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About:

What Is Depression?

Causes and Risk Factors:

Academic or family problems
Any physical disability/illness
Brain Chemistry
Bullying
Genetics
Having another mental illness
Hormones
Loneliness or a lack of connections
Socialmedia
Struggle with sexual identity
Substance abuse
Trauma from violence or abuse
War

Depression is a serious mental illness that affects people of every age and gender. It causes a persistent feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and anger. Depression makes it hard for a person to carry out daily activities and causes strains on relationships. You can't just snap out of depression, it requires long-term treatment.

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Symptoms:

Constant sadness
Crying for no apparent reason
Feelings of anger, even over things that seem insignificant
Feeling numb or empty
Feeling hopeless
Irritable or annoyed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
Conflict family and friends
Low self-esteem
Feelings of worthlessness or feeling guilty
Focusing on the past and self-blaming
Needing constant reasurrance
Having trouble concentrating, making decisions,

and/or remembering things

Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide
Loss of energy
Insomnia or too much sleep
Changes in appetite (decrease or increase)
Substance abuse
Restlessness or being slowed down
Unexplained body aches
Isolating themselves
Drop in school grades and/or skipping class
Less focus on hygiene and appearance
Risky behavior
Self-harm
Having a suicide plan or making a suicide attempt

(Mayo Clinic)

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Suicide and Self Harm:

Suicide:

Depression can cause a teen to feel that there is no way out and think that ending their life is the only way to "escape." Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people and for every suicide there are at least 25 attempts.

Warning Signs:

A drop in grades at school
Risky behavior
Joking about suicide or talking about death
Buying things that they would use to kill themselves
Selling or giving away personal belongings
Telling people "goodbye"
Withdrawing from family or friend

What To Do:

If you think someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 right away. If not, talk to them and ask them directly if they are thinking about suicide. Make sure to listen to their problems and give reassurance of how loved they are. Make an appointment with a doctor or therapist for professional help.

Self-Harm:

Self-harm is the act of intentionally harming oneself, but typically not in an attempt to kill themselves. Some ways people harm themselves are through cutting, scratching, burning, hitting, hair pulling, piercing, etc.

Teens may self harm as a punishment, to relieve intense emotions, to feel in control, escape from their problems, and even for attention. It is an addiction that takes treatment to help stop.

Signs of self harm include:

Scars that seem out of place or in patterns
Fresh cuts or other marks
Always having a sharp object on them or finding any razors
Wearing long sleeves/pants all the time, even in hot weather
Finding bloody rags or an overload of bandages in the trash

What To Do:

Talk to a trusted adult if you are currently harming yourself. It can be scary to admit something like this, but talking about it is the first step to healing. Therapy can help you create better coping skills and help release any negative emotions you have.

If you know someone who is self-harming, take it seriously. Tell an adult or counselor what is going on so they can talk to them. Support them and make sure you keep any objects they use to harm themselves away. Even though it can be difficult to take in, do not blame or be judgmental to the person. This can make them feel guilty and worsen their self-injury.

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Treatment:

Treatment depends on the severity of your teen's depression. If your teen is in danger of harming themselves, he or she may need to stay at a hospital.

Therapy:

Therapy treats patients by talking about their mental illness or other issues with a professional in the mental health field. There is individual and group therapy offered, but the main purpose is to:

Learn about what is causing a teens depression
Find healthy coping skills
Identify triggers
End unhealthy habits
Know their true personality from the depression moods'
Improve relationships
Help a teen understand their depression

Medication:

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro) for medication for teen depression. (Mayo Clinic)

It may take multiple tries of an antidepressant to see which one is right for your teen. Some medications also require several weeks to start actually working or reducing side effects. It is important to realize this so you do not give up when the first one your teen tries doesn't seem to be working.

Sometimes an antidepressant can increase suicidal thoughts or ideation during the first few weeks of taking it. If your teen is experiencing these suicidal thoughts after, immediately call your doctor to get a new medication. But for most teens, this does not occur and the antidepressant will greatly benefit their mood.

Hospitalization:

Sometimes a teen becomes so severely depressed, or they are in danger of harming themselves or others that a hospital stay is needed. It will keep your teen safe in a stable environment until their symptoms go down.

Self Help:

Exercise
Eat a healthy diet
Go outside and get some sunlight
Reach out to others and surround yourself with people that make you feel good
Get at least 8 hours of sleep
Take time to relax
Write down your thoughts
Avoid any alcohol or drugs

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