Depression, stress leading causes of death among university students

Alex Foxx, a student at the University of Education is suffering from test anxiety, and he becomes even more depressed when exam week approaches.

Although both Foxx and the U of E are fictional, he is undergoing a dilemma that many real students face every day.

 However, Winston-Salem State students have a place to go.

 When students have problems, they can go to the University Counseling Center, located below the Health Center behind the Gleason Dormitory. 

The Center is a free resource with professionals who specialize in treating many forms of stress and depression. 

Over the recent months, depression has been in the headlines of newspapers and news network channels.  

In March, three students committed suicide because of depression during  exam weeks at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

Generally, when someone has stress they may also suffer from depression. Dr. Anthony Philadelphia, the director of the counseling center, said that he considers stress and depression to be cousins.

"Students on this campus may have test anxiety, worrying about bills, relationships and also worrying about not making good grades," Philadelphia said.

According to Philadephia, it's not uncommon for students to self medicate themselves through substance abuse such as drinking alcohol, and doing drugs to try to make themselves feel better.

"Sometimes I do get overwhelmed with juggling school work, my job and my social life," said Correll McCrae, a senior from Rowland. 

 "I understand college is supposed to be challenging, but is it worth sacrificing my mental stability."

According to the American College Health Association, the suicide rate among young people, ages 15-24, has tripled since the 1950s, and suicide is  the second most common cause of death among college students.

"Statistically females report and suffer depression more than males, but males tend to be more successful in committing suicide because they didn't seek the help they needed," Philadelphia said.

Twice as many young men, ages 20-24, commit suicide, compared with young women. In teens, ages 17-19, the ratio is even more tilted, with suicide claiming nearly five times the number of young men.

"Men are less likely to seek treatment and channel their difficulties by using substances and most likely will not report them and cope in their own ways," said Dr. Monica Rivers a psychology assistant professor.

"To me, most men don't want to be considered less of a man. For example, many men don't ask for directions or ask for help when doing things around the house," McCrae said. 

"So it is no surprise to find out that many men do not report depression."