This is the first line for sustained depression. We also check for a thyroid problem. But the serious cases are only a portion of the depressed students seen at the counseling center. Between 2,000 and 2,300, or about 8-10 percent, of Tech's students seek help annually for depression, Warren says. This percentage mirrors the percentage of depression cases in the general population.
Depression is a common problem, usually treatable with counseling and, if necessary, medication.
In Warren's experience, a combination of the two prove most effective. Most students are seen two or three times. The loss of a love, through death or the ending of a relationship, can create a common situational depression usually treated with counseling. But depression is a common illness that doesn't always require a painful situation to activate feelings of hopelessness or panic. Often students with a deep seated tendency toward depression find that the new challenges of college trigger a full blown case of depression.