How to Minimize Your Chances of Becoming Depressed in College

 

Remember that you've lost that daily contact that you had with your family, and with it, an aspect of your support system. Unless you're a serious hermit, you need to replace that with something else. All colleges have student groups, formal or informal. Join one that interests you and offer to be an officer, or, if applicable, volunteer to help plan events. It's a great way to meet people, and a shared purpose makes for less awkward socializing, even for introverts like me.

 

3. Talk to a counselor.

Depression in college students is often caused by issues that can be addressed through short-term talk therapy. You may be feeling homesick or lonely, or overwhelmed in general by the change in your life. If your family is dysfunctional, being away from them may be giving you a perspective that, while valuable, can be hard to process.

If you think you're experiencing clinical depression already, you should see a doctor to get diagnosed or treated, either with antidepressants or therapy, or both. It's very important not to put it off. These years are really wonderful, and you don't want to waste them by being depressed.

Back to School Blues: Symptoms of Depression in College Students

What Do These Students Have in Common?