Blog 8

Lindsey, Billie J., Patricia Fabino, and Chris Stark. "THE PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF DEPRESSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS." College Student Journa 43.4 (2009): 999-1014. Print

This study showed the percentage of college student that were clinically depressed as well as the possible factors as to why they were depress. Students who felt financial stress while in school were significantly more depressed as well as students who worked or volunteered. There was also a correlation between a students sexual orientation and their level of depression. But the part of this article that supports my paper is one where the researchers draw a correlation between the use of cigarettes, marijuana, and cocaine among cynically depressed students. While they didn’t not draw a conclusion between alcohol use they states that the possibility of a correlation between the two could existed but is diluted by the extensive drink on college campuses.”Students who worked and volunteered more hours reported feeling depressed more than students who worked and volunteered few or no hours. This finding warrants careful consideration of the impact of the current trend toward requiring more service learning in the college curricula.”(Billie, 1010) this quote strengthens my argument in part because my thoughts on college depression is that there is a strong correlation to outside stressors and the change of environment and a student being on their own for the first time in their life. “On the other hand, our study, like others, did find a correlation between depression and cigarette, marijuana, and cocaine use. The fact that use of these drugs is common among depressed students should alert medical and counseling staff to explore the possibility of depression with students who smoke and use other drugs.” (Billie, 1009) This quotation draws a correlation between depressed students and illicit drug use. This is the other half of my argument. That by being stressed by these circumstances of being on one’s own and having the pressure of college creates a higher tendency of drug use and abuse. “Students who identified as gay, lesbian, trans-gender, bisexual, or unsure were more than twice as likely to report depression than heterosexual students.” . Billie, 1011) lastly this quote also shows that he outside stressors of college and the need to be socially accepted also cause depression among college students which ultimately can lead to a higher rate of drug use among students.