Emma is a sophomore in college who has recently started her second semester. On the surface, she appears to have it together, but, little does everyone around her know, it is a front to mask her struggles. She forces herself to go to class and tries her hardest to focus when all she wants to do is curl up in bed all day.

It is hard for her to find motivation to be as productive as she once used to be. She feels overwhelmed by everything going on in her life. It is as if she is being suffocated. What she thought as just another bad week has continued to worsen. Emma knows that she is experiencing symptoms of depression, but she convinces herself that it will pass eventually and she will be back to normal rather than getting help because she fears what others will think of her.

First, what exactly is depression? According to American Psychiatric Association, it is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. An individual may experience sadness or anxiety every now and then, but depression is more than just feeling low.

It is not just having a bad day or a bad week, it lasts longer and affects daily usual activities. In some cases, a person may solely feel unmotivated to do anything or be uninterested in doing what they used to enjoy without being sad at all. Others find themselves feeling worthless or losing hope. The symptoms vary from person to person. One may only experience a few while another may have more.

It has become common for college students to go through a similar situation as Emma.

Depression is a growing concern among college students due to the stressful environment they are exposed to.

Being away at college means adjusting to a new setting, forcing the person to learn how to be more independent and self-sufficient in a small timeframe. A pile of responsibilities is dumped on students. From academics to finances, they have to figure out what to do apart from looking for ways to get involved on campus and making new friends.

85 percent of college students were overwhelmed by everything they had to do, which is a source of stress.

Chronic stress, meaning a high level of stress over a period of time, can lead to depression. College students forget to look after themselves because they already have too much to worry about as previously mentioned. When a person is stressed, they begin to disregard healthy strategies such as having a proper diet and working out.

So long until another aspect of their lives are affected as well. As reported by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 30 percent of college students said that stress had a negative impact on their academic performance.

Someone can only handle so much before they have a breakdown. From there on, if they do not seek any help, the possibility of their condition worsening increases. Depression is not something that just goes away.

Before it takes a turn for the worst, it is important to get help. Visit the campus health center to see what services they offer. Perhaps, take a trip back home to talk to your parents and ask for their support. There are more options if neither seems comfortable. Mental health matters.