What Is the Effect of Depression on Students?

Depression in students is common in today’s world. With the increasing pressure to excel academically, coupled with social and personal challenges, students are more susceptible to experiencing depression.

Depression is a severe mental health condition that affects people of all ages, including students. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in activities, changes in eating or sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating and making decisions, and sometimes even thoughts of self-harm or suicide. If students self-medicate with drugs to alleviate depression symptoms, they may need drug addiction treatment to get back on track.

BrightView’s treatment center can help students over the age of 18 overcome the effects of depression. We understand how mental health can interfere with work and studies. Our treatment programs can help individuals regain the focus and clarity they need to do their best. 

Call us today at 888.501.9865 so you can start feeling better tomorrow.

What Is the Effect of Depression on Students?

Depression is a mental health condition that directly affects the brain. Studies have found that having a depressive disorder shrinks brain size due to the loss of gray matter volume (GMV).

The process goes like this:

1. Depression affects the hippocampus and raises cortisol levels, which are stress hormones.
2. As cortisol levels rise, they interfere with healthy neuron development in the brain, which affects thinking and memory.
3. The reduction of neuron production results in brain shrinkage.

When the cerebral areas of the brain shrink, cognitive function can be impaired. This effect of depression on the brain can lead to:

• Inability to focus
• Distractibility
• Difficulty learning new skills
• Poor working memory
• Interference with reasoning and decision-making

As you can imagine, the effects of depression on students can cause mental performance to suffer. If a student is depressed and struggles with cognitive performance, they may also experience a drop in confidence and self-esteem. They can become frustrated and irritable with their persistent low mood and inability to succeed in school. It may be no surprise that these students are more likely to engage in drugs or alcohol to self-medicate. 

How to Manage the Effect of Depression on Cognitive Function

Thankfully, there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help you protect your brain from the effects of depression. You or a loved one may:

• Schedule a visit with a doctor to discuss whether you need to start taking medication to treat depression. If you take other medications, ask your doctor if these could be contributing to your depression or impaired cognitive function.
• Eat a balanced diet that contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, and magnesium. These nutrients are known to help support emotional balance and brain health.
• Incorporate stress management techniques into your daily life. Stress reduction helps lower cortisol levels, preventing their adverse effects on your brain.
• Exercise regularly to help counteract brain shrinkage from raised cortisol levels. Physical activity benefits healthy brain function and can help grow the hippocampus.
• Play brain games daily to help sharpen your brain and reduce the impact of depression. You can download an app with these brain-boosting games, do crossword puzzles, or play sudoku.

If you have been using drugs or alcohol to cope with the symptoms of depression, seek help from a substance use disorder and depression treatment center. Overcoming SUD and finding healthy ways to manage depression are some of the best things you can do to support your brain and maximize your mental performance.

Call Today to Find Brighter Days in BrightView’s Depression Treatment Center

BrightView is dedicated to helping people with depression find their light at the end of the tunnel. We want you to know you do not have to give up feeling happy again. With the help of our depression treatment center, you can get back to living the life you want.

Call us today at 888.501.9865 or complete our online form to enroll in our comprehensive treatment program for depression.