Depression

Are you feeling sad, hopeless or irritable?
It may be depression.
Help is available.

You are not alone.

College students experience multiple stressors during their college careers. The stress of day-to-day life can affect your well-being to the point where you may develop symptoms of depression.

When the stress makes you sad and the sadness lasts for a while or interferes with your life, it may be depression. 

Depression is a common response to academic demands and other sources of stress present in the campus environment. Fortunately help is available.

Signs of Depression 

Everyone has days when they feel overwhelmed with life. However, when days become weeks, this is cause for concern. 

Signs of depression may include: 

  • Losing interest in things you once enjoyed 
  • Skipping classes or missing  assignments 
  • Having a hard time concentrating 
  • Feeling a lot of sadness, anger or loneliness 
  • Spending most of your time alone 
  • Eating a lot more or less than  you used to 
  • Sleeping too much or too little 
  • Being tired even after a good night’s sleep 
  • Feeling hopeless 
  • Having thoughts about death or suicide

Ways to Cope

There are things you can do right now for a quick mood boost. The more ways you try to cope with depression, the better. Try a few of these ideas each day, even if you’re feeling good. 

  • Spend some time in nature 
  • Listen to music 
  • List what you like about yourself 
  • Read a good book 
  • Watch a funny movie or TV show 
  • Take a long hot bath or shower 
  • Talk to friends or family 
  • Take care of a few small tasks 
  • Do something spontaneous 
  • Play with a pet 
  • Get out of bed in the morning and stay out of bed until nighttime 
  • Meditate 
  • Color 
  • Spend time helping others 
  • Exercise and eat well 
  • Get a good night’s sleep

When to get Help 

  • Your symptoms of depression aren’t going away or are getting worse 
  • These feelings are interfering with your life (e.g., grades, relationships, self-esteem, etc.) 
  • Your sleep and appetite are affected 
  • You have thoughts of suicide 
  • You don’t know how to feel better on your own

How to get Help

 The URI Counseling Center can help.  We offer: 

  • Workshops
  • Groups 
  • Individual counseling 
  • Anonymous online screenings

For off-campus counseling: