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Tue 20 Nov, 2007 12:03 pm
Is depression common among college aged young adults? The reason I'm asking is just recently I have heard of two family members (a young woman and a young man - both in their early 20s). I heard this via an email so I don't know more at this point other than what was written. One is going to see a counselor, the other I do not know much about other than he has had thoughts of suicide, but admits he will not pursue it. This particular young man has always done well in school and is currently attending a very good university, seems to have several close friends and has been physically active. The young woman is very attractive, but I do understand she has had depression in the past. She was going to school part-time, but I am not sure if she still going. I do know that she is working.
I remember that during this age - early 20s were great times (not perfect and certainly stress with school and grades), but mostly lots of fun with little responsibility. The biggest issue beyond grades was which club should we go out to that night and who would be the responsible driver so the rest of us could drink and party.
Is it common for people this age to get depressed?
I think some people are just more affected by depression than others. I don't think that age has much to do with it. Except that it might be harder to deal with at that age, because of the stress you mentioned.
It doesn't sound as though the two you mentioned are doing too badly. They are both talking about it at least. That's important.
I did hear back about the young man. He has always been so very strong. His dad (my father in law) was killed in an accident when this boy was a preteen, but even with this against him, he was a good kid, active in sports and did well in school and with lots of friends. I don't know a lot about his specifics that caused this depression other than he had some things stolen from him and others destroyed or ruined from the house he lived in with these other guys. He did go see a counselor at school and they suggested he take a medical leave as a result of this depression. So he is home with his mom and seeing a psychiatrist-hopefully this will all help him.
I've read the other week in the main German weekly for doctors that one out of ten Japanes between 8 and 13 suffers under depressions.
Here in Germany the number of children/youth is euivalent to that of adults. (Though less children/youth stay therefore in psychiatric hospitals or wards.)
I got depressed and had suicidal thoughts for a couple of years in my early twenties.
Caused me to drop out of college.
Medscape wrote:Twenty-five percent of young adults will experience a depressive episode by age 24 years, the highest incidence rate of any adult age-group.
Wow. I knew depression was common among young adults, but highest of any adult age group? Eek. This part is interesting too:
Quote: Although depression during this critical period may increase the likelihood of substance abuse, impair work and relationship function, and negatively influence an individual's subsequent development, fewer than 20% of young adults with depression receive high-quality care.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/498574
My father-in-law who committed suicide this year was hospitalized for depression when he was 20, and that sounds like it could be written about him... Linkat, is the fact that the young guy admitted to thoughts of suicide being taken seriously? It doesn't matter if he said he wouldn't really do it; my f-i-l said he wouldn't go through with it the day before he did. Is everyone kind of keeping an eye on him?
This is so hard because he lives across country from us - so we don't really know all the answers. We do know he is at home now so that is positive - not at school where he is less likely to have some one looking out for him. His mom does have a full time job, but knowing her, I am sure she keeps a good eye on him (as much as she can). He is seeing a psychiatrist and is taking some medication. Unfortunately we are too far away to be there physically for him.
The ironic thing is the other family member with depression lives the closest to him so that family has enough on their plate with her.
Adolescents are certainly well known to be very vulnerable to depression.
Latest info suggests this is a by-product of the enormous changes occurring in their brains (eg we start processing memories in a part of our brain that also processes emotion at that age...one of the reasons that we often revisit traumatic incidents that occurred when we were younger at this stage) at a time when cognitive processing is still immature (not fully mature until about 25), plus major life tasks at this stage.
Not sure how old the young adult in question is...?
In the USA it also seems common for young folk to move a long way away from family for university at a very vulnerable stage. Of course, there can be real benefits to this!
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