None of the higher education institutions in the State has sufficient services to address increasing levels of student depression, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has said.
Mr Colm Jordan, president of the union, said stress, financial difficulties, bereavement and childhood problems were among the main causes of depression among third-level students.
He was quoting from a study on the issue carried out by the union and published yesterday.
The study also found that 75 per cent of students believed there was a social stigma attached to depression, while 65.5 per cent said they knew someone who suffered from depression.
While the study does not present numbers of students suffering depression, Mr Jordan said the number of students seeking the services of counsellors was increasing. The study comes as a report from the health services of Trinity College, Dublin indicates the number of undergraduates there suffering anxiety and depression has increased by more than 10 per cent over the past five years.
Mr Jordan said it was sad that the stigma of depression was "as common on college campuses as it is in the community as a whole".
He also said students were under increasing academic and financial pressure, causing more to have to hold down jobs while at college.
"More and more are working and fewer are getting involved in clubs and societies," he said.
"And so many students have said that societies and clubs have been a saviour to them," said Mr Jordan
Calling for increased investment in student counselling services, Mr Jordan said he knew of one third-level institution with a student body of 20,000 that had five counsellors, while there were several institutes of technology that had none.
"This is an issue the Government needs to take seriously, on a national basis," he said.
Ms Maureen Woods, welfare officer with USI, said it was "imperative" that measures were put in place to de-stigmatise depression and mental health problems.
