Photo by Megan Verhey
Campus counselling services offer assistance to students dealing with depression
Mike Treadgold
We’re trying very hard to keep these articles and advice columns light-hearted, yet educational; helpful, but also humourous – well, we’re probably not really that funny, but sometimes we try.
But there are some pretty serious issues that many university students face. Issues that, for obvious reasons, shouldn’t be presented as a joke. Perhaps, issues like depression.
The very mention of the word, ‘depression,’ carries with it a serious connotation, but also a great deal of ambiguity. How do you know if you’re ‘depressed’ or perhaps just a little bummed out? I won’t be the one to diagnose you, but there are experts on campus that will be able to point you in the right direction and hopefully lift your spirits.
Generally, depression will arise from not just one difficult issue, but rather, a multitude of problems that students face, which include, but are not limited to school relationships, family relationships, academic expectations, eating disorders, and feelings about self-image.
“We really like to look at how a person thinks, and their thought patterns,” said Rob Baldwin, a Clinical Social Worker at Student Life and Counselling Services. “Their belief systems and thought patterns affect their moods.”
The well-being of the student is always the foremost priority when counsellors are dealing with a potential case of depression.
“We need to look at the surrounding circumstances and determine if the student is safe,” said Baldwin. “Unfortunately, self-harm is pretty common (in cases of depression).”
There is a defined process that helps students through their troubles, beginning with a gathering of information phase, followed by the development of a coping and management plan. The counsellors cannot provide a formal diagnosis – a job that is instead left for doctors – however, counsellors such as Baldwin are frequently dealing with the approximately 10 per cent of university students who have been deemed clinically depressed by a physician. The networking system between physicians and counsellors helps create a comprehensive approach to dealing with each student’s issues.
And by and large, the services offered on campus tend to be very successful.
“The students who responded to our recent survey said that the services that they received here were very helpful,” said Baldwin. “We like to think that it’s useful and helpful. We get a lot of positive feedback.”
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