Photo of Fall leaves at the Health Center

Depression

Everyone feels sad and blue now and then. But if you're sad most of the time and it just won't go away, you might be depressed.

When you're depressed.......
You feel sad or cry a lot.
You get irritated often.
Your sleep pattern changes. You may sleep too much, have trouble
falling asleep, or awaken several times during the night.
Your eating pattern changes. You eat a lot less or a lot more.
You're tired most of the time and lack energy.
You have trouble concentrating and can't make decisions.
You don't enjoy a lot of the things you used to like to do.
You feel hopeless or helpless.
You want to be by yourself most of the time.
You have a loss of interest in sex.
You think about death or may have thoughts about committing suicide.
Thinking about suicide is reason to seek immediate help.

The good news is you can feel better soon. Most people who are depressed can be helped by therapy, medication or both. Remember you are not alone and there is assistance available at CAPS. A student may get help by calling CAPS for a telephone screening (see accessing services). The clinician conducting the phone screening appointment may recommend individual and/or group therapy or may suggest a referral to a community mental health provider. If individual, group therapy, or a psychiatric evaluation at CAPS is recommended, an initial consultation (IAC) appointment will be scheduled. If an evaluation for medication is needed, a referral to one of CAPS' psychiatrists or a psychiatrist in the community may be made. Crisis walk-in services are available to those who are unable to wait for a scheduled appointment. If you are experiencing significant symptoms of depression or are thinking of harming yourself, please call CAPS and speak with the crisis walk-in therapist. During regular hours (8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday and Friday and 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on Tuesday through Thursday; Summer and break periods 8:00 am to 5:00 pm), you may also come immediately to CAPS, located on the third floor of the University Health Center. You may talk to an on-call crisis therapist after hours by calling 706-542-2200 (see crisis intervention).

Adapted from publication by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Depression Screening

Test Your Moods - Online Self Assessment

Additional Resources

More information about depressive disorders can be found at:

National Institute of Mental Health -- Depression
www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm

American Psychological Association - Depression
www.apa.org/topics/topicdepress.html