To Students, Congress Tops ‘American Idol’
College students are regularly criticized as being ignorant, self-absorbed and interested only in pop culture. But a new national study — conducted by Tufts University researchers — found that students know more about politics and civic life than many fear they do, and more than those in the same age group who are not in college.
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The survey was conducted of people aged 18-24 who are not in the military. Half of those surveyed were in college full time and half were not. Demographics matched the population as a whole.
Among the findings:
Half of the college students and 40 percent of the non-college students could name their respective members of Congress. Nearly two-thirds of college students and more than half of the non-college students could name at least one of their two U.S. senators. In contrast, only about 15 percent of the young people knew the name of the most recent winner of “American Idol” and about 10 percent knew the winner of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Approximately 79 percent of college students and more than 73 percent of non-college students said they had voted in the November 2006 elections, but only 10 to 12 percent of respondents reported ever voting in “American Idol” and significantly fewer had voted in “Dancing with the Stars.”
At least some of students’ Web activity is political. On average, college students belonged to almost four Facebook advocacy groups. According to the Tufts study, Facebook tends to be used more for advocacy of Democratic political candidates and liberal or Democratic causes than for Republican candidates or conservative or Republican causes.
More than 61 percent of college students had participated in online political discussions or visited a politically oriented Web site.
Of college students, 58.6 percent reported being somewhat, moderately or very involved in their communities, compared with 36.7 percent for non-students of the same age. More than 47 percent of college students reported involvement with community service organizations compared with slightly more than 24 percent of non-students.
To be sure, surveys abound about the ignorance of college students on key facts of American history and civic life, and the Tufts survey wasn’t trying to find out if students stay up at night arguing over the most significant of the Federalist Papers.
But Tufts researchers were encouraged by the findings. “Young people seem to know more about politics than they know about popular culture,” said Kent E. Portney, project director and professor of political science, in a statement. “This level of political knowledge stands in stark contrast to the image of young people as uninterested in and ignorant about politics and government.”
— Scott Jaschik
Comments
American Idol? Dancing with the Stars?
I’m a college senior and I don’t know a single other student who regularly watches American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. (I also live in DC and don’t have a senator or a real representative so I guess they would have me there.)
Jack, at 10:01 am EDT on April 5, 2007
I always thought it was ridiculous to think that college students were politically apathetic. While it is stupid to watch TV or care about popular culture, in some ways caring too much about politics might hinder a student’s ability to learn analytical skills that would help them later on.
Larry, at 10:25 am EDT on April 5, 2007
No excuses
With the proliferation of information available to students today, we should have the most informed youth in the history of the world. With satelite TV, Radio and the internet, people are inundated with information, both substantive and non-substantive, 24/7.Now, if I could just get my students to identify where there classes are we would have a winner.
Cynic Professor, at 10:26 am EDT on April 5, 2007
http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/04/05/tufts
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Improv Comedy Class for College Credit
College offers Comedy Studies at theater By MEGAN REICHGOTT, Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago
CHICAGO - Thirteen students lie in a circle and stretch. They make monkey sounds to warm up their voices. Then they practice being funny.
ADVERTISEMENT
"A ship," the instructor says. "The Mayflower." The students spring into action, morphing into the shape of a ship, one holding out her arms like a maiden figurehead on the bow and two rowing in the galley.
It is hardly a normal college classroom.
A new program at Columbia College Chicago allows students to take classes at The Second City, the humor Mecca that has turned out some of America's best-known improvisational comedians. Students also attend shows, network with artists and present their work in a showcase — all for college credit.
For aspiring performer Jennifer Ducharme, studying at The Second City "is exactly what I was looking for."
"I really wanted to get into comedy, especially improv; it's really what I need right now," said Ducharme, 20, a theater arts major at Boston University who took a leave of absence to spend the semester in Chicago.
It's new territory for The Second City, where actors usually come to learn improvisation on the job. Among those who developed their funny bones there are the late Chris Farley and Gilda Radner — both of whom became fixtures on "Saturday Night Live" — and Steve Carell, star of "The Office."
Columbia and Second City officials have lofty goals for their collaboration, which they hope becomes the "Juilliard of comedy," said Anne Libera, executive artistic director of The Second City training center.
"We would have died to have been in a program that had all those things; it's the education that all of us wanted to have," said Libera, who was in a theater company that included Stephen Colbert, host of the satirical news program "The Colbert Report."
"There's nothing else like it in the country. It's going to be big — it's going to be very big," said Sheldon Patinkin, chair of Columbia College Chicago's theater department and one of the founding members of what was first the Playwrights Theatre Club, then The Compass Players and, finally, The Second City.
The idea for the program came about more than two years ago, when Andrew Alexander, Second City's executive producer and a member of Columbia College Chicago's board of trustees, had lunch with Patinkin and college president Warrick Carter.
During the lunch, Alexander mentioned that a college in Toronto had a program that included courses in improv, Patinkin said.
"I immediately said, `Oh, what a great idea, let's do that with Second City,'" Patinkin recalled. "It was a mutual thing, we all wanted to do it."
Students take a full load of six classes, including "Context for Comedy," "History and Analysis of Comedy" and "Creating Scenes Through Improvisation."
While the training is as intense as other college programs, so is the cost. Tuition is $8,164, for the semester, plus an additional $230 for student fees. Students from out of town also must find their own housing.
Like many study-abroad programs, administrators will consider applicants from other universities. Candidates must be undergraduate juniors with an interest in performance, comedy writing or improvisation.
"Ultimately, yes, you have to be funny. (But) in this program, I'm not looking for funny people yet, I'm looking for people who have the desire to do this work and to delve into this work," Libera said.
Most of the inaugural class' 17 students are theater majors or have drama backgrounds, said instructor Jet Eveleth, a veteran improv performer who also teaches at The Second City conservatory.
Students "already have a lot of acting experience, and that's a great foundation," Eveleth said. "Sometimes, I'll work with groups, even graduate students, that aren't as free as them because they might not have the theater background."
However, a history of performing isn't necessary, Libera said.
"It's important to me that these people not just be theater majors, because I know that comedy writers and comedy performers tend to come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and that's important," Libera said.
Russell Chase, 22, a history major who plans to work in advertising after graduating from Connecticut College, couldn't resist applying after hearing about the program.
"I don't want to do the struggling acting thing," he joked. "But I was like, `Wow! That's so much better than sitting at a desk working on spreadsheets.'"
Chase said he's already interviewed at advertising firms in Boston and New York and gets the same response when recruiters find out he's studying at The Second City.
"They tell me, 'That's so creative,'" Chase said.
___
On the Net:
Comedy Studies: A Semester at The Second City: http://www.comedystudies.com
Columbia College Chicago: http://www.colum.edu/
The Second City: http://www.secondcity.com/
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Entertainment Video
Retro feel of 'Back to Black' CNN - Sat Mar 24, 2:36 PM ET Miss USA woes CNN - Sat Mar 24, 7:37 AM ET Grandnephew seeks to 'set record straight' about Houdini's death CBC.ca - Fri Mar 23, 7:28 PM ET Sandler Takes Dramatic Turn in 'Reign' AP - Fri Mar 23, 5:01 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070324/ap_en_ot/comedy101
15 minutes ago
CHICAGO - Thirteen students lie in a circle and stretch. They make monkey sounds to warm up their voices. Then they practice being funny.
ADVERTISEMENT
"A ship," the instructor says. "The Mayflower." The students spring into action, morphing into the shape of a ship, one holding out her arms like a maiden figurehead on the bow and two rowing in the galley.
It is hardly a normal college classroom.
A new program at Columbia College Chicago allows students to take classes at The Second City, the humor Mecca that has turned out some of America's best-known improvisational comedians. Students also attend shows, network with artists and present their work in a showcase — all for college credit.
For aspiring performer Jennifer Ducharme, studying at The Second City "is exactly what I was looking for."
"I really wanted to get into comedy, especially improv; it's really what I need right now," said Ducharme, 20, a theater arts major at Boston University who took a leave of absence to spend the semester in Chicago.
It's new territory for The Second City, where actors usually come to learn improvisation on the job. Among those who developed their funny bones there are the late Chris Farley and Gilda Radner — both of whom became fixtures on "Saturday Night Live" — and Steve Carell, star of "The Office."
Columbia and Second City officials have lofty goals for their collaboration, which they hope becomes the "Juilliard of comedy," said Anne Libera, executive artistic director of The Second City training center.
"We would have died to have been in a program that had all those things; it's the education that all of us wanted to have," said Libera, who was in a theater company that included Stephen Colbert, host of the satirical news program "The Colbert Report."
"There's nothing else like it in the country. It's going to be big — it's going to be very big," said Sheldon Patinkin, chair of Columbia College Chicago's theater department and one of the founding members of what was first the Playwrights Theatre Club, then The Compass Players and, finally, The Second City.
The idea for the program came about more than two years ago, when Andrew Alexander, Second City's executive producer and a member of Columbia College Chicago's board of trustees, had lunch with Patinkin and college president Warrick Carter.
During the lunch, Alexander mentioned that a college in Toronto had a program that included courses in improv, Patinkin said.
"I immediately said, `Oh, what a great idea, let's do that with Second City,'" Patinkin recalled. "It was a mutual thing, we all wanted to do it."
Students take a full load of six classes, including "Context for Comedy," "History and Analysis of Comedy" and "Creating Scenes Through Improvisation."
While the training is as intense as other college programs, so is the cost. Tuition is $8,164, for the semester, plus an additional $230 for student fees. Students from out of town also must find their own housing.
Like many study-abroad programs, administrators will consider applicants from other universities. Candidates must be undergraduate juniors with an interest in performance, comedy writing or improvisation.
"Ultimately, yes, you have to be funny. (But) in this program, I'm not looking for funny people yet, I'm looking for people who have the desire to do this work and to delve into this work," Libera said.
Most of the inaugural class' 17 students are theater majors or have drama backgrounds, said instructor Jet Eveleth, a veteran improv performer who also teaches at The Second City conservatory.
Students "already have a lot of acting experience, and that's a great foundation," Eveleth said. "Sometimes, I'll work with groups, even graduate students, that aren't as free as them because they might not have the theater background."
However, a history of performing isn't necessary, Libera said.
"It's important to me that these people not just be theater majors, because I know that comedy writers and comedy performers tend to come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and that's important," Libera said.
Russell Chase, 22, a history major who plans to work in advertising after graduating from Connecticut College, couldn't resist applying after hearing about the program.
"I don't want to do the struggling acting thing," he joked. "But I was like, `Wow! That's so much better than sitting at a desk working on spreadsheets.'"
Chase said he's already interviewed at advertising firms in Boston and New York and gets the same response when recruiters find out he's studying at The Second City.
"They tell me, 'That's so creative,'" Chase said.
___
On the Net:
Comedy Studies: A Semester at The Second City: http://www.comedystudies.com
Columbia College Chicago: http://www.colum.edu/
The Second City: http://www.secondcity.com/
Email Story IM Story Printable View (What happened to the "Discuss" option?) RECOMMEND THIS STORY
Recommend It:
Average (3 votes)
» Recommended Stories
Entertainment News
Oprah to name new book club pick on Wed. AP Campbell released from community service AP Miss Tennessee crowned new Miss USA AP Snoop Dogg denied visa for U.K. concerts AP Sharp-Tongued Gibson Takes Teacher to School E! Online Most Viewed: Entertainment
When Tough Love Meets Self-Preservation Dear Margo Snoop Dogg denied visa for U.K. concerts AP Location, Location, Location Dear Margo Miss Tennessee crowned new Miss USA AP Donny says Osmonds may reunite for TV special Reuters
Entertainment Video
Retro feel of 'Back to Black' CNN - Sat Mar 24, 2:36 PM ET Miss USA woes CNN - Sat Mar 24, 7:37 AM ET Grandnephew seeks to 'set record straight' about Houdini's death CBC.ca - Fri Mar 23, 7:28 PM ET Sandler Takes Dramatic Turn in 'Reign' AP - Fri Mar 23, 5:01 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070324/ap_en_ot/comedy101
Harvard Club Says "Don't Do It"
Harvard club promotes abstinence By JESSE HARLAN ALDERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Mar 22, 2:39 PM ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Sometime between the founding of a student-run porn magazine and the day the campus health center advertised "Free Lube," Harvard University seniors Sarah Kinsella and Justin Murray decided to fight back against what they see as too much mindless sex at the Ivy League school.
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They founded a student group called True Love Revolution to promote abstinence on campus. The group, created earlier this school year, has more than 90 members on its Facebook.com page and drew about half that many to an ice cream social.
Harvard treats sex — or "hooking up" — so casually that "sometimes I wonder if sex is even a remotely serious thing," said Kinsella, who is dating Murray.
Other schools around the country have small groups devoted to abstinence. On most campuses, they are religious organizations. Princeton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have Anscombe Societies, secular organizations named after an English philosopher and Roman Catholic. True Love Revolution is secular as well.
Some feminists, in particular, have criticized True Love Revolution's message.
Harvard student Rebecca Singh said she was offended by a valentine the group sent to the dormitory mailboxes of all freshmen. It read: "Why wait? Because you're worth it."
"I think they thought that we might not be `ruined' yet," Singh said. "It's a symptom of that culture we have that values a woman on her purity. It's a relic."
Others on campus have mocked the group. Murray said his friends take pleasure in loudly, and graphically, discussing their sex lives just to taunt him.
"On campus there is such a strong attitude of pluralism and acceptance, but then it doesn't extend to this," Kinsella said.
In the student paper, The Harvard Crimson, columnist Jessica C. Coggins praised the group's low-key approach and scolded Harvard students for their "laughter at the virgin." She said students on the campus, which has 6,700 undergraduates, should "find a different confidence booster than making fun of celibate peers."
True Love Revolution members say the problem starts with the university. They say Harvard has implicitly led students to believe that having sex at college is a foregone conclusion by requiring incoming freshman to attend a seminar on date-rape that does not mention abstinence, by placing condoms in freshmen dorms, and by hosting racy lecturers. (Harvard students have also launched H-Bomb, a magazine featuring racy photos of undergraduates.)
"Sometimes that voice on campus is so overwhelming that students committed to abstinence almost feel compelled to abandon their convictions," Murray said. He acknowledged he "slipped up" and had sex earlier in college but said he has returned to abstinence with Kinsella.
Dr. David Rosenthal, director of Harvard health services, disputed the notion that the university promotes sex.
He said students mistakenly think everyone on campus is having sex. The National College Health Assessment Survey, which included Harvard and hundreds of other campuses, found that about 29 percent of students reported not having sex in the past school year. For the 71 percent who are having sex, it is crucial to promote safety, Rosenthal said.
"Some students may have a feeling that acknowledgment is condoning," he said, "and it's not."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070322/ap_on_re_us/harvard_abstinence
Thu Mar 22, 2:39 PM ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Sometime between the founding of a student-run porn magazine and the day the campus health center advertised "Free Lube," Harvard University seniors Sarah Kinsella and Justin Murray decided to fight back against what they see as too much mindless sex at the Ivy League school.
ADVERTISEMENT
They founded a student group called True Love Revolution to promote abstinence on campus. The group, created earlier this school year, has more than 90 members on its Facebook.com page and drew about half that many to an ice cream social.
Harvard treats sex — or "hooking up" — so casually that "sometimes I wonder if sex is even a remotely serious thing," said Kinsella, who is dating Murray.
Other schools around the country have small groups devoted to abstinence. On most campuses, they are religious organizations. Princeton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have Anscombe Societies, secular organizations named after an English philosopher and Roman Catholic. True Love Revolution is secular as well.
Some feminists, in particular, have criticized True Love Revolution's message.
Harvard student Rebecca Singh said she was offended by a valentine the group sent to the dormitory mailboxes of all freshmen. It read: "Why wait? Because you're worth it."
"I think they thought that we might not be `ruined' yet," Singh said. "It's a symptom of that culture we have that values a woman on her purity. It's a relic."
Others on campus have mocked the group. Murray said his friends take pleasure in loudly, and graphically, discussing their sex lives just to taunt him.
"On campus there is such a strong attitude of pluralism and acceptance, but then it doesn't extend to this," Kinsella said.
In the student paper, The Harvard Crimson, columnist Jessica C. Coggins praised the group's low-key approach and scolded Harvard students for their "laughter at the virgin." She said students on the campus, which has 6,700 undergraduates, should "find a different confidence booster than making fun of celibate peers."
True Love Revolution members say the problem starts with the university. They say Harvard has implicitly led students to believe that having sex at college is a foregone conclusion by requiring incoming freshman to attend a seminar on date-rape that does not mention abstinence, by placing condoms in freshmen dorms, and by hosting racy lecturers. (Harvard students have also launched H-Bomb, a magazine featuring racy photos of undergraduates.)
"Sometimes that voice on campus is so overwhelming that students committed to abstinence almost feel compelled to abandon their convictions," Murray said. He acknowledged he "slipped up" and had sex earlier in college but said he has returned to abstinence with Kinsella.
Dr. David Rosenthal, director of Harvard health services, disputed the notion that the university promotes sex.
He said students mistakenly think everyone on campus is having sex. The National College Health Assessment Survey, which included Harvard and hundreds of other campuses, found that about 29 percent of students reported not having sex in the past school year. For the 71 percent who are having sex, it is crucial to promote safety, Rosenthal said.
"Some students may have a feeling that acknowledgment is condoning," he said, "and it's not."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070322/ap_on_re_us/harvard_abstinence
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Northeast Student Energy Summit
Northeast Student Energy Summit
Imagine being a part of history. Imagine walking in the street with hundreds of people demanding immediate, comprehensive and bold global warming policies. Imagine being a part of the largest climate demonstration to date in the country. Imagine spending a day being trained by top level organizers about how you can take action against global warming on your campus, in your community and in your state… Sound good?
Join us on March 23-25 in Boston, MA for the 5th Annual Northeast Student Energy Summit and make history.
REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE
The Interfaith March for Climate Rescue is a moral call for swift, bold, and comprehensive political action to address global warming. It starts in Western Massachusetts on March 16, 2007 and ends in Boston on March 24, 2007. On March 24 th there will be an interfaith service and a rally in downtown Boston. We’re hoping to make it the biggest climate action in the United States to date.
The 5th Annual Northeast Student Climate Summit is a way for students to join the Interfaith March activities, meet students across the Northeast working on similar issues and receive trainings about how to join the youth clean energy movement and push for clean energy policies on your campus, in your community and in your state. We’ll be joining the March 24 th climate actions. We’ll also be organizing an amazing series of skills trainings at Boston University throughout the whole weekend so youth will leave the Northeast Climate Summit ready to take on the challenge of a generation- global warming.
It’s time for youth to join together and demand a just, sustainable and clean energy future. Come to the Northeast Student Climate Summit. Bring yourself. Bring your friends. Bring your organization. Bring a busload of people from your campus. We’re rising to the challenge and we all need to be there.
REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE
Please try to find housing in Boston. If you can’t get housing on your own, we can provide it. Food will be provided. Registration fee is $15-50, on a sliding scale. You can probably get this money from your school- ask your student affairs office! If you aren’t able to afford the registration fee, please contact maura [at] ssc.org for information about travel scholarships.
Want to be a part of the Interfaith March for Climate Rescue?
For more information and to register, check out www.climatewalk.org. Join the ENERGY ACTION MARCHING TEAM and march with other folks from the youth clean energy movement.
CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES! We’ll keep the site updated with all the info you need to know about the Northeast Student Climate Summit.
To volunteer for the Northeast Student Climate Summit please contact Maura Cowley at maura [at] ssc.org. We think you’re super awesome and cool when you volunteer!
Join the SSC Northeast Forum - connect with fellow activists in the Northeast:
Name:
E-mail address:
http://www.ssc.org/nesummit/
Imagine being a part of history. Imagine walking in the street with hundreds of people demanding immediate, comprehensive and bold global warming policies. Imagine being a part of the largest climate demonstration to date in the country. Imagine spending a day being trained by top level organizers about how you can take action against global warming on your campus, in your community and in your state… Sound good?
Join us on March 23-25 in Boston, MA for the 5th Annual Northeast Student Energy Summit and make history.
REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE
The Interfaith March for Climate Rescue is a moral call for swift, bold, and comprehensive political action to address global warming. It starts in Western Massachusetts on March 16, 2007 and ends in Boston on March 24, 2007. On March 24 th there will be an interfaith service and a rally in downtown Boston. We’re hoping to make it the biggest climate action in the United States to date.
The 5th Annual Northeast Student Climate Summit is a way for students to join the Interfaith March activities, meet students across the Northeast working on similar issues and receive trainings about how to join the youth clean energy movement and push for clean energy policies on your campus, in your community and in your state. We’ll be joining the March 24 th climate actions. We’ll also be organizing an amazing series of skills trainings at Boston University throughout the whole weekend so youth will leave the Northeast Climate Summit ready to take on the challenge of a generation- global warming.
It’s time for youth to join together and demand a just, sustainable and clean energy future. Come to the Northeast Student Climate Summit. Bring yourself. Bring your friends. Bring your organization. Bring a busload of people from your campus. We’re rising to the challenge and we all need to be there.
REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE
Please try to find housing in Boston. If you can’t get housing on your own, we can provide it. Food will be provided. Registration fee is $15-50, on a sliding scale. You can probably get this money from your school- ask your student affairs office! If you aren’t able to afford the registration fee, please contact maura [at] ssc.org for information about travel scholarships.
Want to be a part of the Interfaith March for Climate Rescue?
For more information and to register, check out www.climatewalk.org. Join the ENERGY ACTION MARCHING TEAM and march with other folks from the youth clean energy movement.
CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES! We’ll keep the site updated with all the info you need to know about the Northeast Student Climate Summit.
To volunteer for the Northeast Student Climate Summit please contact Maura Cowley at maura [at] ssc.org. We think you’re super awesome and cool when you volunteer!
Join the SSC Northeast Forum - connect with fellow activists in the Northeast:
Name:
E-mail address:
http://www.ssc.org/nesummit/
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Handle College Without Depression
Student Resources
Help with the Demands of College Life
Get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students:
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
2. Tips for parents
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
Help for college students: Know the signs and how to get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
According to a study three years ago by Kansas State University, the number of students seeing school counselors for depression doubled over a 13-year period and the number of students with suicidal thoughts tripled over that same span.
This is alarming, but there is hope. Help is here for the increasing numbers of students with anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Campuses around the country are aware of the problem and many are creating ways to help manage these issues and even prevent students from developing mental health problems.
Read the following information to help manage these issues and learn how to get help when students can't manage the pressures of college life alone.
Some stress and anxiety is normal. Stress often increases as the number of responsibilities, choices, and decisions increase. Pressure to achieve good grades and fit into college life with ease contribute to the normal first year and back-to-school anxiety. Students who where successful in high school often find the competition too much. They are under even more pressure from high expectations to be the best and get higher paying jobs.
But, if stress continues to increase over time, the mental and physical results can be serious. Stress that persists day after day is a mental health problem. Experts agree that the physiological changes that result from stress contribute to nearly every major illness.
Be aware of the signs. The most commonly reported negative outcomes of stress include:
- Constant fatigue and/or insomnia: Are you just as tired when you wake up, as you were when you went to bed?
- Depression or anxiety: Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious? Do you have angry outbursts?
- Physical Illness: Do you have a susceptibility to illness? Do you frequently have illnesses, high blood pressure, GI problems, headaches or back pain?
- Are you forgetful or disorganized?
- Are you noticing yourself using alcohol, drugs, or food more (or not eating)?
Please see your physician if you experience persistent physical symptoms!
The good news is that stress can be managed if students take the opportunity to assess the effects of stress on their overall wellbeing and to take the steps needed to improve their health and quality of life.
Keep yourself healthy: Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Your energy levels will be much higher if you are getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking enough water, and taking the time to do things you enjoy.
- Exercise regularly, but not excessively
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours is average)
- Eat a balanced diet
- Slow down
- Stretch and breathe
- Learn relaxation techniques
- Remove yourself from stressors
- Get help from a counselor or therapist when the mental and emotional stress becomes too much to handle.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
If you are experiencing any of the following, please seek help from an experienced counselor or therapist either at your Student Counseling Center, through your physician, or log onto MyTherapyNet.com.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Depression, which can have any of these symptoms/signs:
Feeling sad or empty, decreased energy, loss of interest in former activities, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, excessive crying, difficulty in concentrating or making decisions, weight gain or loss, over or under sleeping and thoughts of suicide.
According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) if five or more of these symptoms persist for more than two weeks, it is recommended that the person seek professional help. Go to the NIMH website for more information: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
2. Tips for parents
Parents should know what is available on campuses to help their children. Many universities and colleges have counseling and intervention programs, some free and some covered by student health plans.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Unusual weight gain or loss
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Over or under sleeping
- Feeling sad or empty
- Excessive crying
- Decreased energy
- Loss of interest in former activities
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness and thoughts of suicide.
According to a new study by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly one-third of adults who have a mental illness say they don't seek treatment because they fear what thers might think.
Students who are not comfortable talking find it easier to express themselves in writing. They often feel less inhibited and safer at the computer's keyboard, accept suggestions and move to solutions quicker than if they feel confronted by their therapist in person.
According to the article, Erasing stigma key to mental treatment, by former First Lady, Rosalyn Carter, "While mental illnesses can be as debilitating and life-threatening as many physical illnesses, research shows that fewer than half of the 54 million Americans who have a mental illness seek treatment. It is time to stop throwing up barriers to mental health care needed by so many Americans. No one suffering from a mental disorder should feel alone or ashamed."
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
Dr. Richard Kadison, chief of the mental health services at Harvard University Health Services believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Mental Health Problems Increasing Among College Students
July 5, 2006, By KATHLEEN MEGAN, Courant Staff Writer
Every year at around this time, Dr. Kadisonef gets phone calls from concerned parents. Their children have been receiving treatment and medication for a mental disorder of some type, and they want to make sure that services are in place for their child in the fall at school.
"I am delighted to get the calls," said Kadison, author of "College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What To Do About It." He believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
Late adolescence and early adulthood have always been a time when mental illness is likely to flare up. "This is an age when there are developmental and hormonal changes going on with people," said Kadison. "It's a very common age of onset."
In the past, students with depression, severe anxiety or other mental illnesses often didn't make it to college or dropped out if those problems became too severe. Today, with better medications and treatment available, those students are staying on campus.
In a recent survey, about 90 percent of college counseling-center directors believe there has been an increase in the number of clients with severe psychological problems.
A study at Kansas State University looking at student mental health complaints on their campus from 1988 to 2001 found that the number of students who had serious depression had doubled, while the number contemplating suicide had tripled. Kadison said one in 10 students will seriously consider suicide, while 45 percent of students report having reached a point where they were so depressed they couldn't function.
FROM:http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hcyoungadults.artjul05,0,587993.story?page=3&coll=hc-headlines-life
Students and parents can receive confidential help NOW! Experienced therapists at MyTherapyNet.com are available 24/7! Therapists are only a mouse click away.
Managing stress is the foundation for a wellness: A well-balanced and healthy life. So, in addition to receiving quality therapy at MyTherapyNet, please visit
www.MindBodySeries.com for information, tools and products to help you manage stress.
ATTENTION UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: Don't let your students suffer in silence! Take care of your students and help them adjust to being away from home. E-mail leversole@mytherapynet.com to help your university or college set up an Online Therapy support program to ensure a healthy school environment.
http://www.mytherapynet.com/Public/ShowText.asp?EUID=&articleid=225&articletype=38
Help with the Demands of College Life
Get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students:
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
2. Tips for parents
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
Help for college students: Know the signs and how to get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
According to a study three years ago by Kansas State University, the number of students seeing school counselors for depression doubled over a 13-year period and the number of students with suicidal thoughts tripled over that same span.
This is alarming, but there is hope. Help is here for the increasing numbers of students with anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Campuses around the country are aware of the problem and many are creating ways to help manage these issues and even prevent students from developing mental health problems.
Read the following information to help manage these issues and learn how to get help when students can't manage the pressures of college life alone.
Some stress and anxiety is normal. Stress often increases as the number of responsibilities, choices, and decisions increase. Pressure to achieve good grades and fit into college life with ease contribute to the normal first year and back-to-school anxiety. Students who where successful in high school often find the competition too much. They are under even more pressure from high expectations to be the best and get higher paying jobs.
But, if stress continues to increase over time, the mental and physical results can be serious. Stress that persists day after day is a mental health problem. Experts agree that the physiological changes that result from stress contribute to nearly every major illness.
Be aware of the signs. The most commonly reported negative outcomes of stress include:
- Constant fatigue and/or insomnia: Are you just as tired when you wake up, as you were when you went to bed?
- Depression or anxiety: Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious? Do you have angry outbursts?
- Physical Illness: Do you have a susceptibility to illness? Do you frequently have illnesses, high blood pressure, GI problems, headaches or back pain?
- Are you forgetful or disorganized?
- Are you noticing yourself using alcohol, drugs, or food more (or not eating)?
Please see your physician if you experience persistent physical symptoms!
The good news is that stress can be managed if students take the opportunity to assess the effects of stress on their overall wellbeing and to take the steps needed to improve their health and quality of life.
Keep yourself healthy: Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Your energy levels will be much higher if you are getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking enough water, and taking the time to do things you enjoy.
- Exercise regularly, but not excessively
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours is average)
- Eat a balanced diet
- Slow down
- Stretch and breathe
- Learn relaxation techniques
- Remove yourself from stressors
- Get help from a counselor or therapist when the mental and emotional stress becomes too much to handle.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
If you are experiencing any of the following, please seek help from an experienced counselor or therapist either at your Student Counseling Center, through your physician, or log onto MyTherapyNet.com.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Depression, which can have any of these symptoms/signs:
Feeling sad or empty, decreased energy, loss of interest in former activities, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, excessive crying, difficulty in concentrating or making decisions, weight gain or loss, over or under sleeping and thoughts of suicide.
According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) if five or more of these symptoms persist for more than two weeks, it is recommended that the person seek professional help. Go to the NIMH website for more information: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
2. Tips for parents
Parents should know what is available on campuses to help their children. Many universities and colleges have counseling and intervention programs, some free and some covered by student health plans.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Unusual weight gain or loss
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Over or under sleeping
- Feeling sad or empty
- Excessive crying
- Decreased energy
- Loss of interest in former activities
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness and thoughts of suicide.
According to a new study by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly one-third of adults who have a mental illness say they don't seek treatment because they fear what thers might think.
Students who are not comfortable talking find it easier to express themselves in writing. They often feel less inhibited and safer at the computer's keyboard, accept suggestions and move to solutions quicker than if they feel confronted by their therapist in person.
According to the article, Erasing stigma key to mental treatment, by former First Lady, Rosalyn Carter, "While mental illnesses can be as debilitating and life-threatening as many physical illnesses, research shows that fewer than half of the 54 million Americans who have a mental illness seek treatment. It is time to stop throwing up barriers to mental health care needed by so many Americans. No one suffering from a mental disorder should feel alone or ashamed."
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
Dr. Richard Kadison, chief of the mental health services at Harvard University Health Services believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Mental Health Problems Increasing Among College Students
July 5, 2006, By KATHLEEN MEGAN, Courant Staff Writer
Every year at around this time, Dr. Kadisonef gets phone calls from concerned parents. Their children have been receiving treatment and medication for a mental disorder of some type, and they want to make sure that services are in place for their child in the fall at school.
"I am delighted to get the calls," said Kadison, author of "College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What To Do About It." He believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
Late adolescence and early adulthood have always been a time when mental illness is likely to flare up. "This is an age when there are developmental and hormonal changes going on with people," said Kadison. "It's a very common age of onset."
In the past, students with depression, severe anxiety or other mental illnesses often didn't make it to college or dropped out if those problems became too severe. Today, with better medications and treatment available, those students are staying on campus.
In a recent survey, about 90 percent of college counseling-center directors believe there has been an increase in the number of clients with severe psychological problems.
A study at Kansas State University looking at student mental health complaints on their campus from 1988 to 2001 found that the number of students who had serious depression had doubled, while the number contemplating suicide had tripled. Kadison said one in 10 students will seriously consider suicide, while 45 percent of students report having reached a point where they were so depressed they couldn't function.
FROM:http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hcyoungadults.artjul05,0,587993.story?page=3&coll=hc-headlines-life
Students and parents can receive confidential help NOW! Experienced therapists at MyTherapyNet.com are available 24/7! Therapists are only a mouse click away.
Managing stress is the foundation for a wellness: A well-balanced and healthy life. So, in addition to receiving quality therapy at MyTherapyNet, please visit
www.MindBodySeries.com for information, tools and products to help you manage stress.
ATTENTION UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: Don't let your students suffer in silence! Take care of your students and help them adjust to being away from home. E-mail leversole@mytherapynet.com to help your university or college set up an Online Therapy support program to ensure a healthy school environment.
http://www.mytherapynet.com/Public/ShowText.asp?EUID=&articleid=225&articletype=38
Depression in College
Depression and College Students
What do these students have in common?
When I took a part-time job and started
living off-campus, my course work fell
apart. I couldn't concentrate or sleep,
and I was always IRRITABLE and angry.
- Leah, sophomore year
After two years of straight A's, I
couldn't finish assignments anymore. I
felt exhausted but couldn't sleep, and
drank A LOT. I couldn't enjoy life like
my friends did anymore. - John, junior
year
I've always been anxious and never
had much confidence. College was
harder than I expected, and then
my parents divorced, which was
traumatic for me. After a while, all I
did was cry, sleep, and feel waves
of panic. - Marta, freshman year
They are college students who got depressed...got
treatment...and got better.
College offers new experiences and challenges. This can be exciting; it can also be stressful and make you, or someone
you know, feel sad. When "the blues" last for weeks, or interfere with academic or social functioning, it may be clinical
depression. Clinical depression is a common, frequently unrecognized illness that can be effectively treated.
What is Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel
and think, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people. Clinical depression is not a passing mood,
a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves
together" and get better. Depression can be successfully treated. With the right treatment, 80 percent of those who seek
help get better. And many people begin to feel better in just a few weeks.
Types of Depressive Illness
Depressive illnesses come in different forms. The following are descriptions of the three most prevalent, though for an
individual, the number, severity, and duration of symptoms will vary.
Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with your ability to work, sleep, eat, and
enjoy once pleasurable activities. These episodes can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. Symptoms include:
Sadness, anxiety, or "empty" feelings
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
Appetite and weight changes (either loss or gain)
Sleep disturbances (insomnia, oversleeping, waking
much earlier than usual)
Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, remembering
Irritability or excessive crying
Chronic aches/pain not explained by other physical condition
A less intense type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are less severe, but keep you
from functioning at your full ability and from feeling well. In bipolar illness (also known as manic-depressive illness),
cycles of depression alternate with cycles of elation and increased activity, known as mania.
How to Recognize Depression
The first step in defeating depression is recognizing it. It's normal to have some signs of depression some of the time. But
five or more symptoms for two weeks or longer, or noticeable changes in usual functioning, are all factors that should
be evaluated by a health or mental health professional. And remember, people who are depressed may not be thinking
clearly and may need help to get help.
I kept asking myself, "How could I be depressed? I'd had a normal family life, had been getting good grades, and
hadn't experienced any big trauma - where did my depression come from?" (John)
What Causes Depression?
The causes of depression are complex. Very often a combination of genetic, psychological and environmental factors is
involved in the onset of clinical depression. At times, however, depression occurs for no apparent reason. Regardless of
the cause, depression is almost always treatable.
Family History: Depression often runs in families, which usually means that some, but not all, family members have a
tendency to develop the illness. However, sometimes people who have no family history also develop depression.
Stress: Psychological and environmental stressors can contribute to a depressive episode, though individuals react
differently to life events and experiences. In coping with stress, some people find it helpful to write in a journal,
exercise, or talk with friends. In clinical depression you need some form of treatment to start feeling better soon.
Common stressors in college life include:
Greater academic demands
Being on your own in a new environment
Changes in family relations
Financial responsibilities
Changes in your social life
Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations
Awareness of your sexual identity and orientation
Preparing for life after graduation
I had a period of nearly constant turmoil when I wanted to "come out" to my friends about being gay but didn't want
to be treated like an outsider. A good friend made jokes about homosexuals and I was afraid of what he'd say about
me. That stress played a big part in my becoming depressed. (Josh)
My family wanted me home every other weekend and I didn't fit in there anymore. I'd argue constantly with my
father, who still treated me like a child. My sister thought I was 'uppity.' Everyone was miserable; I felt guilty. (Kim)
Psychological make-up can play a role in vulnerability to depression. People with low self-esteem, who consistently
view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily overwhelmed by stress, may be especially prone to
depression. For Marta, her feelings of being "not good enough" were worsened by the academic stresses of college and
the emotional conflict caused by her parents' divorce, which combined to trigger her episode of major depression.
Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)
As mentioned earlier, bipolar disorder is a type of depressive illness that involves mood swings that go from periods of
depression to periods of being overly "up" and irritable. Sometimes the mood swings are dramatic or rapid, but most
often they occur gradually, over several weeks. The "up" or manic phase can include increased energy and activity,
insomnia, grandiose notions and impulsive or reckless behavior, including sexual promiscuity. Medication usually is
effective in controlling manic symptoms and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.
During a manic episode, I stayed awake for five days straight, but had a lot of energy. I spent my tuition on a major
shopping spree and long distance phone calls. I also had sex with several guys that I hardly knew. At the time, I felt so
great that I couldn't see that there were serious problems with what I was doing. (Teresa)
Suicide
Thoughts of death or suicide are usually signs of severe depression. "If you're feeling like you can't cope anymore, or
that life isn't worth living, get help," advised Darrel, a student who tried to kill himself during his freshman year.
"Talking to a professional can get you past those intense feelings and save your life."
Suicidal thoughts, impulses, or behaviors always should be taken seriously. If you are thinking about hurting or killing
yourself, SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY. Contact someone you trust: a good friend, academic or resident advisor, or:
Staff at the University Health Services; a professor, coach, or advisor;
A local suicide or emergency hotline; in the Berkeley area: 510/849-2212; or call 911.
If someone you know has thoughts about suicide, the best thing to do is help the person get professional help. "I'm back
from the edge," Darrel says. "Now that I've gotten treatment, I know how to keep from being out there again."
Depression and Alcohol and Other Drugs
A lot of depressed people, especially teenagers, also have problems with alcohol or other drugs. Sometimes the
depression comes first and people try drugs as a way to escape it. Other times, the alcohol or other drug use comes first,
and depression is caused by the drug itself, or withdrawal from it, or the problems that substance use causes. And
sometimes you can't tell which came first... the important point is that when you have both of these problems, the
sooner you get treatment, the better.
Getting Help: Treatment Works
If you think you might be depressed, discuss this with a health care or mental health professional who can evaluate
your concerns. Bring an understanding friend for support if you are hesitant or anxious about the appointment.
Several effective treatments for depression are available and can provide relief from symptoms in just a few weeks. The
most common treatments are psychotherapy (“talk therapy”), antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two.
Which is the best treatment for an individual depends on the nature and severity of the depression. Sharing your
preferences and concerns with your treatment provider helps determine the course of treatment. Certain types of
psychotherapy can help resolve the psychological or interpersonal problems that contribute to, or result from, the
illness. Antidepressant medications relieve the physical and mood symptoms of depression and are not habit-forming.
In severe depression, medication is usually required.
Individuals respond differently to treatment. If you don't start feeling better after several weeks, talk to your provider
about trying other treatments or getting a second opinion.
Making a Decision and Taking the First Step
Don't let fear of what others might think stop you from doing what's best for you. Parents and friends may understand
more than you think they will, and they certainly want you to feel better though they may not completely understand.
I knew I was depressed but thought I could pull out of it by myself. Unfortunately, friends reinforced this attitude by
telling me to just toughen up. When that didn't work, I felt even worse because I had 'failed' again. When a friend
suggested I talk to his counselor, I resisted at first. In my mind, professional help was for weak, messed up people. But
then, I hit a bottom so low that I was willing to try anything. (John)
I decided to try treatment when my friends got fed up with me. They didn't want to talk about my problems any more,
but my problems were the major focus of my life. I needed someone who could help me understand what was
happening to me. I'd seen ads for the counseling center and decided to give it a try. (Kim)
When I began considering suicide, I knew I needed help. My resident advisor helped me call a hotline where I got
some referrals. It was just a phone call, but it was the starting point that got me the professional help I needed. (Leah)
Help Yourself: Be an Informed Consumer
Depression can make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless and hopeless. Don't give in to negative thinking;
remember, these negative views are part of the depression, and will fade as treatment takes effect.
Take an active role in getting better. Make the most of the help available by being actively involved in your treatment
and by working with a qualified therapist or doctor. Once in treatment, don't hesitate to ask questions in order to
understand your illness and the way treatment works. And, if you don't start feeling better in a few weeks, speak with
the professional you are seeing about new approaches.
Be good to yourself while you're getting well. Along with professional help, there are some other simple things you can
do to help yourself get better, for example: participating in a support group, spending time with other people, or taking
part in activities, exercise, or hobbies. Just don't overdo it and don't set big goals for yourself. The health care
professional you are seeing may suggest useful books to read and other self-help strategies.
Helping a Depressed Friend
The best thing you can do for a depressed friend is to help him or her get treatment. This may involve encouraging the
person to seek professional help or to stay in treatment once it is begun. The next best thing is to offer emotional
support. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage the depressed person in
conversation or activities and be gently insistent if you meet with resistance. Remind that person that with time and
help, he or she will feel better.
Helpful and Affordable Resources
There are many people on and around campus that can offer help and support. In addition to the resources listed
below, staff in your living center, your family health care provider, and your clergy can be helpful resources for getting
help. If you are not eligible, or don’t know whether you are eligible, for the services listed below, contact the University
Health Services (UHS) anyway. We’re happy to discuss eligibility and referrals with you.
People are sometimes reluctant to seek help because they are concerned about the cost of treatment. If you are a Cal
student, contact the UHS to discuss the coverage provided by your student registration fees and your insurance plan.
Is It Worth It? … Yes!!
While the depression was painful, working to get better has taught me about who I am and how to stay healthy. (Marta)
Getting treatment definitely changed my life for the better and helped me avoid flunking a semester. (John)
Resources for Cal Students
University Health Services (UHS) Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way 510/ 642-2000 www.uhs.berkeley.edu
Emergency consultations
Counseling and Psych Services (M, T, W, F: 8-5; Th: 9-5): 642-9494.
After Hours Assistance: 510 /643-7197
24 hour crisis line: Alameda County Suicide Crisis Line: 510/849-2212
Appointments
Counseling and referral for anti-depressant medication evaluation, call CPS: 642-9494.
Medical appointments, including medication evaluations: 642-2000.
Health education appointments to discuss diet, exercise, and stress management: 642-2000.
Workshops
Counseling and Psychological Services (642-9494) has a variety of informational workshops and support
groups on depression, bipolar disorder, and understanding moods. Check the UHS website for updates and
schedules: www.uhs.berkeley.edu.
Self-Care Resource Center, Second Floor, Tang Center
A health information library with interactive computer programs, access to health websites, books, audio and
videotapes, pamphlets, magazines, journals and self-assessment tools. Books and handouts on depression and
other mental health issues. Hours during Fall and Spring Semesters are M – F, 11 am - 4 pm. 642-7202.
Adapted for UC Berkeley, University Health Services, from NIH Publication No. 97-4266; November 2003. s:uhs/healthed/depresscoll.doc
http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/home/healthtopics/pdf/depresstudents.pdf
What do these students have in common?
When I took a part-time job and started
living off-campus, my course work fell
apart. I couldn't concentrate or sleep,
and I was always IRRITABLE and angry.
- Leah, sophomore year
After two years of straight A's, I
couldn't finish assignments anymore. I
felt exhausted but couldn't sleep, and
drank A LOT. I couldn't enjoy life like
my friends did anymore. - John, junior
year
I've always been anxious and never
had much confidence. College was
harder than I expected, and then
my parents divorced, which was
traumatic for me. After a while, all I
did was cry, sleep, and feel waves
of panic. - Marta, freshman year
They are college students who got depressed...got
treatment...and got better.
College offers new experiences and challenges. This can be exciting; it can also be stressful and make you, or someone
you know, feel sad. When "the blues" last for weeks, or interfere with academic or social functioning, it may be clinical
depression. Clinical depression is a common, frequently unrecognized illness that can be effectively treated.
What is Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel
and think, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people. Clinical depression is not a passing mood,
a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves
together" and get better. Depression can be successfully treated. With the right treatment, 80 percent of those who seek
help get better. And many people begin to feel better in just a few weeks.
Types of Depressive Illness
Depressive illnesses come in different forms. The following are descriptions of the three most prevalent, though for an
individual, the number, severity, and duration of symptoms will vary.
Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with your ability to work, sleep, eat, and
enjoy once pleasurable activities. These episodes can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. Symptoms include:
Sadness, anxiety, or "empty" feelings
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
Appetite and weight changes (either loss or gain)
Sleep disturbances (insomnia, oversleeping, waking
much earlier than usual)
Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, remembering
Irritability or excessive crying
Chronic aches/pain not explained by other physical condition
A less intense type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are less severe, but keep you
from functioning at your full ability and from feeling well. In bipolar illness (also known as manic-depressive illness),
cycles of depression alternate with cycles of elation and increased activity, known as mania.
How to Recognize Depression
The first step in defeating depression is recognizing it. It's normal to have some signs of depression some of the time. But
five or more symptoms for two weeks or longer, or noticeable changes in usual functioning, are all factors that should
be evaluated by a health or mental health professional. And remember, people who are depressed may not be thinking
clearly and may need help to get help.
I kept asking myself, "How could I be depressed? I'd had a normal family life, had been getting good grades, and
hadn't experienced any big trauma - where did my depression come from?" (John)
What Causes Depression?
The causes of depression are complex. Very often a combination of genetic, psychological and environmental factors is
involved in the onset of clinical depression. At times, however, depression occurs for no apparent reason. Regardless of
the cause, depression is almost always treatable.
Family History: Depression often runs in families, which usually means that some, but not all, family members have a
tendency to develop the illness. However, sometimes people who have no family history also develop depression.
Stress: Psychological and environmental stressors can contribute to a depressive episode, though individuals react
differently to life events and experiences. In coping with stress, some people find it helpful to write in a journal,
exercise, or talk with friends. In clinical depression you need some form of treatment to start feeling better soon.
Common stressors in college life include:
Greater academic demands
Being on your own in a new environment
Changes in family relations
Financial responsibilities
Changes in your social life
Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations
Awareness of your sexual identity and orientation
Preparing for life after graduation
I had a period of nearly constant turmoil when I wanted to "come out" to my friends about being gay but didn't want
to be treated like an outsider. A good friend made jokes about homosexuals and I was afraid of what he'd say about
me. That stress played a big part in my becoming depressed. (Josh)
My family wanted me home every other weekend and I didn't fit in there anymore. I'd argue constantly with my
father, who still treated me like a child. My sister thought I was 'uppity.' Everyone was miserable; I felt guilty. (Kim)
Psychological make-up can play a role in vulnerability to depression. People with low self-esteem, who consistently
view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily overwhelmed by stress, may be especially prone to
depression. For Marta, her feelings of being "not good enough" were worsened by the academic stresses of college and
the emotional conflict caused by her parents' divorce, which combined to trigger her episode of major depression.
Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)
As mentioned earlier, bipolar disorder is a type of depressive illness that involves mood swings that go from periods of
depression to periods of being overly "up" and irritable. Sometimes the mood swings are dramatic or rapid, but most
often they occur gradually, over several weeks. The "up" or manic phase can include increased energy and activity,
insomnia, grandiose notions and impulsive or reckless behavior, including sexual promiscuity. Medication usually is
effective in controlling manic symptoms and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.
During a manic episode, I stayed awake for five days straight, but had a lot of energy. I spent my tuition on a major
shopping spree and long distance phone calls. I also had sex with several guys that I hardly knew. At the time, I felt so
great that I couldn't see that there were serious problems with what I was doing. (Teresa)
Suicide
Thoughts of death or suicide are usually signs of severe depression. "If you're feeling like you can't cope anymore, or
that life isn't worth living, get help," advised Darrel, a student who tried to kill himself during his freshman year.
"Talking to a professional can get you past those intense feelings and save your life."
Suicidal thoughts, impulses, or behaviors always should be taken seriously. If you are thinking about hurting or killing
yourself, SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY. Contact someone you trust: a good friend, academic or resident advisor, or:
Staff at the University Health Services; a professor, coach, or advisor;
A local suicide or emergency hotline; in the Berkeley area: 510/849-2212; or call 911.
If someone you know has thoughts about suicide, the best thing to do is help the person get professional help. "I'm back
from the edge," Darrel says. "Now that I've gotten treatment, I know how to keep from being out there again."
Depression and Alcohol and Other Drugs
A lot of depressed people, especially teenagers, also have problems with alcohol or other drugs. Sometimes the
depression comes first and people try drugs as a way to escape it. Other times, the alcohol or other drug use comes first,
and depression is caused by the drug itself, or withdrawal from it, or the problems that substance use causes. And
sometimes you can't tell which came first... the important point is that when you have both of these problems, the
sooner you get treatment, the better.
Getting Help: Treatment Works
If you think you might be depressed, discuss this with a health care or mental health professional who can evaluate
your concerns. Bring an understanding friend for support if you are hesitant or anxious about the appointment.
Several effective treatments for depression are available and can provide relief from symptoms in just a few weeks. The
most common treatments are psychotherapy (“talk therapy”), antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two.
Which is the best treatment for an individual depends on the nature and severity of the depression. Sharing your
preferences and concerns with your treatment provider helps determine the course of treatment. Certain types of
psychotherapy can help resolve the psychological or interpersonal problems that contribute to, or result from, the
illness. Antidepressant medications relieve the physical and mood symptoms of depression and are not habit-forming.
In severe depression, medication is usually required.
Individuals respond differently to treatment. If you don't start feeling better after several weeks, talk to your provider
about trying other treatments or getting a second opinion.
Making a Decision and Taking the First Step
Don't let fear of what others might think stop you from doing what's best for you. Parents and friends may understand
more than you think they will, and they certainly want you to feel better though they may not completely understand.
I knew I was depressed but thought I could pull out of it by myself. Unfortunately, friends reinforced this attitude by
telling me to just toughen up. When that didn't work, I felt even worse because I had 'failed' again. When a friend
suggested I talk to his counselor, I resisted at first. In my mind, professional help was for weak, messed up people. But
then, I hit a bottom so low that I was willing to try anything. (John)
I decided to try treatment when my friends got fed up with me. They didn't want to talk about my problems any more,
but my problems were the major focus of my life. I needed someone who could help me understand what was
happening to me. I'd seen ads for the counseling center and decided to give it a try. (Kim)
When I began considering suicide, I knew I needed help. My resident advisor helped me call a hotline where I got
some referrals. It was just a phone call, but it was the starting point that got me the professional help I needed. (Leah)
Help Yourself: Be an Informed Consumer
Depression can make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless and hopeless. Don't give in to negative thinking;
remember, these negative views are part of the depression, and will fade as treatment takes effect.
Take an active role in getting better. Make the most of the help available by being actively involved in your treatment
and by working with a qualified therapist or doctor. Once in treatment, don't hesitate to ask questions in order to
understand your illness and the way treatment works. And, if you don't start feeling better in a few weeks, speak with
the professional you are seeing about new approaches.
Be good to yourself while you're getting well. Along with professional help, there are some other simple things you can
do to help yourself get better, for example: participating in a support group, spending time with other people, or taking
part in activities, exercise, or hobbies. Just don't overdo it and don't set big goals for yourself. The health care
professional you are seeing may suggest useful books to read and other self-help strategies.
Helping a Depressed Friend
The best thing you can do for a depressed friend is to help him or her get treatment. This may involve encouraging the
person to seek professional help or to stay in treatment once it is begun. The next best thing is to offer emotional
support. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage the depressed person in
conversation or activities and be gently insistent if you meet with resistance. Remind that person that with time and
help, he or she will feel better.
Helpful and Affordable Resources
There are many people on and around campus that can offer help and support. In addition to the resources listed
below, staff in your living center, your family health care provider, and your clergy can be helpful resources for getting
help. If you are not eligible, or don’t know whether you are eligible, for the services listed below, contact the University
Health Services (UHS) anyway. We’re happy to discuss eligibility and referrals with you.
People are sometimes reluctant to seek help because they are concerned about the cost of treatment. If you are a Cal
student, contact the UHS to discuss the coverage provided by your student registration fees and your insurance plan.
Is It Worth It? … Yes!!
While the depression was painful, working to get better has taught me about who I am and how to stay healthy. (Marta)
Getting treatment definitely changed my life for the better and helped me avoid flunking a semester. (John)
Resources for Cal Students
University Health Services (UHS) Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way 510/ 642-2000 www.uhs.berkeley.edu
Emergency consultations
Counseling and Psych Services (M, T, W, F: 8-5; Th: 9-5): 642-9494.
After Hours Assistance: 510 /643-7197
24 hour crisis line: Alameda County Suicide Crisis Line: 510/849-2212
Appointments
Counseling and referral for anti-depressant medication evaluation, call CPS: 642-9494.
Medical appointments, including medication evaluations: 642-2000.
Health education appointments to discuss diet, exercise, and stress management: 642-2000.
Workshops
Counseling and Psychological Services (642-9494) has a variety of informational workshops and support
groups on depression, bipolar disorder, and understanding moods. Check the UHS website for updates and
schedules: www.uhs.berkeley.edu.
Self-Care Resource Center, Second Floor, Tang Center
A health information library with interactive computer programs, access to health websites, books, audio and
videotapes, pamphlets, magazines, journals and self-assessment tools. Books and handouts on depression and
other mental health issues. Hours during Fall and Spring Semesters are M – F, 11 am - 4 pm. 642-7202.
Adapted for UC Berkeley, University Health Services, from NIH Publication No. 97-4266; November 2003. s:uhs/healthed/depresscoll.doc
http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/home/healthtopics/pdf/depresstudents.pdf
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Student Government Politics at Queens College
UP Misleading Students?
Herman Araya
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: News
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1
[Click to enlarge]
"The "UP" in capital letters might be perceived as a coincidence to some or as a blatant misuse of Student Association resources during the 2007 campaign season."
[Click to enlarge]
Anyone would want to know what it is they're looking at before they sign something.
At the Valentine's Day event held in the Student Union there were several reports of students being asked to sign a sheet at the door. It turned out that this sheet was a student-fee increase referendum requiring signatures in order to get placed on the ballot.
Student Association President Mahendra Singh, a member of the United People party, discounted any accusations that he encouraged workers to collect signatures without telling students what it was for. "I can deny that on record," Singh said. SA Academic Chair Ilysse Baum said that there was "by no means coercion" for students to sign the referendum. They said students should know on their own not to sign their name on something they do not have to sign.
Junior Christine Cameron said she was told to sign in when she arrived at the event. Cameron said she was not informed about what she was signing. However, she was not all that upset about allegations. "It was just giving us a choice to vote" on the issue of a student-fee increase, she said.
Pamela Moore, a senior, said that students were not being denied entry to the Valentine's Day event but were not told what it was they were signing. Moore said people simply told students "sign in," or "sign here."
"They weren't explaining anything," Moore said. At one point a student asked what the sign-in sheet was for, Moore related, and the response was, "We're just trying to get this on the ballot."
Asked how she felt about the event Moore said, "What they did was sneaky … They knew exactly what they were doing."
One student, Isaac, who requested that he be identified by his first name only, said, "I was told that I had to sign it [the paper] to enter, and I saw them call someone over who was entering without signing the sheet and told him to sign it. I did not want to start a fight so I did not protest, but I felt like I had to leave if I did not sign it."
Student Life Director Jen Jarvis downplayed rumors that students were wrongly told to sign the referendum at the Valentine's Day event, saying that students were "confused."
"I was informed that petitioning was happening outside of the party and that if possible could I come upstairs," Jarvis said. She went up to the ballroom and asked the Student Association to move the location of the referendum petition away from the lobby and towards the foyer area. Jarvis said that by moving the referendum table to the hallway "it didn't have this perception of being a sign-in sheet."
Asked whether or not something would be done if the accusations were confirmed Jarvis responded, "It's not for me to determine" and that it is an issue that the Elections Committee would have to deal with.
If the referendum is carried out despite the misbehavior reported to have taken place it will go to the Elections Committee which includes several students selected by the Academic Senate, and those who received recommendations from faculty members.
The accusations against the Student Association after the Valentine's Day event come as election time nears.
The United People party has encountered a bit more pressure after Jonathan Gilad wrote an article titled, "Hold UP Accountable" (Knight News, Feb. 8). The article concerned accusations that the UP party was hostile and threatening Gilad due to the Democratic Student Alliance Party's attempts to create online elections.
The Knight News recently obtained a copy of the Queens College Student Association budget report which included a $600 charge for two full page advertisements appearing in the Dec. 7, 2006 issue of the Knight News. In both advertisements there were several mentions of the United People party. This raises questions of whether or not public Student Association funds were misappropriated to promote the party rather than the Student Association. Both UP and D.S.A. do not receive budgets, while Student Association, under the control of UP, enjoys the largest budget of any organization on campus. Spending Student Association money to promote the UP would place D.S.A. at a disadvantage.
Further highlighting allegations of UP utilizing Student Association resources was an e-mail sent out by Mahendra Singh to over 100 students on campus recruiting people to participate in student government. The e-mail, which utilized hundreds of e-mail addresses belonging to Student Association, began with the words "What's UP?" and the words "Sign UP" followed a little further later. The "UP" in capital letters might be perceived as a coincidence to some or as a blatant misuse of Student Association resources during the 2007 campaign season.
During an interview this past week Singh, Student Association Vice President Saleem Rasul, and Executive Assistant Ilysse Baum swept aside any concerns of wrongdoing. Singh strongly emphasized the separation between the Student Association and the United People party saying that he represents all the students on campus. He attributed the accusations to a great deal of "hassle" as the election time comes closer.
However, since the day of the interview Singh has offered Democratic Student Alliance presidential candidate, Joshua Rubin, the opportunity to use the e-mailing system, provided the party is recognized in the political process. On Feb. 25 Singh also sent out an e-mail stating, "It is brought to my attention that my last message to you, encouraging you to get involved in Student Governance, may have been perceived by some as partisan. As of now, the only sign-up sheets for elections belong to United People, the political party to which I belong."
"I don't know another alternative" and any government would want to have people credited with their accomplishments, Baum said when asked about the reasoning behind including the United People within last year's two full page ads, paid by Student Association funds.
Concerning the situation with weekend students who won't have voting machines available to them Singh said that the Elections Committee will be discussing the idea of absentee ballots that will only be available by request.
Singh stressed that he desires a fair and open election that includes any opposition. He said he found it "crazy" that "invitations have been offered to the opposition" to hold S.A. positions and that they were declined.
"We want free, fair elections," said Rasul.
Over the accusations that there have been non-slates urging students to vote for the UP at polling site stations, when Election Committee guidelines prevent campaigning 50 feet from the polls, Baum emphasized that they are not interested in negative politics. "We promote a 100 percent positive campaign election process and environment for students at Queens College," Baum said.
http://media.www.qcknightnews.com/media/storage/paper564/news/2007/03/01/News/Up.Misleading.Students-2755672.shtml
Herman Araya
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: News
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1
[Click to enlarge]
"The "UP" in capital letters might be perceived as a coincidence to some or as a blatant misuse of Student Association resources during the 2007 campaign season."
[Click to enlarge]
Anyone would want to know what it is they're looking at before they sign something.
At the Valentine's Day event held in the Student Union there were several reports of students being asked to sign a sheet at the door. It turned out that this sheet was a student-fee increase referendum requiring signatures in order to get placed on the ballot.
Student Association President Mahendra Singh, a member of the United People party, discounted any accusations that he encouraged workers to collect signatures without telling students what it was for. "I can deny that on record," Singh said. SA Academic Chair Ilysse Baum said that there was "by no means coercion" for students to sign the referendum. They said students should know on their own not to sign their name on something they do not have to sign.
Junior Christine Cameron said she was told to sign in when she arrived at the event. Cameron said she was not informed about what she was signing. However, she was not all that upset about allegations. "It was just giving us a choice to vote" on the issue of a student-fee increase, she said.
Pamela Moore, a senior, said that students were not being denied entry to the Valentine's Day event but were not told what it was they were signing. Moore said people simply told students "sign in," or "sign here."
"They weren't explaining anything," Moore said. At one point a student asked what the sign-in sheet was for, Moore related, and the response was, "We're just trying to get this on the ballot."
Asked how she felt about the event Moore said, "What they did was sneaky … They knew exactly what they were doing."
One student, Isaac, who requested that he be identified by his first name only, said, "I was told that I had to sign it [the paper] to enter, and I saw them call someone over who was entering without signing the sheet and told him to sign it. I did not want to start a fight so I did not protest, but I felt like I had to leave if I did not sign it."
Student Life Director Jen Jarvis downplayed rumors that students were wrongly told to sign the referendum at the Valentine's Day event, saying that students were "confused."
"I was informed that petitioning was happening outside of the party and that if possible could I come upstairs," Jarvis said. She went up to the ballroom and asked the Student Association to move the location of the referendum petition away from the lobby and towards the foyer area. Jarvis said that by moving the referendum table to the hallway "it didn't have this perception of being a sign-in sheet."
Asked whether or not something would be done if the accusations were confirmed Jarvis responded, "It's not for me to determine" and that it is an issue that the Elections Committee would have to deal with.
If the referendum is carried out despite the misbehavior reported to have taken place it will go to the Elections Committee which includes several students selected by the Academic Senate, and those who received recommendations from faculty members.
The accusations against the Student Association after the Valentine's Day event come as election time nears.
The United People party has encountered a bit more pressure after Jonathan Gilad wrote an article titled, "Hold UP Accountable" (Knight News, Feb. 8). The article concerned accusations that the UP party was hostile and threatening Gilad due to the Democratic Student Alliance Party's attempts to create online elections.
The Knight News recently obtained a copy of the Queens College Student Association budget report which included a $600 charge for two full page advertisements appearing in the Dec. 7, 2006 issue of the Knight News. In both advertisements there were several mentions of the United People party. This raises questions of whether or not public Student Association funds were misappropriated to promote the party rather than the Student Association. Both UP and D.S.A. do not receive budgets, while Student Association, under the control of UP, enjoys the largest budget of any organization on campus. Spending Student Association money to promote the UP would place D.S.A. at a disadvantage.
Further highlighting allegations of UP utilizing Student Association resources was an e-mail sent out by Mahendra Singh to over 100 students on campus recruiting people to participate in student government. The e-mail, which utilized hundreds of e-mail addresses belonging to Student Association, began with the words "What's UP?" and the words "Sign UP" followed a little further later. The "UP" in capital letters might be perceived as a coincidence to some or as a blatant misuse of Student Association resources during the 2007 campaign season.
During an interview this past week Singh, Student Association Vice President Saleem Rasul, and Executive Assistant Ilysse Baum swept aside any concerns of wrongdoing. Singh strongly emphasized the separation between the Student Association and the United People party saying that he represents all the students on campus. He attributed the accusations to a great deal of "hassle" as the election time comes closer.
However, since the day of the interview Singh has offered Democratic Student Alliance presidential candidate, Joshua Rubin, the opportunity to use the e-mailing system, provided the party is recognized in the political process. On Feb. 25 Singh also sent out an e-mail stating, "It is brought to my attention that my last message to you, encouraging you to get involved in Student Governance, may have been perceived by some as partisan. As of now, the only sign-up sheets for elections belong to United People, the political party to which I belong."
"I don't know another alternative" and any government would want to have people credited with their accomplishments, Baum said when asked about the reasoning behind including the United People within last year's two full page ads, paid by Student Association funds.
Concerning the situation with weekend students who won't have voting machines available to them Singh said that the Elections Committee will be discussing the idea of absentee ballots that will only be available by request.
Singh stressed that he desires a fair and open election that includes any opposition. He said he found it "crazy" that "invitations have been offered to the opposition" to hold S.A. positions and that they were declined.
"We want free, fair elections," said Rasul.
Over the accusations that there have been non-slates urging students to vote for the UP at polling site stations, when Election Committee guidelines prevent campaigning 50 feet from the polls, Baum emphasized that they are not interested in negative politics. "We promote a 100 percent positive campaign election process and environment for students at Queens College," Baum said.
http://media.www.qcknightnews.com/media/storage/paper564/news/2007/03/01/News/Up.Misleading.Students-2755672.shtml
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