Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Associate Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathum Alkhateeb, the Psychological Counseling and Educational Guidance Unit at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy held an awareness-raising workshop entitled “Understanding Depression in the Youth Community,” presented by the fifth stage’s student, Zaid Ibrahim Muhammad, on Sunday, February 25th, 2024. The workshop included quoting statistical studies to estimate the extent of the presence of depression in the world and in the university community, and then discussing the common reasons for the presence of such a condition among university students. The major points and most important characteristics found in a depressed person were clarified, leading to a more accurate understanding of the condition away from stereotypical ideas about it. Furthermore, the impact of psychological trauma and adaptive methods on a person’s mental health over time was explained. The workshop also included a discussion of the concept of the chemistry of depression and its chemical link to conditions such as sleep disorders. The orientation of cognitive behavioral therapy and its importance in treating and progressing with depression were explained. At the end, the workshop concluded that poor organization and time management may be the main causes of depression among young university students. The workshop witnessed high interaction from the attending students, who enriched the workshop with their scientific questions and participated with their answers and opinions to the questions that were posed by the lecturer.
