Q: Our son just came home from his second year in college. I’m worried that he’s depressed. He says he’s just tired and final exams took a lot out of him. How do I know if this is just a passing phase or the beginning of a serious depression?
A: Having two teenagers myself, I’m used to moody behavior and complaints about stress. But like you, I worry sometimes whether that means one of them is really depressed.
Very recently, the Associated Press and mtvU, a division of MTV Networks, sponsored a survey of college students to get a better picture of their attitudes toward depression. The survey highlighted the importance and the challenges of recognizing depression in young adults.
Depression in college students is common. According to the survey results, moderate to severe depression occurs at about the same rate as in the general population of adults. The somewhat reassuring news: 84 percent of college students say they would take action if they were very depressed or had considered hurting themselves.
If you asked your son his impression, he would probably say it’s just a reaction to stress and that it really isn’t a problem.
I suggest asking him two questions that have proven to be a simple and valuable way to screen for depression: “During the last two to four weeks, have you often been bothered by feeling very down or hopeless?” and “Have you lost interest or pleasure in doing things, especially things you used to enjoy?”
A “yes” answer to either question identifies more than 90 percent of people with major depression. It is a good screening tool, but many people will answer yes to one of the questions and not have depression.
If he does answer “yes” to one or both questions, encourage him to speak with a health professional. Reassure him that the goal is to explore ways to make him feel better. If he does have depression, there are multiple treatment options, including a type of talk therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or both.
Dr. Howard LeWine is chief medical editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit .
