The Maroon Online Recognize the signs of depression By Matt Walter Staff Writer One Loyola faculty member was recently confronted by a work-study student who confided that she was planning to take her own life. Both asked to remain anonymous. The student had been raped recently, and had withdrawn from her friends and family. Luckily, she took the time to stop what she was doing and talk to the student. Suicide is a choice people make when they have lost all hope, according to Leigh Anne Terrebonne, staff psychologist and substance abuse prevention coordinator for Loyola's Counseling and Career Services Center.
Suicide is often a result of severe depression.
People who experience depression often are lonely and withdrawn, and have a difficult time finding an identity. Joe Etherton, psychology professor, said that outside stresses like relationships or big losses could contribute to depression. One solution to depression that many people choose, Etherton said, is anti-depressant medication, such as Prozac. He said that all of our thoughts, moods, behavior and our biological systems are interrelated. These all respond to the amount of serotonin we have, a chemical that causes the brain to increase transmission.