User:College Suicide Prevention/sandbox

As new students head off to college, thousands of young adults are getting their first real taste of freedom - a chance to sketch out dreams, manage their time, and test various Ramen Noodle creations unaware of the pressures they are about to commit themselves to. Starting college can be a stressful time for any adolescent. For students suffering from depression it can be a traumatic experience. Worlds feel turned upside down. Even for those who manage to “cope,” pressures can cause these students to feel overwhelmed. Being depressed is not something that everyone can easily understand. There’s such a stigma that comes along with the term. So many people just see it as some fake, made-up condition that one should just be able to snap out of. What they don’t understand is that it’s not something that will just will away. There are so many pressures that students face on a day-to-day bases such as stress, parent expectations, grades, student organizations, money, social groups, and relationships to me are some of the largest factors that contribute to the rising depression of the average college student. Depression in college students should not be ignored as it can lead to suicide or future problems down the road. In college, young adults meet new peers and enter environments much different than high school. For many students, it will be the first time living on their own, away from the comforts of home. For the average student, this situation is extremely stressful and uncomfortable. For students who suffer from depression, these feelings are multiplied. Fitting into the right social groups is one of the hardest things that college students have to go through. Students who go through college with a minimal amount of friends or no friends at all will feel a sense of loneliness which can cause serious depression. Making friends and fitting into a social group is not an easy feat during college; not only is time limited for most students but finding the right group to join is very hard. Students who do not make friends during college will inevitably be susceptible to more stress. Most students who think about suicide will talk or hint to their friends about it; however students who do not make friends will be not having that outlet to vent their feelings to. Relationships are another stress factor that can lead to depression. Good relationships can be that motivator that leads to happiness and fulfillment for college students; however a breakup can cause serious depression for even the happiest of students. This depression can lead to lower grades, social seclusion, and even suicide. I can’t say I've really ever felt suicidal. But I know what it’s like to feel hopeless, like nothing or no one will make you feel better and you can’t even imagine feeling better or remember what it’s like not to be sad. This was an experience a very lonely one, but I know that I did have support from friends and family. It’s just difficult for people to understand what you’re feeling when they've never felt it. Just be a friend and listen and help when you think its necessary not when they do.

Work Cited http://campuspride.net/oldblogfiles/images/YCARE.jpg http://liveaction.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/p_suicide_prevention_01_2010_08_18-300x204.jpg http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsanewsletter/Volume_19_Number_2/images/Cover_PreventingSuicide2ndPageTop.jpg