(Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell) “A message of hope from UMatter at UMass Lowell seen on North Campus”
Sabine Laurent de Cannon
Connector Editor
“My brain makes me feel like nothing is okay. It feels very debilitating and lonely. It feels like everything is wrong even though it isn’t.” Ashley Laleau, a junior psychology student at UMass Lowell’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, reflects on how she often feels as the days shorten and cold, rainy weather becomes the norm. Laleau, along with around 10 million other Americans, suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or Seasonal Depression. Right around the corner, January and February loom, often considered the most depressing months of the year. 18 to 24-year-olds, the typical age for undergraduate students, are the most depressed demographic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, around 21 percent of the age group has been diagnosed with the disorder. As the winter season begins, academic institutions everywhere should ask: how will this affect our students?
“It feels like a weight on me, like someone is sitting on my chest, and it is very overwhelming.” Collin Gallagher, a senior in the Manning School of Business, echoes similar sentiments as Laleau when describing his depressive episodes. He continued, “I have a big loss of motivation, and it becomes very difficult to do anything. Not just responsibilities, but the things I enjoy; I want nothing to do with them.” Being an undergraduate student is a big responsibility. With numerous deadlines, financial stressors, and pressure to plan for the future, life can often feel like an enormous burden in and of itself. The addition of poor mental health may cause everything to feel debilitating. The Mayo Clinic reports that students with depression struggle to attend class, absorb the material, and complete their coursework.
Professors are often the first point of contact for students, especially when they miss class, fall behind on assignments, or don’t understand the material being taught. When asked if her professors have been understanding of her mental health, Maria Mendez, a senior liberal arts student, commented: “One of my professors is really accommodating; shout out to Professor Patricia White! But, for the most part, I don’t tell them, so I can’t really say whether they are considerate or not.” In June, U.S. News surveyed mental health on college campuses. Just like Mendez, 63 percent of the USN respondents claimed to struggle with their mental health but did not seek help from their professors or the resources on campus. “The culture is to not talk about it,” Gallagher stated, “There are a few people I know I’d feel comfortable sharing stuff with, but it’s because I know them. I don’t get the vibe that there is a supportive culture, especially in Manning.”
Laleau began her time at UMass Lowell as a biology major but has since switched to psychology. She explains that the “lack of empathy” in the biology department was a significant factor in her transfer. Laleau said, “Over my years in therapy, I have learned that depression is not an excuse… I appreciate when my professors hold me accountable, but there needs to be a level of understanding and empathy, especially with a major as difficult as biology. When I was in lab, [the professor] was extremely stringent. I never felt any empathy from her.” Laleau finished by stating that she noticed a difference in the culture of North and South Campuses, praising the South Campus environment for “being more understanding of what students go through.”
The Wellness Center is UMass Lowell’s primary resource for student mental health. The center offers counseling services, health services, and 24-hour access to an on-call clinician for more severe mental health crises. When asked about the counseling services UMass Lowell provides, Director Dr. Deborah Edelman-Blank said, “Brief individual therapy is usually every other week for about a semester, with some students doing less or more.” A popular rumor on campus equivocates that students can only receive six counseling appointments during their undergraduate years. Edelman-Blank was eager to dispel that myth, “It is designed to be short-term care….[but it] depends on the student’s ability to function or whether they are at risk of suicide…there is no set number.” Continuing, “Group therapy is weekly every semester, and [students] can attend their entire undergrad and graduate careers.” According to the center’s website, group sessions indeed run weekly, with some gatherings aimed at specific groups such as LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color and women. All counseling services are free to students, with no insurance required.
“I really feel like the school provides for me,” Laleau remarked. She continued, explaining that she receives her medication and her therapy because of university resources. Though Laleau was critical of UMass Lowell’s short-term treatments, she was happy with the referrals she was given and voiced thankfulness that the health center could find her care covered by her insurance. Gallagher, on the other hand, expressed a few faults he observed in the current system: “I’ve used the counseling services, and I’ve always used it at a time of great anxiety…I’ve come in there really distraught, wanting to be seen right away because I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone, and I was told to come back in three days. My situation wasn’t that severe, but if someone was ready to harm themselves and they couldn’t be seen, that scares me.”
In response to Gallagher’s account, Edelman-Blank stated, “If [a student] came in and there was no indication the student was in crisis, they would be asked to schedule an appointment. But, if there is any indication that someone is in crisis, there is a procedure the health center staff follow.” Adding, “Openings for initial screenings are same-day and next-day all year [but] the openings may not be at the most convenient times.”
Peer Well-Being Leaders are another resource for those who want to connect with fellow students. UMass Lowell reports that each college has two well-being leaders, all “trained in the eight dimensions of wellness including physical, mental and financial fitness.” Online, the university has access to prevention, support and education tools for those with a plethora of concerns and anxieties. ULifeline, a platform many colleges use, provides information on mental health issues and screening tools for those who would like to question and learn more about symptoms they may be having. Campus resources such as Disability Services, the food pantry, The Solution Center, Veterans Services, and academic support can be found on the student affairs website.
“Despite everything, I have wonderful friends. I always feel loved and cared for, and many of them are going through the same mental health struggles as I am…we understand each other, and that helps all of us,” Laleau concluded. She acknowledges that everyone may not have the same support, and encouraged those who suffer from depression, anxiety and poor mental health to “not be ashamed” of their hardships. Offering reassurance, she says, “It is always acceptable to admit that you’re not doing okay.”
