1.

0 INTRODUCTION

Depression is a very serious issue and often becomes a major topic in magazines,
newspapers and the internet. Sadness, feeling down, having a loss of interest or pleasure in
daily activities - these are symptoms familiar to all of us. But, if they persist and affect our life
substantially, it may be depression. According to William C. Shiel Depression is An illness
that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way a person eats, sleeps, feels
about himself or herself, and thinks about things. According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), depression is the most common illness worldwide and the leading cause of disability.
They estimate that 350 million people are affected by depression, globally. While in Malaysia
depression is the most common mental illness reported. It is by far the most important and the
most treatable condition and is projected to affect approximately 2.3 million people in
Malaysia, at some point in their lives yet, depression remains under detected and undertreated.

In this report, author will discuss and analyse about the factor, effect and how to prevent
depression in University student. Depression often occur to the university student. Many of us
think of college as a wondrous time of new experiences and great freedom to explore new ideas
and find one’s true self. However, depression and anxiety have afflicted college students at
alarming rates. As noted in the latest Centre for Collegiate Mental Health report, anxiety and
depression are the top reasons that college students seek counselling. Research shows that
nearly 1 in 5 university students are affected with anxiety or depression. Depression can affect
a student's ability to work, study, interact with peers, or take care of themselves. Symptoms of
depression may include difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, appetite changes,
withdrawing from participating in activities once enjoyed, feelings of sadness, hopelessness,
unhappiness, and difficulty concentrating on school work. Symptoms of depression can also
lead to thoughts of suicide.