Story was co-produced with Kendall Harris
Seasonal depression is beginning to kick in for many college students as fall comes to an end.
The Mayo Clinic defines seasonal depression as a depression relating to the seasons. It affects many people every year, but college students are most at risk due to the changes in climate and the difficulty to cope with new surroundings.
WCU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers services for any student struggling with seasonal depression.
For most people, seasonal depression symptoms begin in the fall and end in the spring, but it can also affect people in the spring and summer months.
Symptoms include losing activity interest, weight gain or loss, fatigue, trouble sleeping and anxiety.
Five students from WCU gave their perspectives on what it is like for them to have seasonal depression. They each said they begin to feel symptoms around October until February. In the video below, some students describe their symptoms as well as how they deal with them.
Erin Daley, a WCU sophomore who is very active on campus, has been diagnosed with seasonal depression since 2014. She said she begins to experience it right before Halloween.
“I get very overwhelmed very quickly,” said Daley.
A common trend of seasonal depression is the lack of productivity and feeling overwhelmed. Brenna Barnes, a junior majoring in hospitality and tourism, said she gets less productive and prefers to stay in bed.
“I can go maybe two weeks without doing anything,” said Barnes.
Nick Hammer, a junior communication sciences and disorders student, agreed that getting work done with seasonal depression is difficult.
“It definitely affects my school work. Most of the time it actually affects the will I have to do my school work,” said Hammer. Hammer also said his experience with seasonal depression has felt like a downward spiral.
Hammer described seasonal depression as “just a war that it just never really stops.”
Another common trend of seasonal depression is people struggling to maintain relationships.
Jeremy Gilbert, a WCU student, has experienced seasonal and general depression since his junior year of high school. Gilbert said he tends to be very irritable and ignore those who reach out to him.
“I remember finding myself just secluding myself from everyone and just being alone all the time,” said Gilbert.
Emily Mathews, a junior resident assistant at WCU, experiences the same issue. Mathews said her relationships suffer because she does not have the desire to do anything. Her biggest symptom is fatigue.
“I would be more tired if I go out and come back,” Mathews said regarding fatigue and relationships.
Hammer, Daley, and Barnes also experience difficulty maintaining relationships. Hammer said seasonal depression leads to him missing calls, texts, and invitations from friends to meet. Daley said she has days where she will not speak to people, but many of her close friends understand. Barnes said she needs alone time to recoup during the winter months.
“I could go like a week being social and feeling fine and then at the end of the week I could tank,” said Barnes.
CAPS at WCU provides services for students with seasonal depression such as counseling and outreach programs. Outreach programs are offered via zoom to connect with students. CAPS also offers self-help tools for students who do not prefer direct counseling.
To get in contact with CAPS, call 828.227.7469 during business hours. Business hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CAPS has prompts on the main line, 828.227.7469, to follow if needing to call after hours.
CAPS is currently only taking appointments for counseling. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 828.227.7469.
For more information on mental health services, see the Western Carolina Journalist’s story on the UNC System’s new 24/7 mental health service.
