Student Depression Has Reached a Boiling Point

Student depression has become an increasing problem as the years go on. Students have to juggle a lot of different responsibilities: insane amounts of homework, finding funding for the cost of their tuition, trying to maintain a social life - the list goes on. 

Because of this, student depression has reached an all-time high. The problems continue to grow, but the solutions continue to be unaddressed. Here we’re going to discuss some of the reasons that student depression is such a huge problem these days, and let you know what you can do if you’re struggling with student depression.

Why Is Student Depression Rising?

There are a lot of reasons that depression is becoming an ever-prevalent problem for students of schools across the world. 

• Pressure. Students face a huge amount of pressure all the time - whether it’s being pressured to make sure that their homework is done on time and gets them good grades, or making their parents proud, or being sure to make enough money to support themselves while they go to school, pressure is a constant issue that can contribute to depression.
• Stress. The high amount of pressure put on students can lead them to develop chronic stress, which can lead to further mental and physical symptoms - including depression.
• Financial problems. There are a ton of financial problems for students who are attending school. First off, students often have to take out a massive loan to ensure that they are able to pay for school. In certain areas of the world, these loans accrue quite a bit of interest. Furthermore, many students are forced to go to work so that they can attend school. This adds more pressure and stress to their lives.
• Job worries. More and more graduate students are reporting that it’s actually still really hard to get a job after graduating from school and that even if they do, their degree doesn’t make much of a difference in terms of how much they earn.
• Social and relationship problems. Schooltime is one of the most intense times for socializing that a person will ever go through - which can be both good and bad. Undoubtedly, socializing comes with its own share of problems, which can make life more difficult for an aspiring student.

School students are also often trying to juggle a relationship with their schooling, which can put 

further constraints on them, elevating stress and depression levels.

What Can a Student Do?

Fortunately, there are a few things that students can do if they don’t want to succumb to their depression or want to avoid it entirely. 

• Get educated! School is great for teaching us about math, language, science, and the like - but unless we choose to major in psychiatry or counseling, we don’t always learn much about depression. Learning about the condition is the first step towards healing it.
• Get screened! You can see a psychologist or a counselor to determine if you’re actually depressed, or you can take a brief examination yourself.
• Be open and honest! Talk to your friends and schoolmates. Chances are you’re not the only person feeling depressed at school!
• Seek a counselor or psychologist! Before diving into taking medication (unless the problem is serious) talk to a counselor or psychologist to see if you can’t root out the problem and fix it without needing to rely on pharmaceuticals.

Additionally, if you’re a teacher and notice a student struggling emotionally, there are various ways you can help your students.

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s no shortage of reasons that a student might become depressed during the course of their schooling. Fortunately, there are many ways that you can prevent or manage depression, should it strike.

One of the best preventative measures is education: learning about the problem before it can take over. Counseling and screening can be further aids for people who want to beat their depression.

Hopefully, this article has provided you with enough knowledge to be able to avoid depression!