DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS BY @rossnenye.

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Hello everyone,
trust you'll are doing great?
There are certain times when we feel overwhelmed by our situation in school, we feel like ending it all. So today I will be writing on an interesting yet overlooked topic in our different campuses, depression among students highlighting the causes, symptoms and possible solutions.

According to oxford dictionary of advanced learning, depression is a medical condition in which a person feels very sad and anxious. WHO also defined depression as persistent sadness and lack of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities.

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION.
Over the years, depression has become very rampant in college leading to increase in number of reported suicide cases every year. Below are listed possible causes of depression in College.

Academic failure: Most times when we invest a lot of effort and hard work into our studies and don't see the result we often feel like we are not doing well enough which most times leads to bitterness, hopeless, anxiety and panic attacks which overtime leads to depression.

Studying a course you don't like: Most times after writing UTME here in Nigerian, students are given course different from their preferred course of study and when they try to change and fail they often fall into depression.

Problem with lecturers: Most Lecturers in Nigerian college always frustrate students who enter their black book. They intentionally fail their victims in exams, test and project no matter how good they perform, these inturn elongates their years in school thereby delaying their graduation.

Problem from home: Students who have issues at home like sick parents or siblings, separated parents always have this interfering with their academics.

Finance: Students are often faced with alot of financial challenges in school like school fees, feeding, buying handouts and textbooks, transportation fare etc and when they don't have enough money to cater for all these they're usually frustrated.

Stress: Alot of pressure comes from academic pursuit, running from one lecture hall to the other, spending sleepless nights reading to keep up with good grades, writing assignments, quiz and exams, all these can be quite overwhelming.

Family history of depression: It has been scientifically proven that people whom one or two family members suffered from depression have high chances of suffering from depression too.

Health challenges: Students who have certain health challenges like ulcer, chest pain, asthma, high blood pressure, low sugar, diabetes etc usually get depressed coping with their health and school stress.

Lost of loved ones: People who lose their loved ones are often depressed, especially ones very close and dear to them.

Relationship problems: Oftentimes, Students who were jinxed by their lovers suffer a bout of depression resulting mostly from lack of sleep and overthinking, also students who left a toxic relationship often fall into depression due to what they went through in the hands of their previous partners.

Low self esteem: Low self esteem can result from being constantly insulted and bullied by friends because of their personality. Victims are usually depressed.

Physical abuse: Victims of rape and other forms of sexual molestation are usually depressed.

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION.
Lack of sleep.
Restlessness
Hopelessness
Anxiety
Lost of appetite.
Withdraw from friends.
Poor academic performances.
Lack of concentration.
Lost of interest.

SOLUTIONS
Medications
Students should always make friends with their senior colleagues and ask them what works for each course.
See a therapist.
Talk to someone you trust.
Take care of yourself such as engaging in exercise, eating healthy diet and adequate rest.
Love yourself the way you're.
Students should learn to accept and love their course of studies.