In the past, he said, depression among students was exhibited as more of an anger or rage against the rest of the world, as opposed to a feeling of self-loathing. Beaumont attributed the change to increased societal pressure and ideals that stress competition and individual responsibility. But if it's given too much support and pushed too far, it becomes a crippling kind of thing. Loper said much of the pressure students endure comes from parents and other outside sources. Parents are under increasing pressure to see that their kids are successful.
Parents often apply pressure on their college-aged children to make the grade.
That pressure can become such a high source of stress that students get depressed. The transition from high school to college-level academics can also distress students who must often accept being second best for the first time. Freshmen are among the highest population of visitors to Boynton's mental health clinic. A newer cause for mental distress, documented in a 1996 Boynton survey, is the growing symptom of financial debt. Another survey on mental health, taken in the spring of 1996, found that almost 18 percent of 620 student respondents said they had experienced high credit card debt within the past year.