1. Brittany Bauer
Dec. 12, 2014
Health Science
BG News
Word Count: 1,004
Depression
Even though one in four people between 18 and 24 are diagnosed with
mental illnesses such as depression, according to the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI), there is still hope for struggling students at the Bowling Green State
University (BGSU) Counseling Center.
In fact, mild depression is the primary reason why students visit the
Counseling Center, according to Clinical Director Anthony Rivera. In addition, over
19.4 percent of visitors attended sessions during the 2011-2012 school year
because of this condition. Rivera also said that the freshman and sophomore classes
are the most common group of students who come due to conflicts with friends or
roommates and adjusting to college life away from home.
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“It’s just a developmental stage of their life that they’re going through for the
first time,” Rivera said. “You’re having to manage your academic work on your own
more too.”
Furthermore, Psychology Professor Steve Jex said the stresses of uncertainty
with the future and academic pressure also trigger depression in college students.
“Nowadays, I think the expectations are really high of what’s expected,” Jex
said. “Some students are getting ready to get out and they’re not sure what they’re
going to do.”
Over 80 percent of general college students admitted to feeling overwhelmed
with their academic workload, according to NAMI. Over 45 percent of these students
felt hopeless as well, according to NAMI.
However, BGSU students with these difficulties are not alone and they do not
have to keep suffering. On that note, Rivera said students that can visit the
Counseling Center for a relief from their problems by “having a safe place to talk
about things in a confidential way.”
Many students are known to feel intimidated for going to therapy, so this has
hindered them from seeking help for their depression or for other issues. With that
said, stigmas or stereotypes associated with mental health and therapy that exist
within modern society are the main reason why students avoid getting help,
according to NAMI.
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“There’s no harm in it,” Rivera said. “There’s still a lot of stigma in mental
health, but I think that therapy can help anyone.”
On the other hand, Rivera said students are usually pretty open with talking
about their circumstances once they come in for a session.
“Sometimes they feel hopeless and that this is their last attempt at feeling
better,” Rivera said. “Then they’re more likely to talk about it and not keep it as
secret.”
If students are thinking about going on medication for their depression, the
Counseling Center also partners with the Falcon Health Center if that student and
their counselor determine together if it is necessary. The counselor and
representatives from the Falcon Health Center will then have frequent meetings to
discuss how their patient is doing on the medication. However, Rivera said most
students do not go on medication and only about 10 students at most do so per
semester.
However, Jex said medication can still be important if needed, especially with
depression becoming and much more common and because of the constant
advancements occurring within the medical field. Medication still becoming a
popular solution for depression in general regardless of the small amount of BGSU
Counseling Center students who take it.
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“Nowadays I think that’s the more common treatment for more severe
depression,” Jex said. “Treating through medication I think is becoming more of the
norm.”
Most students typically attend the center for four sessions. Rivera said many
students who are experiencing depressive episodes start to see a difference within
about three months.
“It definitely varies,” Rivera said. “The majority of our clients say they’ve seen
improvement when they do evaluations.”
Students are taught a variety of relaxation, stress-management, and coping
skills during their time at the center. The counselors also try to help students
restructure their thoughts and not make them feel less of themselves because of
depression.
“Everyone gets depressed occasionally,” Jex said. “You don’t even want to
minimize it, but at the same time you want to let people that things aren’t so bad.
We should get people not to focus on it every minute.”
Moreover, the Counseling Center staff seeks to be supportive by convincing
students that depression is something that can overcome.
“I try to help students understand depression and anxiety as a part of life,”
Rivera said. “When we think of it as a problem, we start to fight against it instead of
work with it.”
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Some students are also knowledgeable of how the Counseling Center
approaches depression with their clients. Freshman Heather Bolmer is one student
who can relate to this. As a result, Bolmer encourages students to stop in if they ever
stressed about anything or if they just need someone to talk to or to vent to because
her positive experience there.
“They handle it very well,” Bolmer said. “They don’t make it seem like a bug
issue and you’re able to talk through it.”
Walk-in hours are also available at the Counseling Center for students who
might have a hectic schedule that makes it difficult to schedule an actual
appointment. The hours are offered Monday thru Friday from 1:30-4:00 p.m.
However, regular office hours are Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5
p.m. if students would like to schedule an appointment aside from the walk-in
sessions. Some evening options are also open and students welcome to call and
make other arrangements if certain times do not work for them.
All in all, if you are struggling with depression or feeling stressed out with
anything from upcoming finals to adjusting to the new paths that college life is
taking you down, then you do not have to hold it in. Take a stroll into the BGSU
Counseling Center today to have your voice heard and come out as a strong student
who is ready to move forward and excel in their college career.
“It’s a really good place to go if you someone to talk to,” Bolmer said. “They’re
mainly open ears to anything and they don’t judge.”
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