A couple of months ago, a friend of mine confessed to me that she has been taking medication for depression. She came up to me raving about when she opened the topic to her professor. Her professor was asking her why she has been playing absent and not passing papers. When she said that she has undergone medication for depression, her professor told her " ai, sa utok lang na dai, sus, ayaw lang lagi dibdiba nang imung uyab."
Silly, how such a case can be treated so casually and yet so stupidly. in the first place, she didn't have a boyfriend. and second, depression is not always about love-affairs or the connotative term "sawi".
Hearing her story was like opening a book of taken for granted stories. Stories about unusual behavior of some studennts in school immediately run through my head. Stories like one student having extreme mood-swings, sudden loss of apetite, and lack interest for studies. Or in worst cases, a student talking to himself, screaming in class, or waking up boardmates in the middle of the night and telling them that she has just dreamt of her killing all of them.
These may be stories that break the ice during boring canteen conversations but truly it is a case that should not be taken for granted. Because there are alot of students in UP Mindanao that are having symtoms of psychological disorder because of several factors that this community pressures the,.
One very obviouse pressure would be academics. Everyone knows about the famous 2002 Silva dorm suicide. Some say that that girl was dumped by her boyfriend, although it is quite a possible reason, the surfaced proved it wrong. Truth was, that the woman had been flying with colors in secondary school, but when she experienced the pain of an F in UP, she was so frustrated she ended her life.
And there are alot of cases where in theses are not done because students can not handle the pressure. Some students prefer to jumble them all with beer and some would lazy-go and not work at all. some would be frustrated with their work that they would opt to unwhine.
Although, academic pressure is a good way to hone students skills, it must go with an effective councelling and consultation in order to monitor the students disposition and capabilities so that they will have a better idea in how to handle the pressure. Because in order for this school to run, students should be capable as they are.
BUt then, of course, as much as it is not always about the guys, it is not also always about school. Peer pressure can be a major cause for depression. THis is true especially because students in low population as UP have the urge to belong. Nobody wants to sit around lonely in the atrium, evetybody's got atleast a pair. and if your one of those who cant be better left alone you feel lonely. THis is why fraternities and sororities are so mainstream in UP, its because people think that it is the safest and fastest way to belong.
BUt what is the culture of most brotherhood is that when the leader or a group of dominating members calls gathering, none one should be left solving X2 or doing perspectives. To belong (in general UP sense) is always about doing what everyone is doing regardless of what you want to do. That is why when a student becomes ostracized for being "masi", he becomes depressed because he feels that he has lost his group.or when they would confrom, they leave other obligations behind and turn out to be depress when TCG comes out. and what do the brotherhood do? in most cases, they merely smirk and hand you a bottle of beer. no wonder alot of students run out of year to MRR. silly? but true in UP MIndanao.
Family can be a factor for depression too that should be dealt with and understood by everyone. But it does not really surface in UP because most students here either have problems going to school or eating dinner.
True, it is always a go-go when you have extra cash when going to school but most students in UP either have just enough or skip meal. and thinking about how to eat, how to buy personal needs or materials for projects can give a heavy burden for students mine. SOme of these students have not been accepted as STPAF guaranters because of they have cellphones or they have little gadgets that pass them for middle class. We all know that there are cheep phones or there are phones from the pawnshop sold have there original price. have they even consider how many meals that student skipped just to have a feel of texting.
god! Perhaps it time to revies the criteria for that scholarship.
See, there are alot of cases here in UP that need to me addressed. Cases that if not taken seriously, may become grave issues in the future. MS. Toro-Toro, a socscie graduating student, even had a brain stroke because of depression.
And seriously, ITS NOT JUST ABOUT THE GUY!
Over a nights strall, I told another friend of mine about these issues. She had a funny comment that it was better to be depressed because depression can make you think and make you intelligent. while happy people just jump around jolly.... funny side.
And then she told me that even if some people would say that they arent depressed because of their lover, it still boils down to the fact of having someone in your life. She meant someone to love.
while her point strickly collide with my cause here, i believed she has a point. We all need someone to talk to, or to rely on when we're depressed. A family member, a friend in school, a councelor, a shrink, or a special someone. THey become extensions of our feeling and may help us in coping. THey may sometimes be the cause but mostly the aid.
But hey! its still not about the guy.
