Depression
Purdue University Calumet Counseling Center
Gyte 05
219 989 2366
http://webs.purduecal.edu/counseling/
What are the symptoms?
 Depressed
mood (feeling sad or empty)
most of the day, nearly every day
 Loss of pleasure in activities once enjoyed
 Significant weight loss or weight gain
(change of more than 5% body weight in
a month)
 Insomnia (trouble sleeping) or
hypersomnia (sleeping too much)
Symptoms





Psychomotor agitation (physical and emotional
responses sped up) or retardation (physical and
emotional responses slowed down)
Fatigue or loss of energy
Feeling worthless or excessive/inappropriate guilt
Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or
indecisiveness
Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation,
suicide attempts, or having a plan for suicide.
Others may notice depression
if you:
Consistently making negative statements
about themselves
-Withdrawing from social involvement
-Increasing in irritability or angry outbursts
-Losing interest in sexual activity
-Begin complaining of frequent headaches,
stomachaches, or muscle pain
Who does it affect?
 Over
50% of university students report
feeling depressed at some point since
their freshman year of college
 15% of college students meet the criteria
for clinical depression
 Women are twice as likely to experience
depression as men (though this may be
related to gender differences in the way
sadness is expressed)
Related Symptoms
 Anxiety
 Substance
abuse
Common Myths
Depression is not a real medical problem.
-Extensive research has indicated genuine
biological and genetic factors that contribute
to the development of depression, not just
psychological factors.
 Depression can be changed by “positive
thinking” if a person is strong enough.
-Depression is not something people can “snap
out of” with positive thinking, as research
shows that it can change brain structure and
alter thoughts and perceptions.

Common Myths cont.
Depression will go away on its own.
-Without treatment, depression can last for
months, years, or worse: it can result in suicide,
the 3rd leading cause of death for Americans
between 18-24.
 Depression only results from traumatic events,
such as the death of a loved one.
- Sometimes, painful events in life can bring
about a depressive episode, but for many
people it occurs when everything in life seems
to be going smoothly.

How can you know?




Periods of sadness are normal throughout
your life, so to help determine the difference:
Depression Screening: http://www.depressionscreening.org/depression_screen.cfm
Completely anonymous and confidential
Does not provide a clinical diagnosis, but can
give you some idea of whether you (or
someone you care about) should seek
professional help
What makes depression
worse?
 Ignoring
the problem, denying the
problem, or waiting for it to go away
 Alcohol
 Drugs
 Social isolation from friends and family
 Poor diet
 Poor sleeping habits/schedule
What can you do?
 Accept
that the problem exists
 Stay active
 Limit alcohol consumption
 Increase social activity
 Eat a balanced diet, and don’t skip meals
Help is Available:
 Seek
professional help.
 Contact PUC Counseling Center at
219 989 2366 or come to the office at
Gyte 05
 Contact
PUC Student Health Service Center
at 219 989 1235 or come to the office at Gyte
Annex 34
References

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and
statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., Text
Revision). Washington, DC: Author.

Fava M, Cassano P. Mood disorders: Major depressive
disorder and dysthymic disorder. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum
JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusette
General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed.
Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 29.

Kessler, R. C., McGonagle, K. A., Zhao, S., Nelson, C. B.,
Hughes, M., Eshleman, S., Wittchen, H.U., & Kendler, K.S.
(1994). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R
psychiatric disorders in the United States. Results from the
National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General
Psychiatry, 51, 8-19
References (con’t)

Furr, Susan R.; Westefeld, John S.; McConnell,
Gaye N.; Jenkins, J. Marshall (2001). Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, 32, 97-100.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Larson, J., & Grayson, C.
(1999). Explaining the gender difference in
depressive symptoms. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 77, 1061-1072