It’s starting to rain. The sky is gray. It’s cold and dark outside. It’s a typical gloomy day.

This can mean the weather is changing.

For some students, this can make them start to feel depressed. This kind of depression is called seasonal affective disorder.

“A large percentage of students at some point during their four years of college suffer from mild or severe depression,” said Shauna Summers, a counselor at Eastern’s Counseling Center.

Other causes of depression can vary from the weather during months of January and February, finals and graduation to the holidays.

“We have a lot of students come in around Valentine’s Day because they aren’t in a relationship or have just broken up with someone,” Summers said.

Although the holidays make some students cheerful and bright, others can experience signs of depression.

Symptoms of depression are different for every person. They can experience change in appetite, including eating more or less, or sleeping patterns changes, sleeping more or less. They can also feel less motivate to do work, and have mood swings, Summers said.

Not only does depression affect a person mentally but also physically by causing muscle pains and the feeling of tension.

“Students can come into the Counseling Center and we can give them ideas of how to relax or relieve stress, such as deep breathing exercises,” Summers said.

Students can also get help with depression through therapy and medications.

“There’s a lot they can do that is easy and quick to help,” she said.

Friends can also help students who might show signs of depression. They can lend a listening ear and help them with their stress, Summers said.

If friends notice their peers withdrawing or isolating themselves or an increase in substance use, such as drinking or marijuana, these are signs of depression, said Mike Tozer, a counselor at the center.

“It is sometimes hard to approach someone, but try to find out their preference (of dealing with their own problems),” Summers said.

Friends also should not ignore comments like, “I wonder what it would be like without me,” or “I can’t take this anymore,” because this could increase someone’s isolation.

“These phrases are not just to attract attention but warning signs,” Tozer said. “Usually the student will not say anything because they are scared of being lectured or judged by their peers.”

Instead friends can talk to their peers about their concerns in a position of caring, not lecturing them.

Students can find more information about depression, where they can go for help and other Life Skills Workshops on the Counseling Center’s Web site at www.eiu.edu/~counsctr/cslwelc.html.