2008 Woodie Awards
Medication not the answer for life's problems
Issue date: 10/21/05 Section: Rocket Letters
To the Editor:
For many students who live in troublesome circumstances, anti-depressants may provide the balance they need to feel happy in everyday college campus life. However, many problems may arise from the use of medications to treat such psychological issues that may not have been covered in last week's Rocket. I feel that it is important to mention these issues.
First of all, students are depriving themselves of a learning experience every time they pop a Zoloft, Prozac, or any other kind of anti-depressant medication. We all came to college to learn something. In order to learn we must face challenges, and all of us face social and emotional challenges in college. At these times, taking an anti-depressant seems like a quick solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem.
I would like to suggest the idea that students are simply postponing social and emotional challenges when taking anti-depressants. When they attempt to quit the medicine, they will once again stumble across the depressing situations and not have developed any methods of handling these situations.
Some may argue that anti-depressants provide support for students in difficult situations. However, I would like to suggest that we should encourage students to learn to deal with difficult personal situations instead of turning to medications that they might become dependent on. When SRU students graduate, do we want them to suffer hard days on the job or at home when they forget their meds? I hope that all SRU students realize how their survival through difficulties they encounter in life provide strength for them to rely on.
Of course, people still need support to help them succeed through their challenges, whether they are on or off medication. Specifically, the best ways to help people become comfortable with growing socially and emotionally is to get them involved. Students can get involved in a variety of ongoing clubs and communities that will allow them the opportunity for social support.
John Mulkerrin
Third-year graduate student
College Student Personnel major
For many students who live in troublesome circumstances, anti-depressants may provide the balance they need to feel happy in everyday college campus life. However, many problems may arise from the use of medications to treat such psychological issues that may not have been covered in last week's Rocket. I feel that it is important to mention these issues.
First of all, students are depriving themselves of a learning experience every time they pop a Zoloft, Prozac, or any other kind of anti-depressant medication. We all came to college to learn something. In order to learn we must face challenges, and all of us face social and emotional challenges in college. At these times, taking an anti-depressant seems like a quick solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem.
I would like to suggest the idea that students are simply postponing social and emotional challenges when taking anti-depressants. When they attempt to quit the medicine, they will once again stumble across the depressing situations and not have developed any methods of handling these situations.
Some may argue that anti-depressants provide support for students in difficult situations. However, I would like to suggest that we should encourage students to learn to deal with difficult personal situations instead of turning to medications that they might become dependent on. When SRU students graduate, do we want them to suffer hard days on the job or at home when they forget their meds? I hope that all SRU students realize how their survival through difficulties they encounter in life provide strength for them to rely on.
Of course, people still need support to help them succeed through their challenges, whether they are on or off medication. Specifically, the best ways to help people become comfortable with growing socially and emotionally is to get them involved. Students can get involved in a variety of ongoing clubs and communities that will allow them the opportunity for social support.
John Mulkerrin
Third-year graduate student
College Student Personnel major
