treating depression and helping a person to get back to their normal lifestyle. Practice Mindfulness Exercises Mindfulness may be defined as staying aware of the present moment and living the present moment to the fullest. While it may sound simple but being mindful is not simple at all it takes a great deal of time and practice to develop the ability to get in touch with one’s own conscious. There is still hope as there are many ways to go about learning the art of mindfulness these can be seen as meeting with a therapist who encourages you to be mindful, going to a yoga class and meeting with new people who practice mindfulness, reading about different mindfulness exercises and practicing them, listening to audio mindfulness meditations. Reports show meditation is a mindfulness practice that has been helpful to people in managing depression. Spend Time in Nature This may look like a very simple idea but spending time in nature has scientifically shown to reduce the symptoms of depression. A philosophical approach that shows that spending time in nature actually reduces depression is called ecotherapy, also known as green therapy, or nature therapy. Even a 30-minute walk in a green setting has clearly shown its impact of the symptoms of depression of a person. The reasons behind many colleges have been located in beautiful settings with a lot of greenery is because they want to provide a good atmosphere for the students Exercise Exercise no doubt has countless physical health benefits such can be seen as strengthening the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, reducing body fat, and improving strength. Exercise has also been seen as providing numerous mental health benefits which may include reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Research has proven that exercise does treats mild to moderate depression. Most colleges and universities offer campus to provide students with gyms stocked with stationary bikes and swimming pools. Most colleges and universities also offer exercise classes and encourage their students to take part in extracurricular sports activities. A student can start by simply walking to class rather than taking the bus or driving this will make them more active. When you exercise you produce endorphin which leads to increased feelings of well-being. Strengthen your Social Connections Going to college outside your hometown means moving away from friends and family and starting a new life, as it puts a lot of time and energy into meeting new people and developing friendships with new people. Stress can be a major symptom of depression it is important to know that social connection does reduce the impact of stress. “Depression thrives in conditions of social isolation and loneliness”. Breaking the isolation and reaching out to others for support is a powerful way in which one can fight depression. Improve your Nutrition Everyone knows that when you eat a balanced diet you live a balanced life. However, it may get difficult for students who are in college to eat nutritious food. The simple act of trying to add more healthy nutrient-rich foods into your diet cancels out some of the other less helpful foods. Simple snacks that wont require any preparation, and travel easily are saviors like fruits or nuts or dried seeds. In some cases nutritional deficiencies can contribute to symptoms of depression, so checking with your doctor to see if you should add any vitamins to your diet is always a good idea. Avoid Drug and Alcohol Use Drinking in college or even underage drinking has become very normal in our generations mind. It is important for college students to understand the potential negative health impacts of drug and alcohol use and the severe impact that this will have on their life later on. Alcohol and depression often go hand in hand. Nowadays students who are depressed do rely on a lot of drugs and alcohol to make them feel sane, recently many colleges have started to notice a a behavioral pattern in these and have taken up steps to reduce drug and alcohol abuse in college students.


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