Depression in International Students

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Depression is one of the many problems that International Students face. It's a problem that affects their day to activities and if left unattended can cause a lot of harm. It is called the 'common cold' of mental illness (Mental Health Info &Links, 2001). Depression was compared with 100 other diseases and it was ranked fourth in the global burden by the World Health Organisation (WHO). There is a fear that it might rise to second it diagnosis, treatment or prevention is not improved. Depression causes suffering and anguish for individuals, families, friends and communities. Families and employers expand both personal and economic resources to deal with the person’s depression and depressive symptoms. A major concern it that early depression signals a future recurrent or chronic depression that becomes increasingly debilitating (Greden, 2001). This paper is going to focus on the impact that depression has on International students and the triggers and causes of Depression.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION IN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS?

Causes of depression in international students revolve around the number of friends one has, financial difficulties, language barriers, academic difficulties, perceived discrimination and cultural shock.

Culture shock includes all those beliefs and expectations about how people should speck and act, the social organisation, the relationship and the rules that govern kinship systems. Also it includes ones ethnicity, the socio economic status, and the ideas, customs and learned behaviour that has become second nature to a person (Fernandez p.158). Culture shock comes in when the student discovers that all the behaviours and skills he or she had are no longer accepted in the new environment.

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... lifespan perspective. New York: Springer.

Tam K Dao, Donghyuck Lee, & Huang. .L ,Chang. (2007). Acculturation level, perceived English fluency, perceived social Support level, and depression among Taiwanese international students. Colleg Student Journal, 41(2), 287-295. Retrieved July 28, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1324485551).

William. W. B. (2003). Depression among students: a challenge for educational leadership. International Journal of Humanities and Peace, 19(1), 50-52. Retrieved July 28, 2010, from Academic Research Library. (Document ID: 676587181).

Mallinckrodt, B. & Leong, F. T. L. (1992). International graduate students, stress, and social support. Journal of College Student Development, 33, 71-78.

WHO, The World Health Report, (1997). Retrieved 28th July 2010 http://www.who.int/whr/1997/exsum97 e.htm

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