Recent tragic campus events prove the need for issues such as depression and emotional troubles to be put out in the open and freely discussed among college students without shame or embarrassment.
In his book ""Binge: Campus Life in an Age of Disconnect and Excess,"" Barret Seaman writes ""Suicide is the second leading cause of death among North Americans of college age"" and ""reported incidents of depression and suicidal thoughts doubled during the nineties"" among college students.
Moreover, 9 percent of college students seriously contemplate suicide. Despite the strong prevalence of mental and emotional turmoil across campuses, many college students still keep their distress to themselves.
Perhaps students keep depression and other troubles hidden because they are ashamed or fear being judged. However, college students face innumerable stressors, and, in such an environment, it is only natural that many students experience distress at some point during their college careers.
Students deal with turbulent relationships, new independence and responsibility, and are expected to have their futures planned. On top of this, they must maintain grades, do homework, and often have jobs.
With such intense pressure and scrutiny placed upon students, it would take a robot to make it through college without experiencing periods of mental and emotional suffering.
Instead of allowing depression to remain a taboo subject, UW-Madison students should openly discuss it, support each other and look out for signs of unhappiness in friends.
However, our generation seems plagued with the expectation to be perfect or at least to appear perfect. This expectation for perfection has been placed on us by the media, society and even our teachers and parents, and it has been heightened for our generation in particular by increased competition for jobs and colleges.
Speculating upon the high prevalence of depression among our age group in her textbook ""Abnormal Psychology,"" Susan Nolen-Hoeksema writes, ""Younger generations have higher expectations for themselves than did older generations, but these expectations are too high to be met.""
Throughout our school years, we have been taught to cultivate the image of super-students: We're supposed to be involved in clubs and sports, take leadership roles, volunteer in the community, get good grades, take advanced classes and of course have plenty of friends.
Attempting to reach this image could, of course, make anyone feel inadequate and depressed. Furthermore, this image leaves no room for the natural emotional troubles that occur through adolescence.
Hence, we have learned to cover over any signs of cracks appearing in our carefully cultivated faA§ades.
It is time that we begin to fight these expectations and prove to ourselves and others that we are not superheroes, but complete human beings who feel pain, anxiety and stress. If we experience depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts, we should not be ashamed, but should instead express it. Likewise, we should take signs of unhappiness in our friends seriously and encourage them to talk or seek help.
College is inherently stressful, but we should realize our limits and not be afraid to let go of extra classes or activities that add needless anxiety.
College should be a time of learning and personal growth, but having a positive, enriching experience of college will be hindered if students ignore symptoms of depression or other emotional difficulties. Even worse, true psychological damage and personal havoc can result if students don't reach out to others or seek help.
