Counseling
and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Knowledge Center
Depression
What is Depression?
Major Depression Disorders
Dysthymic Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
What Causes Depression?
Where to Get Help?
Treatment Options
What is
Depression?
Depression is a treatable, medical condition that
affects the body, mood, and thoughts. Depression interferes with
activities of daily living, such as school, work, eating, and sleeping.
Episodes of depression may occur only once but more commonly occur
several times in a lifetime. Without treatment, symptoms can last for
weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment can help most people who
suffer from depression. Depressive disorders can take three forms:
Major
Depression Disorder
Major depressive disorder is diagnosed when an
individual has five (5) or more of the following symptoms and
impairment of daily functioning exists for longer than 2 weeks:
- Sad or depressed mood, nearly everyday
- Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism,
emptiness
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness,
helplessness
- Fatigue, decreased energy
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering,
making decisions
- Trouble sleeping, early-morning awakening,
or oversleeping
- Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating
and weight gain
- Restlessness, irritability
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
- Decreased sexual drive
- Physical complaints that don’t respond to
treatment (headaches, digestive disorders, chronic pain)
- Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide
attempt
Dysthymic Disorder
Dysthymic disorder involves at least two of the
above symptoms of depression with depressed mood lasting at least 2
years. This long-term, chronic disorder does not disable, but keeps a
person from functioning well or from feeling good. Many people with
dysthymic disorder also experience major depressive episodes at some
time in their lives.
Bipolar
Disorder
Bipolar disorder (also called manic-depressive
illness) is characterized by cycling mood changes of severe highs
(mania) and lows (depression). Sometimes the mood changes are dramatic
and rapid, but most often they are gradual. When in the depressed
cycle, an individual can have any or all of the symptoms of a
depressive disorder. The manic phase often affects thinking, judgment,
and social behavior in ways that cause serious problems and
embarrassment. Left untreated, mania may worsen to a psychotic state.
When in the manic cycle, the individual may demonstrate:
- Abnormal or excessive elation
- Grandiose or inflated self-esteem
- Increased talkativeness or forced speech
- Racing thoughts or extravagant ideas
- Increased sexual desire
- Markedly increased energy, overactive
- Unusual irritability
- Decreased need for sleep
- Poor judgment
- Inappropriate social behavior
What
Causes Depression?
Changes in the body’s chemistry influence mood
and thought processes, and biological factors contribute to some cases
of depression. In addition, chronic and serious illness such as heart
disease or cancer may be accompanied by depression.
However, depression often indicates that certain mental and emotional
aspects of a person’s life are out of balance. Significant transitions
and major life stressors such as the death of a loved one or loss of a
job can help bring about depression. Other more subtle factors that
lead to a loss of identity or self-esteem may also contribute. The
causes of depression are not always immediately apparent, so the
disorder requires careful evaluation and diagnosis by a trained mental
health care professional.
Where to
Get Help
- Counseling and Psychological Services
(CAPS)
- Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Counselors,
Social Workers, and Psychotherapists
- Community Mental Health Agencies
- Referrals from your primary care physician
or family doctor
- Referrals from your health insurance
company
Treatment
Options
- Individual
counseling/psychotherapy
Therapists help people to identify the factors that contribute to their
depression and to deal effectively with the psychological, behavioral,
interpersonal, and situational causes. Through therapy, people can
learn skills to avoid unnecessary suffering from later bouts of
depression.
- Group therapy and workshops
Group therapy provides a support network for people seeking to manage
symptoms of depression and learn to cope with life’s stressors. Groups
of approximately 2-8 people are usually organized and facilitated by a
trained therapist. Workshops provide learning opportunities on topics
such as coping skills, relaxation exercises, mind-body meditation, and
stress management.
- Referrals to other treatment
For some people, recovery from severe depression requires medication
management in addition to therapy. Medications can be very helpful for
reducing the symptoms of depression is some people. Given the side
effects, any use of medication requires close monitoring by the
physician who prescribed the drugs.
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Suicide
College students sometimes experience excessive stress, loneliness,
self-doubt, grief, academic pressure, and social stress. Suicide is the
number two cause for college student deaths. These pressures can lead
to episodes of depression and even suicide attempts. Often, people who
consider suicide do not want to die, they just want their pain to go
away. However, depression and suicidal feelings are treatable and help
is available. Common warning signs for suicide include:
- Severe symptoms of depression (see previous
section)
- One or more previous suicide attempts
- Current talk of suicide or making plans
for suicide
- Strong wish to die and/or preoccupation
with death
- Violent actions and reactions to self and
others
- Giving away prized possessions
- Increased alcohol and/or other drug use
- Marked personality change
- Unusual neglect of personal appearance
- Recent suicide attempt by a friend or
family member
- Isolating or withdrawing from friends,
family, and regular activities
- Impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks
- Lack of social support and connection with
family and friends, no one to talk to
- Overwhelming boredom
- Decline in quality of academic work
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Alcohol
and Drug Abuse
Many times when people are depressed, they try to improve their mood by
using alcohol and/or drugs. What they do not realize is that using
drugs of any type, including alcohol, can make depression worse.
Excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs can also lead to depression,
creating a circular pattern whereby cause and effect cannot be
clarified. Common signs that someone may have a drinking or drug
problem include:
- Neglected appearance or hygiene
- Low self-esteem or poor image
- Decline in academic performance
- Violent outbursts at friends or family
- Reckless behavior
- Stealing or borrowing money
- Changing friends
- Disregard for the consequences of their
actions
- Social isolation or withdrawal
- Unexplained weight loss
- Lack of motivation
- Depressed mood or mood swing
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Coping
with Stress & Preventing Depression
- Add exercise to your routine
- Follow a balanced diet
- Drink plenty of water
- Try relaxation and meditation
- Avoid drinking alcohol or taking other
drugs
- Attend support groups
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Anxiety
What is Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Social Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Treatment for Anxiety Disorders
What is
Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress that can
help us cope with tense situations. However, when anxiety becomes an
excessive, irrational fear of everyday situations, it has become a
disabling disorder. Five major types of anxiety disorders are:
Generalized
Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves chronic
anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or
nothing to provoke it. Concerns and worries are accompanied by physical
symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches,
difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating,
and hot flashes.
Panic
Disorder
Panic Disorder is characterized by unexpected and
repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms.
Feelings of terror may strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning.
During a panic attack, most likely your heart will pound and you may
feel sweaty, weak, faint, or dizzy. Your hands may tingle or feel numb,
and you might feel flushed or chilled. You may have nausea, chest pain
or smothering sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of impending
doom or loss of control.
Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop
after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical
harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD
include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters,
accidents, or military combat. Symptoms may include persistent
frightening thoughts and memories of the traumatic event, problems
sleeping, feeling detached or numb, or being easily startled.
Social
Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) includes
an overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday
social situations. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of
situation, such as a fear of public speaking, or eating/drinking in
front of others. In its most severe form, symptoms may be experienced
almost anytime when around other people. People with social phobia have
a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by
others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their
fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other
ordinary activities. Physical symptoms often accompany the intense
anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating,
trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking.
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is
characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or
repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Some may experience persistent,
unwelcome thoughts or images, or the urgent need to engage in certain
rituals. Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking,
or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive
thoughts or making them go away. Performing these "rituals" provides
only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases
anxiety.
Treatment
for Anxiety Disorders
Effective treatments for most anxiety disorders
can include
psychotherapy and medication. When undergoing treatment for an anxiety
disorder, you, your doctor or therapist will be working together as a
team to find the approach that is best for you.
Stress Basics
Link
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Eating
Disorders
What is Eating Disorder?
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge-Eating Disorder
What is
Eating Disorder
Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in
eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake
or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme
concern about body shape or weight.
Anorexia
Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is the resistance to maintaining
body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height.
Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming
fat, even though underweight
- Disturbance in way one's body weight or
shape is experienced
- Undue influence of body weight or shape on
self-evaluation
- Denial of the seriousness of current low
body weight
- Infrequent or absent menstrual periods
- Despite being thin, see themselves as
overweight
- Eating becomes an obsession
- Unusual eating habits develop, e.g.
avoiding food/meals, picking out few foods and eating in small
quantities, or carefully weighing and portioning food
- Repeatedly checking body weight
- Techniques to control weight, e.g.
intense/compulsive exercise, purging/vomiting, abuse of
laxatives/enemas/diuretics
Bulimia
Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa involves recurrent episodes of
binge eating followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors both
occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months. People may feel
disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.
People with bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age
and height. Symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:
- Fear of gaining weight, desire to lose
weight, intense dissatisfaction with body shape/size
- Recurrent episodes of bingeing - eating
excessive amounts of food within a discrete period of time
- Sense of lack of control over eating during
the episode
- Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by
body shape and weight
- Behavior to prevent weight gain -
self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other
medications; fasting; excessive exercise
Binge-Eating
Disorder
Binge-Eating Disorder involves frequent episodes
of out-of-control eating, with the same binge-eating symptoms as those
with bulimia. The main difference is that individuals with binge-eating
disorder do not purge their bodies of excess calories. Many with the
disorder are overweight for their age and height. The binge eating
occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months. Feelings of
self-disgust and shame associated with this illness can lead to
bingeing again, creating a cycle of binge eating. Symptoms of
binge-eating disorder include:
- Recurrent episodes of bingeing - eating
excessive amounts of food within a discrete period of time
- Sense of lack of control over eating
during the episode
- Eating much more rapidly than normal
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
- Eating large amounts of food when not
feeling physically hungry
- Eating alone because of being embarrassed
by how much one is eating
- Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed,
or very guilty after overeating
- Distress about the binge-eating behavior
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Relationship Violence, Stalking, & Assault
What Can You Expect?
What Can You Do To Help?
If you or someone you know has experienced any of these
life-threatening circumstances, professional guidance is available for
information and support.
What Can
You Expect?
When someone is victimized by relationship
violence, sexual
assault , or stalking, her/his life has been impacted in such a way
that it will never be the same again. Typically, survivors of these
violent incidents may want to explore several key issues:
- Concerns about confidentiality—she/he often
feels a deep sense of embarrassment, shame and fear, which makes it
difficult to talk about what has happened. The person is usually very
concerned that any disclosures be treated with utmost care and respect
for privacy.
- Fears for personal safety—she/he usually
wonders whether her/his current housing situation is safe and whether
or not she/he can move around on campus and in the community without
danger.
- Health concerns—the student often worries
about whether she/he has contracted STDs, HIV, or could be pregnant.
- Loss of a sense of control—usually she/he
feels that decisions about her/his life have been made by others
without her/his choice; feelings of helplessness and depression follow
such a violation of personal control.
What Can
You Do To Help?
It is important to understand the when a person
has suffered from any of these incidents, her/his sense of control has
been taken away. To regain that control, it is important that they make
the
decisions that effect her/his life. It can be reassuring to know that
someone is there to help and cares about what happens.
When a student chooses to tell you about such a life-altering
incident, she/he has done so because she/he trusts you. It is crucial
not to betray that trust. Here are some things you can do:
- Be supportive
- Be non-judgmental
- Listen with concern
- Validate the student’s feelings and
concerns—do not dismiss her/his reactions or experiences
- Do not make decisions or choices for the
student
- Believe in the student’s ability to choose
for herself/himself and respect the student’s choices
- Do whatever you can to insure the
student’s safety and to help develop a plan for her/his continued
safety
- Provide information, options, referrals
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