It is small wonder that in today's media-frenzied, terror-stricken, and corporately brow-beaten society, 16% of Americans are depressed. Not impervious to their outside worlds, many Penn Valley students, feeling the lagging winter blues (and the dragging semester), may relate.
So where does this almost one-sixth of the population turn for help? What will become of the emotionally comatose scholars struggling to survive the semester? Short of creating MCC's very own Fight Club to cope with the devastating rawness of life and finally feel something again, who will save our tortured souls?
One option is the personal counseling MCC - Penn Valley offers to students. "There are so many things in students' lives that can interfere with learning, and those are the things we would try and help with," says Maureen Kennedy, an MCC – PV counselor.
Kennedy recommends making an appointment at the front desk (the Counseling and Advising Department is located in Student Services on the second floor of the Campus Center) or by calling 759-4077. If you're not comfortable doing that, she suggests speaking with a teacher, who can help make an appointment or accompany you to Student Services.
Students don't need to be having a personal crisis to make a counseling appointment. Kennedy says that the counselors can help with "things like test anxiety or being a little nervous about being in a class, or feeling nervous about your writing or your math skills," as well as serious problems such as depression.
Different issues bear their own weight on certain individuals, and there are organizations in place that cater to all types of counseling concerns. So if one isn't ready to join every support group like our Fight Club friends Tyler and Marla, one can find a counseling center for a specific affliction.
In fact, a quick click can unlock more information from the web address www.depression.com. The web is a veritable smorgasbord of support.
For a more specified search, those suffering from relationship problems, sexual identity crises, or other sexually explicit issues, few know that Planned Parenthood provides counseling, as well as a web site (see link below) chock-full of information and answers.
For people caught in the jaws of depression's feral friend, alcoholism, put down the beverage; point and click to Alcoholics Anonymous' website: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.
Whatever has that chunk of the population in such a slump, seeking out the help is the first battle in the war against depression, and it's time to fight back.
Family Conservancy, 3217 Broadway, 816-753-5280;
KC Free Health Clinic, 3515 Broadway, 816-753-5144;
Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry, 3041 Holmes, 816-931-0027;
Swope Health Services, 3801 Blue Parkway, 816-923-5800;
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/, 1-800-230-PLAN
Copyright 2007 Metropolitan Community College