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Main Factors Associated With Depression Among Chinese College Students

Mental health problems among college students have become alarming as it keeps increasing every year.

Common mental health problems among college students include eating disorders, depression and anxiety among others. Depression is the most common mental disorder experienced by college students leading to suicide.

Since depression impairs academic performance and simple day to day activities, effort is being made to determine the cause of depression among college students and practical solutions to help them cope.

There is no main cause of depression. However, there are various factors that can contribute to depression among college students. Some of the factors include:

Financial Situation

The cost of a college education can be quite high and may cause a financial burden for families that are not well off and do not have financial aid. Apart from paying tuition fees, funds may be required for other things such as field trips, equipment and accommodation among other things. For a student with financial troubles, this may be distressing and may cause distraction from academic work thus hindering performance. Some of these students may need to work to support themselves while in college. Pressure from both work and school may contribute to college depression among the students.

Dissatisfaction with the Course

It is common for parents to put pressure on their children regarding the course they want to do in college. Courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Architecture and Actuarial Science among others are given priority while some other courses are not regarded as important.

Some students are thus forced to study a course they have no interest in just to please their parents or to be accepted in society. This may cause depression among students as they are stuck living up to other people’s expectations and not their own.

Stressful Life Events

tudents may go through stressful events in their lives which may cause depression. One of the major stressful factors of students is a break up with a loved one. Some students have committed suicide due to this while others have become depressed for a number of weeks or months.

Another stressful event experienced by students is moving away from their friends and family to stay near the college. Many students become homesick. While some of them adapt to their new environment, others have a hard time adapting thus causing depression.

Academic Pressure

The scope of academic work in college is quite enormous. Some students may experience sleepless nights completing assignments, studying for upcoming exams or catching up with the syllabus. Balancing academic life with other things becomes quite difficult leading to depression.

To ease some of the pressure from academic work, you can get help with your assignments so that you get time to cater to other important things or to rest. You can get professionals whom you pay to do assignment online in Australia and you can be guaranteed they will produce work of high quality that is up to university standards. Asking for help may help reduce depression experienced due to the pressure resulting from academic work in college.

Abuse of Drugs and Alcohol

abuse

Drug and alcohol abuse are among the leading causes of depression in college students. Many students turn to drugs and alcohol when dealing with stressful situations or when they want to ease the symptoms of depression. However, abuse of drugs and alcohol only makes things worse in the long run which is why some students turn to commit suicide in the end.

Mental Health Stigma

Mental health stigma is common all over the world including China. Chinese students who are experiencing depression may not seek help due to the stigma surrounding mental illness. They thus opt to live in denial or seek other ways to deal with their depressive symptoms.

Depending on the cause of depression, talking with a trusted may help ease depressive symptoms. For students who do not have a good support system, the depression may linger even after they have graduated from college.

Conclusion

Depression among college students is common. The cause of depression differs from one student to another. However, there are common factors that contribute to the mental illness. Academic pressure is one of the causes of depression. Students are bombarded by an enormous scope of material to read, numerous assignments and several exams throughout the academic year.

Stressful events in life lead some students to abuse alcohol and drugs to forget their problems which makes depression symptoms worse and some students commit suicide afterward. Although most colleges have counselors who are ready to help students, most opt not to use the services due to mental health stigma.

BIO

Sandra Larson is a life coach. She is also a professional writer. She strives to help people deal effectively with depression and advises them on the best way to cope and what type of help to seek.

Images source: unsplash 1, 2, 3

Last Updated on 2020/02/07

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