Depression
(Brain Storm)
Coping with
different emotions is part of everyone’s life, and we all feel happy and sad at
different times. Sometimes feeling sad is a natural and appropriate response to
what is happening in our lives. Mostly, we find the passage of time, life
changes and the support of those around us help these feelings go away.
Depression occurs when sad feelings do not go away, and when they
overwhelm a person and stop them from doing the things they normally do. It
used to be thought that children and young people couldn't get depressed, but
in fact they can, they may just show it in a different way to adults
Research:
What causes it?
What can you
do to help yourself?
What you can
do to help some with it?
Depression is not always the easiest problem to spot or get a child to
admit to. Some children can talk about feeling unhappy, but others are only
able to show how they feel through the way they behave.
Signs of depression may include:
§ Finding
it hard to concentrate, losing interest in schoolwork and play
§ Refusing
to go to school, or playing truant
§ Constantly
complaining of feeling bored or lonely, even when they have friends
§ Irritability
and moodiness beyond the normal range
§ Tearfulness
§ Defiance
or violent outbursts
§ Lack of
confidence and blaming themselves if things go wrong
§ Disruptive
behaviour at school, bullying, stealing or doing other things that lead to them
being punished.
§ Becoming
very withdrawn
§ Self-injury
or drinking or taking drugs to excess
§ Sleeping
very little or too much
§ Younger
children may appear to take backwards steps in their development, for example
with toilet training or eating.
TEENAGERS AND DEPRESSION
Teenagers are often moody and uncommunicative, but that doesn’t
necessarily mean they are depressed. It is just part of normal adolescence and
is related to hormonal changes and development as they try to find their place
in the world.
However, some teenagers get stuck and can find the changes they are going
through just too much to cope with. They may withdraw completely, or seek
relief by harming themselves or taking risks and refusing to toe the line.
An added problem is that teenagers often refuse to talk to their parents
about difficult issues and this can be really worrying for parents.
If your teenager is
displaying lots of the signs above and it has been going on for a while, it is
best to seek help viaYoungMinds Parents' Helpline or by talking to your GP.
You can email the
Parents Helpline by filling out the online contact form and selecting ‘Parents Helpline’.
·
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) –
this is seasonal depression which is related to day length. It usually comes on
in the autumn and winter, when days are short and the sun is low in the sky,
and gets better as the days get longer and brighter. (See Understanding seasonal affective disorder.)
·
Postnatal depression –
many mothers have ‘the baby blues’ soon after the birth of their baby, but it
usually passes after a day or two. Postnatal depression is a much more serious
problem and can occur any time between two weeks and two years after the birth.
(See Understanding postnatal depression.)
·
Bipolar disorder (manic depression) –
some people have major mood swings, when periods of depression alternate with
periods of mania. When manic, they are in a state of high excitement, and may
plan and may try to carry out over-ambitious schemes and ideas. They often then
have periods of severe depression. (See Understanding bipolar disorder.)
1.
Depression distorts your thinking. When you are depressed, your mind can play
tricks on you. If you have thoughts of suicide, please call
someone immediately. Don't let a temporary glitch in your thinking cause you to
harm yourself or another.
2.
Depression makes you selfish. It's very hard to think of other people when
you're wrapped in a prickly blanket of sadness, and all you can think about is
your own pain. Be proactive and take the steps you need to heal.
3.
Depression is experienced as anxiety 65 percent of
the time. Make sure you get an accurate diagnosis, so you can get the most
effective treatment available.
4.
Persistent irritability can be a symptom of depression. If the world, your
life, or your loved ones constantly tick you off, the cause might be something
that's going on inside of you.
5. Chronic pain can be
another symptom of depression. At the same time, being in continual discomfort
can cause you to become depressed. When you are depressed and in pain, it can
be hard to know which came first.
6. Alcohol is a
depressant. So are marijuana and a host
of other recreational or street drugs. Self-medication is not
going to get you better and will surely make you worse over time. Remember that
all medications, including anti-depressants, have side effects.
7. People
don't choose to be depressed, but they do make a choice about how to deal with
it. You can choose to do nothing, but denying that you have a problem will only
make you feel worse.
8. The
origin of depression can be situational and/or bio-chemical. If you are
experiencing mild to moderate situational depression (resulting from the loss
of a job, for example), counselling will help you. Most bio-chemical
depressions that are moderate to severe are best treated with a combination of
medicine and psychotherapy.
9.
Depression can be as hard on your loved ones as it is on you. Those closest to
you may start to feel unloved, and may distance themselves so they aren't
pulled into your pain. Remember that others are counting on you.
10. Exercise
is the easiest and least expensive cure for depression. Just walking 30 minutes
a day will help you and sometimes completely alleviate your symptoms. For this
very reason, many therapists take walks with clients instead of doing
"couch time.
