Self-esteem and self-confidence are among the top reasons why NIU students seek help from the Counseling and Student Development Center.

About 29 percent of the center’s regular clients reported problems concerning self-esteem, according to statistics taken by the center during the 1990-91 school year.

Kathy Hotelling, the center’s director, said although these statistics are based only on the center’s clients, many NIU students probably experience the same type of problems.

“Most of these concerns are concerns that all students have at one time or another, even though they may not decide to come in to the counseling center,” Hotelling said.

Other common problems include depression, academic and romantic problems and family relationships, she said.

Hotelling said the statistics, which are based on the common problems of the center’s clients during the 1990-91 school year, are almost identical to previous years.

“The statistics from the last two years came in the exact same order and deal with the same types of problems,” Hotelling said.

The causes of these problems, and how the student deals with them, vary depending on the person. Factors, including the client’s family history and how they were raised, play a big part in how the problem is handled, Hotelling said.

“It’s very hard to pinpoint one reason why students experience these types of problems because it really depends on the person,” she said.

The flow of students who come to the center stays relatively steady throughout the year, Hotelling said. The center sees an increase of students at the beginning of the semester and before a school vacation.