We all know that students can suffer from mental ill-health at university - but what about post-graduation depression? Clare Dyckhoff investigates with The Independent.
'University is the best few years of your life, enjoy it while it lasts and make the most of it - time goes so fast' - all examples of a plethora of clichés that potential and current students are constantly blasted with.
It is true: university can be one of the best experiences of a young person’s life, wherein you study a beloved subject for three or four years and make the most of the opportunities offered. It seems like a simple equation for the majority; university plus new friends plus new experiences equals happiness.
But what happens once the glory days are over, the mortarboard is on and there’s a row of students smiling ear to ear, clutching their certificates showcasing years' worth of hard work, hangovers and great experiences? What happens next?
Statistics state that one in four students suffers from depression during their studies, but no official figures exist for graduates in the post-university transition. If a student is suffering from depression during their time at university, there are counselling services and student health centres able to help, not just to hear, but also actually to listen. There's a common misconception that university is just a three-year party with an alcohol supply that never ends - in fact, the party does end, and there is not enough being done to help with the clearing up after.
With the vast majority of students living away from home for the entirety of their university experience, trading new-found independence, power and responsibility for living back at home due to lack of funds can seem like an unnatural step back, or a regression to a pre-university self that was not so in control and independent. For some, returning to home comforts is preferred, but for many, feeling dependent with no real structure feels restrictive.
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