It has been suggested that over the holidays there are higher levels of stress which can lead to depression. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 1 in 10 U.S. adults report depression.  

Tiffany Iskander, psychologist in the Student Counseling Service said that depression is hard to diagnose as it is different for everyone, and everyone shows different symptoms.

Meifen Wei, professor of psychology at Iowa State agrees diagnosing depression is a personal case by case basis.

Wei also gives a suggestion from a interpersonal psychological perspective on why people are depressed and gives some theory on why people tend to be more depressed over the holidays.

“People that are depressed feel a lack of connection. People that have a support system, tend to not be depressed,” Wei said. 

Wei said the upcoming winter break has two different effects on students. It can either make them less depressed or more.

“Students are returning home from a semester here, and if they have existing issues, with family members or others, then they can be reactivated,” Wei said. “This would be a signal for the person to then seek help.”

Wei said that the best way to cope is to seek professional help because people tend to know that they are not happy, but not understand why they are not happy. She said that professionals can find that root.

Wei said college students’ happiness is dependent on the happiness of other people, whether that be a boyfriend, girlfriend or family member.

This dependence can cause a roller coaster of emotions that cause students to feel up and then down.

This dependence on others can affect students to have less depressive symptoms over the upcoming break.

With students who may have more of a support system at home, they feel less depressed. Returning from break is then a hard transition and the depression returns Wei said.

Wei said that there are lots of other factors that can cause depression as well, outside of social psychological area.

Wei said that from a biological area, diet can be a cause of depression; if someone is not getting the correct proteins or vitamins, this can cause depressive symptoms.

Wei said that however a student experiences depression over the holiday season, a good way to cope with it is to make a connection. She said speaking with a friend and just showing yourself compassion and comfort can help.

“The most important thing to remember when experiencing symptoms of depression is to seek help and support,” Iksander said.