Counseling Center Now Offering Free Online Depression Screenings by Anne Pilon, Journalism

Depression symptoms are surprisingly high among college students. According to PBS, nearly half of all college students have felt depression symptoms at some point during the last school year. Columbia students are not immune to this.

“Depression symptoms are one of the top six things we see in the Counseling Center each month,” said Jackie Sowinski-Hamlett, director of Counseling Services. “Specifically sadness, loss of interest in your activities, feeling isolated, frequent crying, and differences in your sleeping or eating patterns.”

There are many different causes of depression and causes vary by person, so Sowinski-Hamlett urges students to pay close attention to their own mental health. She also suggested keeping an eye out for friends, especially if they are going through a major life change.

“Depression can be organic or it can be caused by your environment, or it could be a combination of the two,” said Sowinski-Hamlett. “It really depends one the person and what is going on in their life.”

Fortunately, Columbia has resources to help students cope with these symptoms, all of which are included in your tuition.

“Students are allowed ten free counseling sessions per academic year, and we also offer a variety of groups to help with some of the top themes that we see come into the office.”

Not sure if you want to make the trip to the Counseling Services Office? Columbia still has you covered.

“One new feature that is up and running now is that we offer free online screenings through Columbia’s website,” said Sowinski-Hamlett. “This tool is available online 24/7.”

Though the online screening tool should not be used in place of seeking help, it can help you to determine whether or not you are experiencing symptoms and what your next step should be.

“The screening tool can help you to determine if you have certain symptoms of depression, eating disorders, PTSD, or other mental health disorders,” said Sowinski-Hamlett. “At the end there are pop-up results that recommend resources for you. For example, it might recommend that you follow up with Columbia College Counseling Services. The online screenings allow students the opportunity to remain anonymous and to do the screening anytime from their own room. So for the students who might be hesitant or feel unsure if anything is really going on with them, this can give them confidence and the additional encouragement to find the help they need.”

Whether you’re experiencing depression symptoms or you’re not quite sure, Sowinski-Hamlett’s biggest piece of advice is simply to know yourself and pay attention to your mental health.

“You know how you operate better than anyone else,” she said. “If you’re not feeling well, or you feel like something is going on, don’t just ignore it. Pay attention to subtle signs. If you’ve experienced any changes in your life situation, positive or negative, that can have an impact. Even things that seem like good things can bring on stress and lead to depression symptoms. So just pay attention to how you’re feeling and how you’re operating.”

To make an appointment at the Counseling Center, call 312-369-8700 or go here if you're interested in the online screening tool.

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