Students going to college are susceptible to depression and anxiety because of pressures to succeed, especially those incoming freshmen who are immersed in the throes of a completely new academic environment.

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has sought to address this issue by taking administrative action to implement a new service for this specific matter.

UCLA is in the works to offer voluntary mental health screenings during orientation for students who are new to the campus, according to official announcements by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block.

By setting this service in motion, the college hopes to encourage students who may feel that seeking help is a bother to themselves or others.

“In terms of dollar costs to society, depression is one of the most expensive diseases we face. The human toll is terrible. It affects all ages and all backgrounds. It is pervasive,” Block said in a CNN article.

For those whose time is occupied with difficult classes, long hours at work, and at-home assignments, rarely can they find time to rest and relax.

This stress can accumulate and manifest itself through symptoms like fatigue and lack of motivation.

In extreme cases, it may lead to mental conditions like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is characterized by persistent and excessive worry about a multitude of things.

Former De Anza student, Jasmin Remram, 20, recently transferred to UCLA to start her junior year of college, and is no stranger to the apprehension felt when one starts something unfamiliar in their life.

Remram, completely brand-new to this academic environment, mentioned how being surrounded by students who seem to have their lives together “has been stressful for her,” while she on the other hand, struggles to find stability in this new setting.

“It’s a step forward and they definitely emphasized that it’s okay if you need to get help. There’s a stigma attached with seeking help,” Remram said.

Alan Nguyen, 20, another former student of De Anza who has also recently begun his junior year of college at Berkeley, agrees with this progressive approach to mental health at UCLA.

“Students who transition from their previous environments to a new environment may face newly-birthed mental health issues. It is nice for them to be reminded that help is always available,” Nguyen said. “At my orientation at UC Berkeley, one of my events included having some sort of walk entitled ‘Bear Perspectives.’ Throughout the walk, there were interesting posters and statistics, as well as interactive activities that made me no longer feel alone in this fight against our own mental health.”

To those that feel they may be experiencing any symptoms of depression, De Anza’s psychiatric services are open to all students from Monday to Friday, located in the Student Services Center.