Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Depression
Depression
Depression
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Monday Melissa sat where she and Brian had eaten lunch together
her.
“Yeah,” agreed Crystal. “You guys fought all the time anyway.” “I hear Joy
and Nathan just broke up,” offered Julie with an excited smile. “You’ve always had a
Melissa didn’t answer. She lifted her tray and left her friends without a word.
They don’t understand, she thought. They’ve all had lots of boyfriends. But Brian was
her first real boyfriend, and she had entertained fantasies about marrying him ever
since they started dating. When they first started going out, Melissa had made up her
mind to be everything Brian wanted. She’d lost a little eight and begun dressing with
him in mind. She tried so hard to please him; if he showed the slightest pleasure in s
omething she did or said, she would work to do more of the same.
When their relationship became more physically intimate, she determined to give Brian
anything, everything; they began having sex after six months as a couple.
When Brian broke up with her, Melissa couldn’t believe it. She cried and
begged him
not to leave her. She told him she’d change; she’d do anything he wanted. But he refused.
Her first reaction was anger. After all I’ve done to make him happy, she thought. Then her
anger turn inward. I did everything I know how to do, and it still wasn’t enough. I must be
totally worthless. I’ll never have a man love me. I don’t deserve to have a man love me.
Over the next few weeks, Melissa started spending more time alone in her
room. She
seldom went out with her friends, preferring instead to stay home, listen to music, and stare
at the bedroom walls. She found it difficult to eat, and after a few weeks of having trouble
getting to sleep, she began to miss school frequently, and her grades plummeted. When her
parents confronted her about her conduct, she shrugged, “ I don’t care” was her only
response.
“I don’t understand,” her mother told the pastor of their church. “she seems
like she’s
from one culture to another. All of us may experience depression at one point in time and
this is just a normal reaction to a particular event such as death of a loved one or losing a
job. It becomes abnormal when it is excessive, profound and prolonged, and already affects
Depressive disorders have been with mankind since the beginning of recorded
history.
In the Bible, King David, as well as Job, suffered from this affliction. Hippocrates reffered
to depression as melancholia, which literally means black bile. In the 19th century,
depression was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th
century, Fruid linked the development of depression to guilt and conflict. John Cheever,
the author and a modern suffere of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict an experiences
teens- and preteens. “Researchers and clinicians now concede that depression frequently
occurs in children (Evan, Reinhart & Succop, 1980; French & Berbin, 1979 ) and
adolescents (Friedrich, Reams, & Jacobs, 1982; Seigel & Griffin, 1984; Teri,
1982a,1982b).”
While it is difficult to measure how many teens suffer depression, “the findings
suggest that a substantial proportion of young people are suffering from strong feelings of
unhappiness and despair.” One source states, “Nearly 5 percent of all teens are identified as
definition. This is partly because people use the term depression to refer to different
things: a general sadness, “the blues,” humiliation following failure, or a period of stress
and emotional volatility. Even mental health professionals have struggled for years to
decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and
activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings and physical-being.”
Gregory Richards state that depression, is the most common emotional illness of our
day. It is a later response that comes as a result of accepting harsh reality. It is more than
like a deep, dark pit from which there is no escape. It is a mood disorder which feelings of
sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of
bipol
Primary ar
time. depres
sions
Psychiatrist John White, in his book The Masks of Melancholy, shares some helpful
Depressive unip
(affective
clarification of the forms depression takes in the following chart.
olar
illness) Second
ary
depres
sions
From The Mask Melancholy by John White.
Secondary depressions occur in the course of some other illness and condition, such as
alcoholism. Primary depressions, White says, “ are mood disorders which may are not
particular pattern of inheritance. Not nearly as common as the other types of depressive
dosorders, bipolar disorders involve cycles of mood that include at least one episode of
mania or hypomania and may include episodes of depression as well. Bipolar disorders are
often chronic and recurring. Sometimes, the mood switches are dramatic and rapid, but
most often they are gradual. Unipolar depression, by contrast, a mood disorder
changes in weight and sleep, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, difficulty in
concentrating and thoughts of death and suicide. It is also a plunge into emotional darkness
relieve(if at all) only by restoration to normal moods. “To merit the description of
depressive illness,” White says, “all of these conditions must last at least a month, and
even more difficult to categorize and identify. Dr. Ross Campbell writes:
classical symptoms of adult depression. For example, a teenage in mild depression acts and
talks normally. There are no outward signs of depression. Mild teenage depression is
detectable only by somehow knowing the child’s thought pattern and thought content. Few
moderate depression, the content of the teenager’s speech is affected, dwelling primarily on
depressing subjects such as death, morbid problems, and crises. Since many adults today
unnoticed…
In the vast majority of cases, only in severe depression does the teenager actually
to identify because teens are good at “masking” it; that is, they can cover it by appearing
OK even when they are absolutely miserable. This is often called smiling depression. This
is a front which teenagers employ unconsciously … primarily when other people are
around. When depressed teenagers are alone, they let down or relax the mask somewhat.
This is helpful to parents. If we are able to see our teenagers at times when they
fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and depression that occurs 2 to 7 days before the onset of
formerly enjoyed, experience a change in their weight, and start abusing substances. They
may also take more risks, show less concern for their safety, and they are more likely to
complete suicide than their younger counterparts when depressed. Generally a condition in
A. Depression as well as other psychiatric disorders remain trivial. Over the years,
a wealth of information through evidenced based medicine has been gathered to define,
diagnose, and treat depression and other psychiatric disorders. A lot of researhes have
been done over the past decades especially on the biological component/etiology of
depression last from 6 to 13 months with some episodes lasting more than
two years. This carries a significant amount of morbidity to patient, relatives and
society in general. As the course of the disorder progresses, patients tend to have more
frequent episodes that last longer and are more resistant to treatment. On the other
hand, most patient undergoing treatment have episodes lasting less than 3 months.
person to depression. All induviduals of whatever personality type can and do become
revolve around several areas such as biological, genetic, and psychosocial factors. Of
these, the biological factors specifically those involving altered neurochemistry is the
most consistent. No study has proven or even shown associations of “bad spirits”
• There are ethnic groups for whom depression does not occur.
• People who tell someone thay are thinking about committing suicide are only
trying to get attention and would never do it, especially of they have talked
about it before.
• People with depression cannot have mental or medical condition at the same
time.
• Psychiatric medications are never necesarry to treat depression.
vulnerability to depression can be inherited. This seems to be the case, especially with
bipolar disorder. Families in which members of each generation develop bipolar disorder
have been studied. The investigators found that those with the illness have a somewhat
different genetic makeup than those who do not become ill. However, the reverse is not
true. That is, not everybody with the genetic makeup that causes vulnerability to bipolar
disorder will develop the illness. Apparently, additional factors, possibly a stressful
environment, are involved in its onset and protective factors are involved in its prevention.
serious loss, chronic illness, difficult relationship, financial problem, or any unwelcome
change in life patterns can trigger a depressive a depressive episode. Very often, a
sometimes affect some groups more than others. For example, minority groups who more
Dr. G. Keith Olson, “ it is not surprising that… many adolescents’ depression relates to
more normal during this developmental stage than at any other (except perhaps old age).”
I’ve read that depression is an excuse not to grow up, not to be responsible for
Still, depression can be extremely complex, ant the causes may be numerous
and varied. Biological factors, ambivalence, parental rejection, abuse, negative thinking,
life stress, anger, and guilt are among the causes that may prompt teens.
BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
depression. In fact, recent research indicates that if one of your parents has had depression,
Donald P. Hall, MD, the author of Breaking Through Depression says, “the
risk of depression is 20 percent for women and 10 percent for men, and the risk is doubled
to inherit a tendency to get depression. This seems to be especially true for bipolar
disorder. Studies of families with several generations of bipolar disorder (BPD) found that
those who develop the disorder have differences in their genes from most that don’t
develop BPD.
Major depression also run in families, but it can also develop in people who
have no family history of depression. Either way major depressive disorder is often
Collins writes,
Depression often has a physical basis. At the simplest level, we know that lack
of sleep, insufficient exercise, the side effects of drugs, physical illnesses, or improper
There is evidence that that depression runs in families and may have a genetic
contradictory. Other research has linked depression to brain chemistry that often can
be altered by antidepressive drugs.
AMBIVALENCE
Ambivalence is a state of
or goal.
something. A common example of ambivalence is the feeling of both love and hate for a
person. The term also refers to situations where “mixed feelings” of a more general sort are
experienced, or where a person experiences uncertainty or indecisiveness concerning
something. The expressions “cold feet” and “sitting on the fence” are often used to describe
and negative aspects of a subject are both present in a person’s mind at the same time. This
ambivalence. When the decision to be made, people experience less discomfort even when
feeling ambivalent.
Some psychiatrists, like Dr. Ostow, consider ambivalence “the most common
Collins refers to this as “learned helplessness,” and says, “ When we learn that
our actions are futile no matter how hard we try, that there is nothing we can do to
relieve suffering, reach a goal or bring change, then depression is a common response.
It comes when we feel helpless and give up trying.”
PARENTAL REJECTION
Researchers Joan Robertson and Ronald Simons reported that, according to a study
they conducted, “Perceived parental rejection was significantly associated with both
depression and low self-esteem, with low self-esteem showing a strong relationship with
depression.” Their finding agreed with earlier studies (Brown and Harris , 1978; Brown et
al., 1986) that found that young people who experience depression.
criticism, belitting, shamming- or of neglect and inattention- are likely to struggle with the
friends. They also remember less family togetherness (Paloutzian & Ellison,1982). Mahon
(1982) and Hecht and Baum (1984) noted significant corellations between depression and
disrupted patterns of attachment suggesting that the lack of bonding early in life may
Mark and Debbie were both professing Christians. They met through the church
youth group.
Both were sixteen years old when they began dating. They were both sophomores in high school,
both had been raised in the same town, and both were good students (though Debbie usually
earned better grades than Mark). They had so much in common. But not everything.
Mark was the star basketball player of his high school team and was named to the all-
district
team. When he won the trophy as the most valuable player for the district champinoships, he smile
hugely and strode to the center court to accept the trophy with a swagger that communicated his
sense that he thought he deserved the award- and more. He didn’t scan the faces in the crowd to
find his parents because he knew they wouldn’t be there. They never were.
Debbie didn’t understand. She played on the field hockey team, and her parents never
missed
a game. They seldom missed a practice, in fact. They seemed to take an intense interest in
everything she did.
It wasn’t just Mark’s sport events that his parents missed, though. His dad was a
bussinessman who treaveled a lot, and his mom was an obstetrician; they were highly respected in
the community. But most mornings, Mark left for school without seeing his parents and usually
scrounged in the kitchen to make his own dinner. Mark sometimes commented to his youth pastor
that he could probably die and his parents wouldn’t discover the body until it began to stink up in
the house.
and at different levels of severity. Most authorities consider neglect to be inattention to the
basic needs of a child or young person (that is shelter, food, clothing, medical attention,
dies from lack nutrition, supervision, or medical attention. But some youth suffer a type of
Many pastors and youth pastors consider disinterest and uninvolvement on the
part of
the parents a major problem for young people. Seventy percent of the national youth
leaders surveyed rated the problem of inattentive parents as “very important,” and 30
percent of those leaders rated the situation of inattentive parents of teens as a “crisis”.
feelings of insecurity and loneliness. A teen that is hurting because of parental indifference
or inattentiveness is likely to be in desperate need of an adult who will show interest and
offer support; such care and concern will never replace the attention the youth desires from
Mom and Dad, but it can certainly help, particularly if the adult responds to the youth’s
need.
I’m an only child. My Dad passed away when I was still 4 years old. My mom became
busy working just to fulfill the obligation of my Dad to me as the provider. She doesn’t
have any time to attend some school activities which involve parents such as foundation
day, family day, etc. She can’t even help me to do my assignments. But inspite of that, I
can say that she never failed to give me what want materially. So, to make the story short,
my mom became inattentive to me.
Until suct time, that it comes to the point that I’m seeking a mother’s love and
care which she can’t give me. Every time I try to show my sweetness to my mom, like any
other children does to their parents, she always refuses. She’s telling me she’s tired.
So, what I did is, I seek attention and love to those people who surround me.
To my teachers, friends, and to those old people. But all of these are only nothing but just
temporary. They kept telling me they love me but they don’t show me through their
actions. They all leaved me. They left me hanging without even noticing it.
Then it came that I give up. My mind was set that no one could loved me. I am
the only one who could love and accept me for who I am. I bacame desperate that even I
thought of suiciding.
darkest part of my life. At first, I’m really annoyed at her, she does nothing but to give me
a sermon, until wihout even noticing,that those annoyances disappear and turn into love.
I can’t explain what she did that soften my heart. All I know is that she made
me feel that I’m precious and other people can loved me for who I am. She maturely
understand me when I am on my immaturity mode, every time I’m sad, she always give me
her time by listening to my burdens and consoling me. Just as what the usually mother
does. She fulfilled my longingness for a mother’s care, which my mom can’t give me.
mom never done before. She even made an effort to brought me to a doctor to consult for
She even support me financially. Though she’s not my real mom, she
made me
feel as if, I was hers. And that very special woman I’m telling you about is my beloved
ABUSE
K. Brent Morrow and Gwendolyn T. Sorell are among those researchers who
have
traced a connection between depression and abuse – particularly physical and sexual abuse.
They concluded that “severity of abuse was the single most powerful predictor of self-
which [a] child is sexually exploited for the purpose of bringing sexual gratification to the
exploiter.” It is a term that covers a broad range of actions and activities, from exposure to
• Oral-genital contact.
• Forced masturbation
• Anal penetration
• Intercourse
It began when Mona was six years old. A nineteen-year-old uncle who lived close by,
who was like a big brother to her, would often take Mona with him when he went places, for
Then one day, when they arrived at Mona’s house to find her parents gone, her uncle
suggested they go out to the barn to play. He offered to show her a secret and exposed
himself to her, charging her to keep their “little secret”. From that time on, things develop
gradually. He bagan to fondle her and kiss her, and eventually he induced her to fondle him.
Mona knew something wasn’t right about the things her uncle was doing, but he
promised to never hurt her. He never became violent, and Mona kept their secret, but his
Over the next several years, Mona began to dread contact with her uncle and even began
to hate him.She even tried once to tell her mother what was going on, but her efforts only
resulted in confussion. She didn’t know if her mother disbelieved her, misunderstood her, or
Mona’s family moved away from that uncle when she was nine, but their move didn’t
end her problems. She bagan having nightmares and started to withdraw into an emotional
shell. By the time she entered her teens, she had few friends at school or at church, and she
wrestled with severe depression at times.
When she was fifteen, she bega to date –slowly at first- and soon had become sexually
involved with several boys at school. Her newfound “popularity” was unrewarding however.
“I felt like I could never be loved,” she said. “Atleast not the way I wanted. It wasn’t like
I was giving myself away in exchange for love; I didn’t feel like I had anything left to
give away.”
Sexual abuse does not always involved physical harm or even physical contact.
“Within a family, there can be incidents that I would label [abuse] even though they
don’t involve actual contact,” says Emily Page, a mental health counselor in
[his daughter], he’s creating psychic and emotional pressure in the girl.”
Two landmark studies, conducted by David Finkelhor (1978) and Diana
Russell (1983) reported the incidence of sexual abuse of children and youth.
Finkelhor’s study of 530 women found that 14 percent reported intarfamilial sexual
abuse (by a family member) before the age of eighteen, and 19 percent reported
by the fact that sexual abuse of children may be “the most muted crime,” as illustrated
Jill, my sister’s daughter, is fourteen. Her stepfather has been [molesting her]
and going into her bedroom at night for the past six months. I know she’s telling the
truth because she did the same thing to me when I lived with them. Jill couldn’t
stand it and finally told her teacher. The teacher told the school psychologist, who
said that either the child was lying and very sick or the family was in great trouble.
When confronted, the stepfather said Jill had lied. Jill’s mother believed her
husband. Wringing her hands, she pleaded with her daughter to “confess.” Otherwise
who would support them and her younger brothers? Jill tried to stick to her story, but
with persistent pressure and increased guilt at depriving the family support, she finally
“confessed” that she lied. She was denied a request to live with me and placed under
psychiatric care.
Such experiences can be extremely damaging to a child or young person and
Nonsexual Abuse is a kind of abuse that doesn’t involve sexual intercourse such
A case of child abuse or neglect is reported every ten seconds in the United States.
reports for every thousand children. Over one million cases were verified. An
estimated 1,299 children died as the result of neglect or abuse in 1993, and 43 percent
of those deaths occurred in families that had previously been reported to child
protection agencies. Taking children and youth out of the home isn’t always the
New York University’s School of Social Work, revealed that 28 percent of children
who are placed in foster care suffer some form of abuse while in the system. And the
ACLU’s Children’s Project estimates that a child in the care of the state is ten times
Physical Abuse includes all acts that create injury or substantial and unnecessary
risks of injury. Violent shaking or slapping, shoving, kicking and punching are all
forms of physical abuse. Tying a young person up or locking him or her in a closet are
abusive behaviors. Burning a child with a lighted cigarette or match is also abuse. Not
all physical contact or corporal punishment is abusive, but any act that leave bruises,
cuts, scars, or welts are certainly abusive, as are physical acts designed to cause harm
or humiliation.
Not all abuse is physical however. Emotional Abuse is defined by Carl as:
handling.
Emotional Abuse is generally more difficult to identify and to prove, but it is
slamming doors and throwing things. It can even include jokes or things said in jest.
“Most parents are guilty of some emotionally abusive behaviors at one time or
another,” says Carl, “and a certain amount of emotional abuse s accepted by society.
For some parents, though, emotional maltreatment of their children becomes a pattern
expression of love.”
single form of abuse. Nearly half (47 percent) of verified abuse cases are cases of
neglect, and 40 percent of deaths due to abuse are due to neglect. (Fifty-five percent
are due to physical abuse, 5 percent to both.) Neglect is the failure of a parent or other
caretaker to make adequate provision for a child’s needs and well-being. Carl defines
shelter, medical care, education, and supervision. All children skip meals, wear soiled
or torn clothing, go to school with runny noses, and experience accidents that might
have been prevented by parents from time to time. But neglect involves a chronic
Parents who leave young children unattended are guilty of neglect. Parents
who do not ensure their children’s attendance at school or who allow severe illness to
go untreated are guilty of neglect. Parents who knowingly allow their children to be
placed in danger- with an abusive family member, for example- are guilty of neglect.
Parents who ignore their children, failing to express interest and love, are guilty of
neglect. Whatever form of abuse may take, it must be treated seriously and responded
to sensitivity.
LIFE STRESS
homeostasis. This demand on mind-body occurs when it tries to cope with incessant
Extreme stress conditions, psychologists say, are detrimental to human health but in
moderation stress’s normal and, in many cases, proves useful. Stress, nonetheless, is
synonymous with negative conditions. Today, with the rapid diversification of human
activity, we come face to face with numerous causes of stress and the symptoms of
threatening, one possible reaction is depression,” writes Olson. Such events in the life
of a teen may include the rupture of an intense relationship with a peer; family
from school, failure to make a team , academic failure, or not being invited to popular
social events.”
ANGER
A young person who has not learned or devised ways of effectively handling and
expressing anger is more likely to struggle with depressive illness. Doctor Minirth and
Meier write:
Over and over in the literature on the subject, depression is described as
anger turned inward. In the vast majority of cases, anger is very apparent in the facial
expressions, in the voice, and in the gestures of the depressed individuals. They are
often intensely angry, but usually they do not recognize their anger.
A young person may be angry at a friend or loved one who has died, or at an
abusive parent, or at his or her own helplessness. If he or she has been taught (by his
parents, church, teachers, etc.) that anger is always bad, the youth may repress anger
and predictable; at other times it comes as a surprise and shock to everyone, including
While extreme mood swings and emotional instability are a natural part of the teen
years, temper outbursts and aggressive behavior can be signs that a young person’s
anger has reached unhealthy proportions and is not being handled appropriately.
violent rage … It may be hidden and held inward or expressed openly. It can be a
short duration, coming and going quickly, or it may persist for decades in the form of
Dr. Les Carter outlines three general Repression is a form of denial. If a person
denies that he is angry, then he feels no obligation to deal with his anger. The problem
Repression may have its short-term rewards, but in the long run repressed anger is
usually especially powerful and bitter. By repressing it, a person is pushing anger
from the conscious to the subconscious. There it can fester and worsen without that
person’s knowledge…
[Expression is another way people handle anger.] Anger is not always expressed
verbally. It can be expressed through behavior. Well over half of all communication is
done through nonverbal means. Nonverbal expressions of anger can include a stern
Released anger refers to anger that is dismissed, or let go. It is not confused with
repressed anger. Repressed anger is simply pushed into subconscious mind. But when
anger is released, the person has made a conscious decision that anger is no longer
needed and it is therefore dropped. People can gain the ability to release anger only
after they first gain some mastery of the art of expressing anger.
The problem many teens and preteens face is that they to repress their anger
(particularly if their parents or churches have taught them that anger is always bad) or
they have never learned how to express it in appropriate ways. And, of course, very
few young people (or adults) have learned how to release anger when is warranted. As
a result, bitterness , rage, and anger build up until they explode in brawling, slander,
GUILT
A story of Andrew :
Andrew was seven when, one winter morning, he left the house to catch
the school bus … without his coat. His mother called after him, but Andrew
could see the school bus coming up the road and didn’t want to miss it.
He turned and watch frm the bus stop as his father raced toward him with
Andrew’s coat in his hand. Moment later, Andrew’s dad crossed an icy patch on
the sidewalk; his feet flew out from underneat him, and he hit the ground hard,
hospital where, due to complications arising from his fall, he died eleven days
later.
After his father’s accident, Andrew, a formerly bright and cheerful kid,
became dull and morose. At ten, he was nearly killed when he stepped into the
path of a car on the street in front of his house. At thirteen, he began suffering
from extended bouts of severe depression. At fifteen he tried to take his life.
Andrew’s mother had grieved for years over her husband’s death and
even no longer over the change she had witnessed in her son. She knew her
teenage son was suffering deeply, but she couldn’t understand why. It came as a
total shock to her when she discovered, after attending a counselling with her
son, that he had been consumed with guilt for most of his life because he
It was not difficult to understand why guilt can lead to depression. When a
person feels that he or she has failed or has done something wrong, guilt arises
and along with it comes self-condemnation, hopelessness and other symptoms
determine which comes first. Perhaps in most cases guilt comes before
depression but at times depression will cause people to feel guilty (because they
seem unable to “snap out” of the despair). In either case a vicious cycle is set in
motion…
they are responsible for the events around them.” That tendency sometimes
continues into adolescence. If a friend gets hurt in their presence, they’re apt to
fell some degree of guilt about it. If they pass a homeless man on the street,
they may even feel guilt over his condition. Add to this acute- often
unreasonable- sense of culpability the reasonable guilt that results from wrong
acts they do commit, and the result is a potent spiritual and emotional mixture.
way: “it s partly the unpleasant knowledge that something wrong has been
resentment and hostility toward the authority figure against whom the wrong
has been done. It is a feeling of low self-worth or inferiority. It leads to
alienation, not only from others, but also from oneself, because of the
discrepancy between what one really is and what one would like to be. This
partly anxiety.
Olson goes on to point out that Christians often have greater difficulty
coping with guilt than non-Christians do, particularly those christians who
It is amazing how consistently the church has taught that guilt feelings
experienced by God’s children come from God. I believe the reason the church
has equated guilt feelings with the voice of God is due to its failure to
distinguish between three different types of guilt and God’s method of dealing
with Christians and non-Christians. A brief look at these distinctions will help
clarify the problem.
The first, civil or legal guilt, signifies the violation of human law. It is a
the speed limit, for example, even though we may not feel guilty.
Theological guilt, on the other hand, refers to the violation of divine law.
The bible indicates that each of us is theologically guilty; we have all “sinned
and fall short of the glory of God”(Romans 3:23). But theological guilt is not a
perfect than God intends us to be, but it is not necessarily accompanied by the
commonly call guilt. In contrast to the legal and emotional types of guilt,
Obviously, psychological guilt is the type of guilt that afflicts many teens
and preteens, sometimes to an intense degree. Psychological guilt, while it may
points out that this subjective guilt may be strong or weak, appropriate or
forgiveness from God and others. But guilt feelings can also be destructive,
tendencies in adulthood.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS
Minirt and Meier catalog some of the physical ramifications of depression :
quality of his sleep is affected …. Initially, rather than sleeping too litle, he may
sleep too much. His appetite is also often affected. He either eats too much or too
little (usually too little). Thus, he may have either significant weight loss or
weight gain. He may suffer from diarrhea, but more frequently from constipation.
In women, the menstrual cycle may stop entirely for months, or it may be
irregular. There is often a loss of sexual interest. The depressed individual may
suffer from tension headaches or complain of tightness in his head. Along with
slow body movements, he may have a stooped posture and seem to be in stupor.
He may suffer from a dry mouth. A rapid geartbeat and heart palpatations are
fairly common. These physiological changes scare most individuals into
EMOTIONAL EFFECTS
While teens may not exhibit the classic signs of adult depression, as
looks depressed. He either cries often [“ the weeps”] or feels like it.
His eyes are cast down and sad. The corners of his mouth droop. His
DAYDREAMING
Campbell suggests:
of attention span. … [The teen’s] mind drifts from what he wants to focus on and
more. This shortening of attention span usually becomes obvious when the teens
attempt to do his homework. He finds it harder and harder to keep his mind on it.
And it seems that the harder he tries, the less he accomplishes. Of course, this
leads to frustration, as the teenager then bleames himself for being “stupid” or
“dumb”.
MASKED REACTIONS
Researchers Marion Ehrenberg, David Cox, and Ramon Koopman point out that
adolescents do not typically express their depression directly but rather through
“masked reactions.”
• Accident proness
• Compulsive work
• Sexual problems
Other masked reactions might include deliquency, school phobias, and poor
grades.
WITHDRAWAL
Campbell writes:
In this miserable state the teenager may withdraw from peers. And
to
make matters worse, he doesn’t simply avoid his pers, but may disengage himself
from them with such hostility, belligerence, and unpleasantness that he alienates
them. As a result, the teenager becomes very lonely. And since he has so
thoroughly antagonized his good friends, he finds himself associating with rather
unwholesome peers who may use drug and/or are frequently in trouble.
“Perhaps this is the easiest butleast effecive way to deal with depression,”
writes Collins, who adds that withdrawal can take several forms:
novels;
•
• Hiding the problem by drinking or taking drugs- behavior which also
could be used to “get back” a the person who makes you depressed; and
SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR
Not all depressed people attempt suicide but many do, often in a
sincere
attempt to kill themselves and escape life. For others, suicide attempts are
designed to influence some person who close emotionally…. While some people
carefully plan their self-destructive act, others drive recklessly, drink excesive, or
Community Church, a one-room country church a few miles away from her home. The
ceremony was attended by about sixty people, nearly half of them members of Lori’s
family.
Lori dropped out of church not long afterward, however. The pastor and
his
wife visited her several times, but they failed to persuade Lori to return to the small
church. The entire church was concerned for her, but no one suspected the real reason
About a month before she expected to deliver, Lori tidied her room,
emptied
“You kept asking me if I was OK and I kept telling you I was, but I
wasn’t OK.
I’m sorry, Mom. I’ve got too many problems. I am taking the easy way out.”
Lori left that day before her mother arrived home from work. She
walked to
the railroad tracks near her house, knelt between the rails, and folded her hands over her
Seventy percent of patients who commit suicide have depression and would have
attempt.
Duckworth, and the expert agree. She cites her own experience:
mother,” She’d be sorry if I was dead.” But for a seriously depressed youth, the
per day kill themselves in the United States. Every eight minutes another
hundred of teenagers per week kill themselves in the world. In a year’s time, the
to kill themselves every day! Almost one teen per minute tries to commit suicide.
School Students found that 30 percent of these young people had considered
suicide, 4 percent [had] attempted it, and 60 percent said they knew a peer who
had attempted suicide or had killed himself.
The statistics do not tell nearly the whole story, however. Many suicides are not
even counted in the above statistics due to several factors. Dr. Keith Olson points
out:
Some people who are medically ill die only because they stop taking their
occupations and sports (e.g., sky diving …) and life-endangering habits (e.g.,
smoking, heavy drinking and drug abuse). And finally, Marvin E. Wolfgang has
studied a form of suicide that is maily peculiar to adolescents and young adults.
“Victim precipitatal homicide” occurs wen one person provokes or set up another
teen suicide, nor its epidemic proportions. The human tragedy of promising lives
lost in a moment, of parents, siblings, and friends enduring unspeakable grief and
Unfortunately many teens also conceal their inner pains and fears so that their
parents and closest friends have no idea that they are suffering and considering
suicide.
implications of an impending suicide attempt, others do.” Some of the signs that
may alert a parent, teacher, youth leader, pastor or friend to a possible suicide
attempt include:
• Previous suicide attempt
• Threats of suicide
• Preparation for death (cleaning out locker, giving away possessions, etc.)
• Depression
• Moodiness
• Withdrawal
• Fatigue
• Increase risk-taking
with the causes and precipitating factors of adolescent suicide can make a
crucial difference.
Depressive disorders make those afflicted feel exhausted, worthless, helpless and
hopeless. Such negative thought and feelings make some people feel like giving up. It
is important to realize that these negative views are part of depression and typically do
not accurately reflect the actual situation. It should remembered that negative thinking
fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime, the following are helpful
• Eat healthy foods. Many may find that folate food supplements help improve
• their mood.
• Make time to get enough rest to phsically promote improvement in your mood.
• Express your feelings, either to friends, in a journal, or using art to help release
• Break large tasks into small ones, seet some priorities, and do what you can
feeling failure.
• Try to be with other people, which is usually better than being alone.
• Don’t rush to overdo it. Don’t get upset if your mood is not greatly improved
divorced without consulting others who knows well. These people often can
• Do not expect to ‘snap out’ of your depression. People rarely do. Help yourself
• as much as you can, and do not blame yourself for not being up to par.
• Plan how you would get help for yourself in an emergency, like calling friends,
• Limit your access to things that could be used to hurt yourself or others (for
It is first important to learn what the circumstances are that brought the
condition and know what to expect particularly during the initial period of treatment.
Teens need to remember that they should not blame theirselves for their illness as they
did not ask themselves ro suffer from it. Teens should at best give themselves a
reprieve from nrgative thinking for now. They should take their medications as
prescribed, get plenty of rest, stay physically active, eat regularly, and keep socially
involved. Having something to do takes your mind off the negative thoughts and
channel your energies to more productive endeavors. Also, exercise helps the release
of endhorphins which makes us feel a sense of well being. This may be difficult for
NOT DO?
A depressed teenager should not drink alcohol. Alcohol causes similar changes
in brain chemistry as occurs during depressive episode. Many teenagers with major
depression attempt to self medicate with alcohol to either help themselves sleep or to
‘calm their nerves’. While it may initially help them fall asleep, it’s sedative effect
wears off quickly causing early morning awakening. More drugs are metabolized in
the liver and taking alcohol may likewise hinder or hasten the metabolism of these
drugs. For the same reason, illicit drugs and other sedative or stimulating agents are
not to be taken. A depressed teenager should not make any major life decisions
likewise especially if depression is moderate severe.
Family and friends can help! Since depression can make the affected person
feel exhausted and helpless, he or she will want probably need help from others.
However, people who have never had a depressive disorder may not fully understand
it’s effects. Although, unintentional, friends and loved ones may unknowingly say and
do things that may be hurtful to the depressed person. It may help to share the
information in this article with those you most care about so they can better
The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help
him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This help may involve
encouraging the indivudual to stay with treatment until symptoms begin to go away
person to the doctor. It may also mean monitoring whether the depressed person is
taking medication for several months after symptoms have improved. Always report a
The second most important way to help is to offer emotional support. This
experessed, but point out realities and offer hope. Do not ignore remarks about
Invite the depressed person for walks, outings, and to the movies and other
activities that once gave pleasure, such as hobbies, sports, religious or cultural
activities. However, do not push the depressed person to undertake too much too
soon. The depressed person needs company and diversion, but too many demands can
peole do get better. Keep that in mind. Moreover, keep reassuring the depressed
person that, with time and help, he or she will feel better.
will help the depressed person decide the type of treatment that might be best for him
or her. However, if the situation is urgent because a suicide seems possible, taking the
teen to the emergency room is appropriate course of action. The patient might not
realize how much help he or she needs. In fact, he or she might feel undeserving of
help because of the negativity and helplessness that is a part of depressive illness.
Listed below are the types and places that will make a referral or provide
Health-maintenance organizations
Community mental-health centers
Some days I feel fine, some days I feel like absolutely crap. I don’t know if I’m
imagining how I feel, or whaever, but most days I can convince myself that even if
I’m imagining it, that kind screwed up imagination itself probably means I should see
someone. But I can’t/won’t/ don’t want to. I just barely ever talk about how I’m
feeling, or negative stuff that happens ( it took me about a month to let my close
friends and family know that I’d broken up with my long-term boyfriend). I have
normal coversations about how crap last night’s tv was and so on, even stuff like the
cute guy I hooked up with, but nothing really deep. And I know I could if I really
wanted to, but I really really don’t want to. When I was 4th year, I told a techer I was
very close to about being depressed, and then it went to my parents and I spent a few
helping me now.
• Plan for specific future goals. Like a week’s holiday later this year, and work
• Exercise. I’ve played sport my whole life. I normally exercise three or four
times a week. It’s good, but I feel worst at night, and can’t really just head out
around me, like going to one of the prettiest campuses in the country. I try and
list positive things I’ve got, like travel opportunities and so on.
My original question was how could I make myself see a therapist, but on
writing I think that I won’t until I really want to. So, what can I do for myself to help
me feel better? And, spontaneous extra question, how do I bring stuff like this with
If you don’t want to talk about how you feelto a theraphist, but you are willing
to confront thses feelings, maybe you can try online theraphy. I have no experience,
but I can imagine it’s a lot easier to type about how you feel with a theraphist than to
I think theraphy’s not a bad choice, if you can convice yourself to do it. Yoga
might help and you can do it at night. It sounds like you are not in the habit of having
confidants. When not try opening up to your friends little at a time? Start with smaller
confessions/admissions and work up to bigger ones. Like, instead of “I always feel ike
crap and think I need psychiatric help,” say, “I can’t believe I sleep all
weekend/couldn’t sleep. I think all this crap at work/school is really starting to wear
me down.”
Alternatively, you could just flippantly ask, “have any of you tried theraphy? I
swear, xx is driving me so crazy I’m starting to have dreams about it.” See how it
flies. I bet some of your friendshave had theraphy and that alone might make it more
palatable.