Everyone suffers from depression from time to time. For many people, a simple treat at the local shopping mall after a hard day can be the fix. However, this is not always the case. When people are clinically depressed and suffer from a chemical imbalance, they need medication more than a surface-level answer. Depression can be so severe that a person could suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, a diagnosable disorder in the DSM-V book.
According to the DSM-V, five or more of the following
symptoms must be present during a two-week period to be diagnosed with Major
Depressive Disorder:
1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
2. Diminished interest in most activities most of
the day, nearly every day
3. Unhealthy weight loss or weight gain
4. Sleeping too much or too little
5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly
every day
6. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
nearly every day
8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate,
or
indecisiveness, nearly every day
9. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal
ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for
committing suicide
Also, to be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, the
symptoms must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social,
occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The symptoms must also
be not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or to another
medical condition.
There’s an amusing, but wise cartoon about Eeyore from
Winnie the Pooh that was discussing how to interact with someone with
depression. It said that Eeyore’s friends accepted him for who he was and realized
he was different. They simply loved him and let him share their adventures.
Students who struggle with depression should be treated the same way. Although
they may be different and face different challenges, they should be welcomed to
the adventure of learning in higher education.
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