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Depression. Depression. Fact or Fiction?. More women than men commit suicide Depression in teenagers is a temporary side effect of puberty Suicidal tendencies are inherent People who take anti depressants will take them for the rest of their lives
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Depression Depression
Fact or Fiction? • More women than men commit suicide • Depression in teenagers is a temporary side effect of puberty • Suicidal tendencies are inherent • People who take anti depressants will take them for the rest of their lives • Most children with depression receive the help they need
Fact or Fiction? • People with depression are just people who can’t cope with everyday stressors • Depression is recognized by insurance company’s an illness • Anti depressive medication is addictive • Depression is not a physiological illness such as heart disease or diabetes
Fiction! FICTION!
Depression: A condition of deep dejection characterized by a lack of response to stimulation and withdrawal.
Depression is NOT: The same as a passing blue mood, it is not a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with depression cannot merely “pull themselves together” and get better.
Depression is: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things.
Major Depression: • Interferes with everyday activities, such as work, sleep, eating, etc.
Dysthymia: • A less severe type of depression, Dysthymia’s long - term chronic symptoms keeps one from functioning well, or from feeling good.
Bipolar Disorder • Also called manic depressive illness or manic depression, Bipolar Disorder has periods of euphoria (mania), and lows (depression). Sometimes the mood changes are dramatic and rapid, but generally the mood changes are gradual.
Causes of Depression • Kinship studies reveal that heredity plays an important role • Hormonal changes of puberty trigger depression in genetically susceptible young people
Causes of Depression • Environmental factors include: profound loss, parental divorce, end of a close friendship or dating relationship, failing at something important, inability to meet parental expectations, poverty and ethnic minority status. Abuse and stressful home life can also trigger depression.
Causes of Depression • Girls are twice as likely to be depressed than boys. Gender-typed coping styles are the cause. The gender intensification that girls experience in early adolescence promotes passivity and dependency. This causes them to internalize their stress and anxiety, leading to an inability to cope.
Causes of Depression • Kids as young as infants exhibit symptoms of depression prior to environmental factors coming into play. This leads to the belief that depression can be wholly chemical. • Depression is individual and causes will be different for each child.
Causes of Depression • Depression could be entirely chemical, entirely environmental, or a combination of the two • More important than causes are identification and treatment
Does the child cry more often than in the past? • Does the child complain of feeling blue or empty inside? • When things do not go the child’s way, does he think his life is hopeless? • Does the child have a hard time falling asleep at bedtime, or does she awaken in the middle of the night and have trouble going back to sleep?
Has the child lost interest in his favorite activities? • Does he spend more time alone, away from friends and family? • Has the child gained or lost weight in recent weeks? • Does she seem more worn out and tired that in the past? • Does he sometimes talk about hurting himself?
Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood • Feelings of hopeless, pessimism • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that you once enjoyed • Decreased energy, fatigue, being slowed down • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping. • Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain. • . • Restlessness, irritability. • Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain • Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts.
Suicide SUICIDE
Suicide Statistics • Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. • Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people age 10 – 24. • Teen/youth suicides have tripled since 1970. • More women in the US attempt suicide than men by a ratio of 3 to 1. • Men succeed at commit suicide more often than women by a ratio of 4 to 1. • For every two homicides in the US, there are three suicides.
Warning Signs • Severe, amplified depression symptoms • Previous suicide attempts • Verbalizing suicide threats • Efforts to put personal affairs in order (smoothing over troubled relationships, etc) • The collection and discussion of information on suicides methods • The scratching or marking of the body or other self-destructive acts • Statements or suggestions that the speaker would not be missed if he/ she were gone
Warning Signs • Acute personality changes, unusual withdrawal, aggressiveness or moodiness, or new involvement in high risk activities. • Decline in grades, absence from school, discipline problems. • Change in appetite and/or sleep patterns. • Physical complaints, such as headaches, stomachaches, neglect of physical appearance. • Overall, look for sudden changes in behavior that are significant, last for a long time and are apparent in his or her life. (Pervasive).
Strategies • Be psychologically available • Communicate a caring, capable attitude • Assess the immediacy of the risk • Empathize with the young person’s feelings • Oppose the suicidal intent • Offer a plan for help • Obtain a commitment
Treatments Intervention with depressed and suicidal adolescents ranges from antidepressant medication to individual, family, and group therapy.
Medications There is a wide variety of medications that can be taken for depression, with varied effectiveness and side effects
Therapy • Depression is not fully recognized as an illness by most health care insurance providers, so coverage may be limited.
Closing/Assessment • You are a teacher in a middle school. Ellory, a 14-year-old girl, is usually a bright, happy, normal teenager. She usually participates in class and interacts well with other students.
For the past few weeks you have noticed some changes in Ellory’s behavior. She has been exhibiting the following behaviors: • She has been withdrawn from her friends • She doesn’t express the same interest in art assignments as before, and seems distracted from the activities. • She has been throwing away most of her lunch • She seems tired at times, fidgety at others. • You notice some strange marks on her body, specifically scratch-type marks on her wrists.
What do you think is wrong with Ellory’s behavior? How should you address the situation?