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Let's Talk About
Depression Sure, everybody feels sad or
blue now and then. But if you're sad most of the time, and it's giving
you problems with
- your grades or attendance at school
- your relationships with your family and
friends
- alcohol, drugs, or sex
- controlling your behavior in other ways
the problem may
be DEPRESSION.
The good news is that you can get
treatment and feel better soon. Approximately 4% of adolescents
get seriously depressed each year. Clinical depression is a serious
illness that can affect anybody, including teenagers. It can
affect your thoughts, feelings, behavior, and overall health.
Most people with depression can be
helped with treatment. But a majority of depressed people never get
the help they need. And, when depression isn't treated, it can get
worse, last longer, and prevent you from getting the most out of this
important time in your life.
So....Listen Up:
Here's how to tell if you or a
friend might be depressed.
First, there are two kinds of
depressive illness: the sad kind, called major depression, and
manic-depression or bipolar disorder, when feeling down and depressed
alternates with being speeded-up and sometimes reckless.
You should get evaluated by
a professional if you've had five or more of the following symptoms
for more than two weeks or if any of these symptoms cause such a big
change that you can't keep up your usual routine.....
When You're Depressed...
- You feel sad or cry a lot and it
doesn't go away.
- You feel guilty for no reason;
you feel like you're no good; you've lost your confidence.
- Life seems meaningless or like
nothing good is ever going to happen again. You have a negative
attitude a lot of the time, or it seems like you have no feelings.
- You don't feel like doing a lot
of the things you used to like - like music, sports, being with
friends, going out - and you want to be left alone most of the time.
- It's hard to make up your mind.
You forget lots of things, and it's hard to concentrate.
- You get irritated often. Little
things make you lose your temper; you over-react.
- Your sleep pattern changes; you
start sleeping a lot more or you have trouble falling asleep at
night. Or you wake up really early most mornings and can't get back
to sleep.
- Your eating pattern changes;
you've lost your appetite or you eat a lot more.
- You feel restless and tired most
of the time.
- You think about death, or feel
like you're dying, or have thoughts about committing suicide.
When You're Manic...
- You're rebellious or irritable
and can't get along at home or school, or with your friends.
- You feel high as a kite...like
you're "on top of the world."
- You get unreal ideas about the
great things you can do...things that you really can't do.
- Thoughts go racing through your
head, you jump from one subject to another, and you talk a lot.
- You're a non-stop party,
constantly running around.
- You do too many wild or risky
things: with driving, with spending money, with sex, etc.
- You're so "up" that you don't
need much sleep.
Talk to Someone
If you are concerned about
depression in yourself or a friend, TALK TO SOMEONE about it.
There are people who can help you get treatment:
- a professional at a mental health
center or Mental Health Association
- a trusted family member
- your family doctor
- your clergy
- a school counselor or nurse
- a social worker
- a responsible adult
Or, if you don't know where to turn,
the telephone directory or information operator should have phone
numbers for a local hotline or mental health services or referrals.
Depression can affect people of any
age, race, ethnic or economic group.
Let's Get Serious Here
Having depression doesn't mean that
a person is weak, or a failure, or isn't really trying...it means they
need treatment.
Most people with depression can be
helped with psychotherapy, medicine, or both together.
Short-term psychotherapy,
means talking about feelings with a trained professional who can help
you change the relationships, thoughts, or behaviors that contribute
to depression.
Medication has been developed
that effectively treats depression that is severe or disabling.
Antidepressant medications are not "uppers" and are not addictive.
Sometimes, several types may have to
be tried before you and your doctor find the one that works best.
Treatment can help most depressed
people start to feel better in just a few weeks.
So remember, when your problems seem
too big and you're feeling low for too long, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
There's help out there and you can ask for help. And if you
know someone who you think is depressed, you can help: Listen
and encourage your friend to ask a parent or responsible adult about
treatment. If your friend doesn't ask for help soon, talk to an adult
you trust and respect -- especially if your friend mentions suicide.
What You Need to Know About
Suicide...
Most people who are depressed do not
commit suicide. But depression increases the risk for suicide or
suicide attempts. It is not true that people who talk about
suicide do not attempt it. Suicidal thoughts, remarks, or attempts are
ALWAYS SERIOUS...if any of these happen to you or a friend, you
must tell a responsible adult IMMEDIATELY...it's better to be
safe than sorry....
Why Do People Get
Depressed?
Sometimes people get seriously
depressed after something like a divorce in the family, major
financial problems, someone you love dying, a messed up home life, or
breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Other times - like with other
illnesses - depression just happens. Often teenagers react to the pain
of depression by getting into trouble: trouble with alcohol, drugs, or
sex; trouble with school or bad grades; problems with family or
friends. This is another reason why it's important to get treatment
for depression before it leads to other trouble.
Depression and Alcohol and
Other Drugs
A lot of depressed people,
especially teenagers, also have problems with alcohol or other drugs.
(Alcohol is a drug, too.) Sometimes the depression comes first and
people try drugs as a way to escape it. (In the long run, drugs or
alcohol just make things worse!) Other times, the alcohol or other
drug use comes first, and depression is caused by:
- the drug itself, or
- withdrawal from it, or
- the problems that substance use
causes.
And sometimes you can't tell which
came first...the important point is that when you have both of these
problems, the sooner you get treatment, the better.
Either problem can make the other
worse and lead to bigger trouble, like addiction or flunking school.
You need to be honest about both problems -- first with yourself and
then with someone who can help you get into treatment...it's the only
way to really get better and stay better.
Depression is a real medical
illness and it's treatable.
Be Able to Tell Fact From
Fiction
Myths about depression often prevent
people from doing the right thing. Some common myths are:
Myth: It's normal for
teenagers to be moody; teens don't suffer from real depression.
FACT: Depression is more than just being moody, and it can affect
people at any age, including teenagers.
Myth: Telling an adult
that a friend might be depressed is betraying a trust. If someone
wants help, he or she will get it.
FACT: Depression, which saps energy and self-esteem, interferes with a
person's ability or wish to get help. It is an act of true friendship
to share your concerns with an adult who can help.
Myth: Talking about
depression only makes it worse.
FACT: Talking through feelings with a good friend is often a helpful
first step. Friendship, concern, and support can provide the
encouragement to talk to a parent or other trusted adult about getting
evaluated for depression.
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