A Resource Guide for Faculty, Teaching Assistants, Medical Practitioners, and Professional Staff
Common Problems Abusive Dating Relationships Academic or Career-Related Concerns Aggression and Potential Violence Anxiety Demanding Behavior Depression Disabilities Eating Disorders Grief Hate Crime or Hate Incidents Hazing Irrational Behavior or Inappropriate Behavior Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder Psychiatric Disabilities Sexual Assault Sexual Harassment Stalking Substance Abuse Suicide Trauma

Depression

Depression is a pervasive problem in our society. It affects seventeen million Americans each year and does not discriminate demographically. Depression differs from feeling sad or struggling with life events. Depression has specific symptoms of significant duration and severity. The most common features of depression are the subjective experience of feeling empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless and unloved; a deep sense of sadness and emotional pain; the inability to experience pleasure in many activities; irregular sleep and eating patterns; difficulty concentrating, retaining information and making decisions; and fatigue and social isolation. Some depressed students experience agitation, anxiety, and intense anger. Some have recurrent thoughts of destruction and are preoccupied with death. Some desire to escape the pain through suicide. Fortunately, depression responds to treatment, and eighty to ninety percent of those treated show improvement. Research supports the use of both medication and psychotherapy for the most effective treatment of major depression. When dealing with a depressed student:

DO

  1. When possible, see the student in private.
  2. Validate the student’s feelings and experience.
  3. Listen to the information the student is sharing.
  4. Be supportive and express your concern about the situation.
  5. Be directive and concise about an action plan.
  6. Initiate the action plan, such as having the student call from your office for a counseling appointment.
  7. Ask if the student has any thought of suicide.
  8. Refer the student to Counseling Services (893-4411).
  9. Refer the student to the Sexual Harassment/Title IX Complaint Office (893-2546) if the student shares anything with you related to concerns about sexual harassment or gender discrimination.
  10. Be willing to consider a request for, or offer, an accommodation (e.g., extension on a paper, exam or project) if you feel it is appropriate.

DON’T

  1. Ignore the student.
  2. Minimize the situation.
  3. Argue with the student.
  4. Provide too much information for the student to process and retain.
  5. Expect the student to stop feeling depressed without some form of intervention.
  6. Assume the family knows about the student’s depression.
 
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