By Maria-Nikka Sitchon
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Conversations about mental health tend to be taboo because of the stigma attached to the disorders but campus experts and local physicians insist public discussions are needed, especially for a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder, ironically known as SAD.
“Seasonal Affective Disorder is a depression and mood disorder,” said Jason Addison, a psychiatrist at Sheppard Pratt Health System. “For depression with a seasonal component, the onset symptoms can often be during fall and winter, but some people may notice a pattern of symptoms during the spring and summer.”
Addison added, “Anyone can experience the disorder. Mood disorder symptoms can often first present during the teenage and young adult years.”
Younger people deal with transitions all the time, such as relationships, school or internal turmoil that comes naturally with growth and maturation, experts said.
“College students are under so much pressure,” said Briana Snyder, an associate professor at Towson University. “There’s so many things happening. Truly, there are a million and one factors. There’s a family genetic component to mental illness.”
The National Institute of Mental Health said family history plays a role in Seasonal Affected Disorder. Individuals who have relatives with other types of depression are at a risk for developing the disorder too, officials said.
Psychology Today magazine estimate 10 million Americans struggle with SAD. Another 10 percent to 20 percent suffers from mild forms of SAD too.
Symptoms also can appear when students transition to college, experts said.
“Sometimes it’s that transition,” Snyder said. “Folks are leaving home, maybe they’re paying for everything themselves, not to mention, you have your coursework and you’re busy. Some folks work. You have competing responsibilities between work and school and getting all your homework done.”
Questions abound, said Snyder.
“And ‘do I need to do an internship’? ‘What am I gonna do with my life next’? Like, ‘do I go to graduate school’? It’s just a huge decision-making time for college-aged folks.”
Experts also point to the students who find themselves excessively stressed over final exams.
“For college students, this time of the year is difficult because you have all your final papers and your final exams are coming and there’s a lot of pressure,” said Snyder.
One Morgan State University student heartily agreed.
“School is getting stressful at this point since finals are approaching,” said Joshua Amodia, a junior at MSU. “I have been feeling so unmotivated with the major I’m in. I’m not sure if I still want to reconsider switching.”
Not only do college students have to deal with school, they also have personal relationships to deal with.
“You also have the intrapersonal stuff,” Snyder said. “Friendships, romantic relationships. Those are all big stressors.
Sometimes when you come to college and if you had a relationship before that with a boyfriend or girlfriend and that might change while you’re at college. That’s a big stress that I see in folks.”
Fluctuating mood swings can erupt when a student allows the different stresses to build up and they can no longer function normally. A person can only handle so many things at once. Experts said young adults avoid reaching out because of the stigma around mental health. The students may feel they have to internalize their problems to not feel judged.
“To cope with the stress,” Amodia said. “I usually don’t do anything. I feel like if I share it with other people, it becomes their problem and I don’t want that.”
The feeling of helplessness sometimes paralyzes people concerned about the stigma of mental health issues.
“To remove the stigma around mental health,” Addison said. “We should keep talking, sharing stories about recovery about mental health.”
Addison said that having discussions on such a taboo topic can help normalize mental illnesses. There’s no permanent cure, but it is treatable, he said, adding that people tend to forget there are healthy ways to cope with mental illness.
“I’m a huge proponent of self-care,” Snyder said. “Taking care of yourself physically is so important. So, go for a walk, eat food that’s good for you, sleep like you’re supposed to. It can be really basic things like deep breathing.
Snyder added, “I’m a huge supporter of meditation; there are a tons of meditation apps out there. Even if you do just five minutes a day, before an exam or whatever, it can do wonders for you. Journaling is really helpful for some folks, especially if they feel a little bit stigmatized seeing a therapist, just a way to get your thoughts out.”
Experts said college campuses also can do their part in reducing the stigma around mental health.
“We can raise awareness in campuses,” Addison said. “Educate people that mental health disorders are treatable medical conditions. It’s okay to reach out and ask for help.”
Snyder added, “Continuing to talk about it,” Dr. Snyder said, “The less taboo it is, the more that it’s just common discourse.”