Stress over grades, student loans, relationships and work are only a few of the factors affecting the recent trend of increased anxiety and depression among college students, according to a new Associated Press-mtvU poll. The survey, which examined the emotional health of undergraduate students ages 18-24 from 40 colleges, showed 13 percent displayed signs of being at risk for at least mild depression, based on the students’ answers to medical practitioners’ questionnaires for diagnosing depression.In addition, the study found 85 percent of the 2,240 students surveyed reported feeling stressed in their everyday lives.Students described having difficulty sleeping and loss of energy and appetite in conjunction with depressed thoughts, and attribute these problems to school, work and most importantly, the recent economy.”The world is more complex now,” said Dr. Christopher Garner, clinical psychologist at the University’s Mental Health clinic. “A lot of students are having to work and go to school full-time … and more stress can lead to depression. They could also be affected if they’ve had a family member that’s lost a job. The psychological impact of the economy could have a huge role in this [trend].”The Mental Health Services’ experiences with students affected by depression reflect the national trend, Garner said.”I’ve been around since 2000, and we’re busier … in terms of the number of students trying to access our services,” Garner said. “The vast majority — probably 8 or 9 out of 10 students that walk into my office — have some sort of depressive or anxiety disorder or a combination of the two. It seems to be the common cold of mental illness.”Drayton Vincent, director of Mental Health Services, said he also noticed the increased activity at the Mental Health clinic, which is open five days a week and offers confidential consultations available to students by appointment.”In the 2008-09 academic year, we saw 1,360 different students in the Mental Health clinic,” Vincent said. “In the same time period the year before, we saw 1,222 students.”Taking into consideration the changes in student body population, the percentage of students who visited the Mental Health clinic grew from 4.3 percent in the 2007-08 academic year to 4.8 percent in the 2008-09 academic year. And Vincent said while this may seem insignificant, the 11.3 percent increase and roughly 140 new Mental Health visitors reaffirm University students’ increasing issues with mental health and, more specifically, depressive illnesses.According to an American College Health Association annual assessment of the University, 18 percent of University students surveyed reported depression as an impediment to their academic performance – which correlates with the 18.2 percent of national college students who reported experiencing depression in fall 2008 – and indicates more students are feeling depressed than are actually seeking help.”A lot of students … may experience depression, but don’t necessarily come into the Student Health Center,” Vincent said. “They may get no treatment or … see a family doctor. Also, if it’s a fairly normal depression, it may take care of itself within a few weeks to 3 months.”Vincent and Garner both said the stigma attached to seeking mental help often deters students from coming to the Mental Health clinic. However, with the stigma becoming less influential, colleges nationwide, including the University, are seeing more students seeking the help they need. “Students seem to be more forthcoming now about their mental health issues,” Garner said.But the discrepancy between the number of students who report having depressive tendencies and those seeking help still exists.Garner said the the lack of knowledge about mental health  often contributes to the lack of students seeking help. Sometimes students don’t understand exactly what differentiates depression from normal sad or lonely moods.”There are two main symptoms of depression … one of which has to be present to be [considered] major depression,” Garner said. “The first is a persistently depressed mood on … more days than not, for most of the day over a period of two-plus weeks. The other is … a persistent decreased ability to experience joy or pleasure out of things that you normally would.”Disturbances in sleep, appetite, weight, energy level, concentration, and decision-making and hopeless kinds of thinking should also serve as warning signs to students, Garner said.  And with nearly 10 percent of adults in the U.S. suffering from depression, according to the study, Vincent said it is important for students to start taking care of their mental health early. “Mental health is like physical health – you need to constantly take care of yourself,” Vincent said. “Are students going to be sad … worried … and homesick? Absolutely. But when it gets to be excessive and preoccupies your time and your thinking … that’s a clue it should be looked at, and students shouldn’t … hesitate to do this.”—–Contact Natalie Roy at [email protected]