depression

Depression has been around for a longer period of time than we can imagine. Depression has been considered to be the major psychiatric disease of the 20th century, affecting approximately eight million people in North America (http://www.ndmda.org). It is a matter of whether it is diagnosed and treated or left alone. This is a problem that can affect everyone whether they themselves are diagnosed or simply by knowing someone with depression.

People with psychiatric illnesses are twenty times more likely to die from accidents or suicide than people without psychiatric disorders (http://www.nami.org). Major depression, including bipolar affective disorder, often appears for the first time during teenage years, and early recognition of these conditions will have profound effects on later morbidity and mortality.

Is depression in adolescents a significant problem? Well, the suicide rate for adolescents has increased more than 200% over the last decade (http://www.ndmda.org). Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged fifteen to nineteen than cardiovascular disease or cancer. Recent studies have shown that greater than twenty percent of adolescents in the general population have emotional problems and one-third of adolescents attending psychiatric clinics suffer from depression. Despite this, depression in this age group is greatly under diagnosed, leading to serious difficulties in school, work, and personal adjustment, which often continue into adulthood.

Depression presents in adolescents with essentially the same symptoms as in adults; however, some clinical shrewdness may be required to translate the teenagers? symptoms into adult terms. Wearing black clothes, writing poetry with morbid themes, or listening to certain types of music may exemplify sadness. Sleep disturbance may manifest as all-night television watching, difficulty in getting up for school, or sleeping during the day. Missed classes reflect lack of motivation and lowered energy level. A drop in grade averages can be equated with loss of concentration and slowed thinking. Boredom may be a synonym for feeling depressed. Loss of appetite may become anorexia or bulimia. Adolescent depression may also present primarily ...

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...et the course take action. Although, the student should not feel like they are ?weeded out? from the group. The teacher should still treat them the same and not exclude them from activities. Also, the student should be encouraged to get help. They should not feel forced to do something. Instead, they should be educated on why they should. Hopefully, this will resolve and bring depression to an end so that we can all live our lives to the fullest.

References

http://www.apa.org Website sponsored by the American Psychological Association

Berger, Kathleen Stassen. (2001) The Developing Person through the Life Span. NY, New York: Worth Publishers

http://www.nami.org Website sponsored by National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

http://www.ndmda.org Website sponsored be the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association

http://www.nimh.nih.gov Website sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health

Page, Randy M. and Tana S.2000) Fostering Emotional well-being in the classroom. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Hotlines:

Community Counseling Clinic [phone]

Depression and Anxiety Hotline [phone]

Teen Help Adolescent Resources 1-800-637-0701