Internal Blog: Concerning Depression Amongst Students

Depression amongst college students is startlingly common. Up to 44% of college students will experience depression. Unfortunately, there is an incredible amount of people seeking help that are not aware of the potential resources. Up to 75% of those experiencing depression will not receive help (Kerr, 2012). Because of this increasing issue, Franciscan as a professional and spiritual community needs to be able to recognize the symptoms of depression in our students and provide accessible resources. Our goal is to create an environment of acceptance amongst the faculty and staff at Franciscan University regarding mental health. We as a community have a responsibility to our students to legitimize the reality of depression and other mental illnesses. We at the wellness center are available for individual counseling, group counseling, and a variety of informational programs, however, not everyone is reached and gaps exist in our methodology of outreach. Therefore we the wellness center would like to propose strategies and suggestions to the greater faculty and staff with the prerogative to decrease the social stigma surrounding depression. Our proposal begins with three initiatives to reinforce the issue and solutions available:

• Freshman Orientation
• Hiring a speaker to raise awareness concerning the realities and normalities of depression in the college experience
• Providing information concerning the resources available for those dealing with depression.
• Mandatory Video
• To be viewed alongside the Title IX video
• Presenting the realities of depression and reinforcing the possibilities of receiving help.
• Student Testimony
• Providing a reflection or witness of a student who dealt with their depression through Franciscan University's resources and encouraging students to utilize coping mechanisms such as journaling and attending therapy.

Watch this video to begin or deepen your personal knowledge concerning the reality of depression from Kevin Breel, an " unlikely" case of depression.

"Real depression isn't being sad when something is going wrong.

Real depression is being sad when everything in your life is going right."

Confessions of a Depressed Comic by Kevin Breel

Works Cited

           Breel, Kevin. (May 2013). "Confessions of a Depressed Comic." Retrieved 

from https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_breel_confessions_of_a_depressed_comic.

Kerr, Michael. "Depression and College Students." Depression and College Students. Health Line, 29 Mar. 2012. Web. 08 Apr. 2017.