Determining Depression - Help, and Support
Child and Teen Depression
Determining Depression - Help and Support
Depression is a pervasive illness affecting millions around the globe. Nearly 1 in 4 people will experience a depressive episode sometime in their lifetime. Depression occurs in carpenters, secretaries, doctors, mothers, etc. There is no typical people type.
Determining Possible Depression - Literature from the Counseling & Mental Health Center at the Univ. of Texas offer the following three points for us to characterize possible depression.
Frequency: How often do you feel down or depressed? Every day? Three times a week? Once a month? All the time?
Severity: How bad is it? Do you feel suicidal? I.e., Totally hopeless and stuck in a dark hole? Or just feeling lousy and negative?
Duration: How long does it last? Until you see your partner? Until the weekend? A couple of hours? Does it drag on for days, weeks, or even months? Have you felt somewhat depressed your whole life?
These are vital questions to help determine clinical depression.
Some bouts with depression are obvious, for example, the loss of a loved-one, a romantic break-up occurs, the loss of a job. However, at other times there might not be one reason that is clear, but a variety of reasons that can occur or develop over time that leave one with serious feelings of defeat, helplessness, low self-esteem, anxiety and sometimes fatalities.
Symptoms of Depression
These symptoms are significant and often occur not individually, but mutually.
• Changes in sleeping pattern: much more or much less?
• Changes in eating patterns: much more or much less?
• Fatigue, loss of energy.
• Headaches, stomachaches or otherwise inexplicable aches and pains.
• Neglecting responsibilities and personal appearance
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
• Diminished interest in and enjoyment of previously pleasurable activities -- sex, sports, hobbies, going out with friends, etc.
• Depressed mood-can mean feeling down, apathetic, irritable, pessimistic, hopeless, worthless, negative, guilty, anxious, empty, etc.
• Suicidal thoughts.
Factors
Some factors that can compound depression would be: Money problems, living conditions, family problems, food allergies, genetic predisposition of depression, chemical imbalances, illness, poor diet.
What to do
If you suspect that you or a friend might suffer from clinical depression, here is where to start. Studies and psychotherapists first suggest that the individual (if possible) write down some true thoughts – whether in list or journal form for example: Problems, negative feelings, or negative sources i.e., people, places.
Get help! Also a first step – go visit your doctor and relay the “frequency, duration, severity” of the depression – those vital questions. Physicians are trained to recognize true symptoms of depression and will supply the correct guidance with the proper questions. It is possible that the physician will suggest speaking to a qualified psychotherapist and further, possibly start some type of anti-depressant medication. There are literally hundreds of anti-depressant medications available so that if one has side-effects, another might be a perfect match for the sufferer. For a case of depression that is serious enough and long-term enough, it is not unusual that meds might be suggested.
It is also important to know that anti-depressants assist people in getting back on a level track to be able to feel more normal and enable them to deal with the core of the depression. Though highly successful, the meds do not “cure” depression. As well, anti-depressants are not for those who feel “down at times.” There are individuals who have gradually progressed to serious effects of depression that have literally gone on for years, and in some cases, a lifetime. It is also common that the person suffering has no clue that they might be clinically depressed since they have never felt any other way. In other words, this current state-of-mind and body seems normal to them—it’s all they have ever known. Sometimes, in fact, it is the evaluation of friends or loved-ones that assist in defining a real turn in another’s behavior, attitude and emotion.
Self Help
Good news. Besides utilizing the above advice and reading reliable literature on depression, it is very important that a depression sufferer begin some self-help with positive devices. Begin with what you enjoy and MAKE THE TIME for it. If walking clears your head then take more walks, walk the dog, or even drive to a place where the walking is good like a good trail, a beach, or lake (always be aware of your surroundings). More distractions, for example, might be: Paint a room, listen to some favorite music, organize a garage sale, buy a travel book and plan a place to go next year. Talk to a positive friend with good listening skills. By the same token, give yourself more space from certain friends who perhaps bring you down, are self-absorbed, or are not helping you to move forward in a positive mode This is a key factor as well and relates to support. Try to keep positive people and things in your life while you are working on your progress.
A tough battle is actually having the Drive to take that walk or paint the room – this is where anti-depressants, if prescribed, can bring about some balance. That drive will come back.
What can you as a friend do?
If you are the friend on the outside, it is important to provide useful feedback. For example, recognize and relay to him/her that it takes courage to move forward and tackle the issues. Be sincere in other acknowledgements but do not offer them unless it is genuine. Acknowledgements improve the confidence level. Ask questions – often depressed people do not communicate well. They also can withdraw and isolate themselves so help offer group outings or get-togethers.
Depression is Treatable
Though not always simple, beginning to treat depression is much like starting a fitness program. It begins with: Proper support, professional guidance and staying consistent. You are not alone. There is help out there.
Should there be a need, below is an internet URL containing confidential Crisis telephone hotlines for all of California: http://suicidehotlines.com/california.html. There are additional listings by State.
For more literature and information visit: www.depression.org.
–ed., Gwenn Jones, Bay Bridge Fitness FitGram No.33
–Some references from: University of Texas at Austin, Counseling & Mental Health Center; and PTontheNet.
Child and Teen Depression
Depression in teens is very common. 20% of teens will suffer from depression by the end of their teenage years.
Depression is the leading cause of suicide. In a national survey of high school students, nearly 20% of teens thought about attempting suicide, and more than 8% made a suicide attempt. Over half of all kids who suffer from depression will eventually attempt suicide at least once, and over 7% will die as a result.
Roughly two-thirds of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder also have another mental disorder. The most commonly associated disorders are dysthymia (ongoing depression), an anxiety disorder, a disruptive or antisocial disorder, or a substance abuse disorder.
Child and teen depression if not effectively treated, often leads to drug and alcohol abuse or additional behavioral disorders.
In October 2004, the FDA ordered a black box warning on all antidepressants for children and teens. A black box warning does not mean antidepressants are prohibited. It means that special care should be used with a medication. In a review of clinical trials, the FDA stated that there was an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in 4 percent of young patients taking antidepressants, compared to 2 percent of those patients not taking an antidepressant. No suicides occurred in these trials. The FDA recommends close monitoring of children and teens taking antidepressants.
In January 2006, a large federally-funded study of adults and teens being treated for depression found that:
1)suicides were extremely rare
2)suicide attempts dropped by 50 percent compared to the month before patients took antidepressants.It is still essential to closely monitor any medication that your child takes.
The results of most recent teen study, the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS), was released in August, 2004. In this study of teens aged 12 to 17, receiving Prozac, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or both:
71% receiving both Prozac and CBT improved
61% receiving Prozac alone improved
44% receiving CBT alone improved
35% receiving no treatment improved
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In June of 2004, a study found that depressive disorders start on average at age 14.
courtesy of Families for Depression Awareness
URL: http://www.familyaware.org/
Information Links for Medical and Physchological Care
The information in this section is designed to assist you in finding out more
about depression.
It should not be used as a substitute for medical advice,
counseling or other health-related services.
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