Purdue News

November 7, 1997

Purdue offers help for coping with depression

"The holidays bring on stress -- and many people feel blue after they are over -- but research doesn't support the idea that the holidays actually cause clinical depression," said David Rollock, associate professor of psychological sciences.

However, he said holiday stress might push persons bordering on major depression into recognizing how sad and dysfunctional they have become.

The Purdue Psychology Treatment and Research clinics will offer a free eight-week program called "Coping With Depression," timed to start after the holiday season. Groups are forming now to begin the sessions in early January.

Rollock said depression is more than a case of the blues. "Depression causes people to feel sad, helpless and hopeless. They lack energy and don't sleep or eat well over unusually long stretches of time," he said. Serious mood disorders, such as depression, tend to result from either personally devastating circumstances or even medical or biological processes.

The therapy sessions provide skills training for persons whose depression makes it difficult for them to function. "This is not traditional psychotherapy," said Rollock, who oversees the Purdue Depression Clinic. "We are teaching people real-life, practical techniques to help them change their behaviors, feelings and thought patterns."

Skills taught during the 12 sessions include relaxation techniques, constructive thinking, methods for self-change and effective use of social skills. "People who are depressed have difficulty being assertive," Rollock said. "Thus their social interactions tend to be disappointing, which leads them to cut themselves off from others and begin a cycle of becoming even more depressed."

For someone suffering from depression, joining a group with other depressed people may sound like even more of a "downer." However, Rollock said the group concept is one of the keys to the success of the program.

"Being in a group gives people a chance to work and share with others. They can be supportive of each other and relate experiences that a psychotherapist may never encounter. It also helps them overcome some of the social isolation," he said.

Persons interested in the program should contact the clinic at (765) 494-6996 to arrange an interview. There is no fee for the 12 sessions, but donations are accepted to help offset the cost of the services.

The Purdue Depression Clinic also offers individual therapy. All client cases are handled by graduate students in the clinical psychology program under Rollock's supervision.

CONTACT: Rollock, (765) 494-6996; e-mail, rollock@psych.purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu

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