Psychologists Weigh In On Ideas That Students Should Avoid To Prevent Depression In College

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Psychologists, parents, and professors know how often college students feel depressed, to the extent that they need to take an indefinite leave of absence. Although it’s not something I always talk about, I have had the same experience during my last year at the university. My parents never pressured me to be the best, yet I knew that they were counting on me to excel in the scientific field, especially since I was merely trying to finish my thesis at the time. Things would have been effortless, though, if that was the career I wanted to have. In reality, it was not; that’s why I slowly slid down the depression hole and stayed there for a couple of months before I found the courage to reveal my situation to the family and pursue my dreams.

While I may be lucky to be able to get out of that dark aspect of life, many young students are still dealing with depression. From the past studies I have seen, the age range of teenagers who get depressed is getting broader, which means that the patients are becoming younger than ever as well. It won’t be surprising if the college folks who have depression already have this issue before they have even graduated from high school. So, it feels right to try to ease everyone’s pain by providing ideas about activities that students should avoid to prevent depression in college.

“The high rate of untreated college depression is concerning, as it can lead to distress, school failure, and self-harm,” Marcia Morris M.D. points out.

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Drinking Coffee

Aside from the common saying that caffeine can only make the drinker nervous, it also reduces the serotonin level in the body. In simple terms, the beverage makes an already-anxious person more anxious. Avoid too much caffeine intake so that you can be well on your way to your recovery.

In a study by Mi-Joo Jin, Dr. Chang – Ho Yoon, M.D. and Seung-Pi Jung,Ph.D, “the amount of caffeine intake had a significant correlation with mild to severe depressive symptoms and borderline insomnia [in adolescents]. This result is consistent with previous studies showing that caffeine intake influences sleep and causes daytime sleepiness affecting
academic achievement. In addition, persistent caffeine overdose can cause depression and lead to chronic depression as a withdrawal symptom even if caffeine intake is stopped.”

Having Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts plus negative feelings are equal to depression. Cut back on the negativities to provide more space for positive thoughts so that you can get a result that’s way better than despair.

Being An Introvert

From time to time, we hear some reports about someone who has jumped off a building or a kid who has opened fire on the school grounds. Often, these people are the ones who have problems that they can’t or won’t share to anyone. In the end, they kill themselves or others. If you are reading this because you want to get better, follow my advice: don’t be an introvert and start speaking your mind from now on.

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Eating Ice Cream

Ice creams are only good for cooling down the body during the summer season. However, you should stay away from it and don’t copy the TV characters who eat it when they’re depressed. If you scrutinize the scenes vividly, the ice creams don’t make them feel better for a long time. It only makes them feel fatter than ever eventually, hence adding to their depression. So, if there’s still some sanity intact in you, keep in mind that overeating ice cream is a no-no.

Being Hard On Yourself

Just thinking of people, girls and boys alike, who monologue about how unappealing or unworthy they are that’s why their boyfriend or girlfriend left them already makes my head spin, so if that’s what you’re bawling for, stop being hard on yourself and just keep in mind that it’s more of their loss than yours.

Saying You Can’t Do This Or That

Depressed people tend to become dramatic, saying that they can never get over their loss or that they can never be happy again. Do me a favor – and yourself too – if you’re in a state of the depression and promise that you will never, ever say that you won’t be able to get out of this situation.

“During college, students experience many firsts, including a new lifestyle, friends, roommates, exposure to a new culture and experiences. Students may struggle if they can’t manage these firsts. If students aren’t prepared to cope, they can become easily susceptible to depression and anxiety,” say Erica Riba, LCSW and Diana Cusumano, LHMC, NCC.

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Frowning

Frowning can make you look old, ugly, and grumpy, so if you value the good genes that you have inherited from your family, don’t waste it by being depressed and frowning all the time. Smile instead, and then you’ll feel better.

Sticking Around Sharp Objects

I added it here not because I’m already concluding that the person who’s reading this now has suicidal tendencies, no. It should serve as a precaution because there might be a time in your life when you’ll get an idea of ending it so that your problems will be gone too. For your safety, move away from sharp objects now and train your mind to not even think about them when you’re feeling low.

To Sum Things Up

Even though I have dealt with depression as a college student, it remains painful to think about other kids who may be living with the same disorder now and trying their best to hide it from their parents, friends, and teachers. After all, depressed individuals tend to be great when it comes to covering up their emotions. Nevertheless, if you no longer want to see yourself in that state, you should help yourself and not wait for others to take notice of the symptoms. Avoid the activities mentioned above to prevent the progression of your depressive disorder.