Thursday, May 21, 2009

AP Poll: Students Stressed, Depressed

Nancy Benac And Trevor Tompson (AP)
PLAY VIDEO: Economy adds to student stress

WASHINGTON – Stress over grades. Financial worries. Trouble sleeping. Feeling hopeless.

So much for those carefree college days.

The vast majority of college students are feeling stressed these days, and significant numbers are at risk of depression, according to an Associated Press-mtvU poll

Eighty-five percent of the students reported feeling stress in their daily lives in recent months, with worries about grades, school work, money, and relationships the big culprits.

At the same time, 42 percent said they had felt down, depressed, or hopeless several days during the past two weeks, and 13 percent showed signs of being at risk for at least mild depression, based on the students' answers to a series of questions that medical practitioners use to diagnose depressive illness.

These students complained of trouble sleeping, having little energy or feeling down or hopeless — and most hadn't gotten professional help. Eleven percent had had thoughts that they'd be better off dead or about hurting themselves.

That's not just a case of the blues to be shrugged off by taking a break with Facebook or going for a workout. More>>


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President forcefully defended his decision to close the Guantanamo detention camp (Gitmo extrajudicial prison) today as Obama and Cheney face off on torture (AP/NPR).

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