Depression

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Depression
Depression
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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

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Fact or Fiction?

• People with depression are just people who cant
  cope with everyday stressors
• Depression is recognized by insurance companys
  an illness
• Anti depressive medication is addictive
• Depression is not a physiological illness such as
  heart disease or diabetes

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Fiction!
FICTION!
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Depression
A condition of deep dejection characterized by a
lack of response to stimulation and withdrawal.
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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.
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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.
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Major Depression

• Interferes with everyday activities, such as
  work, sleep, eating, etc.

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Dysthymia

• A less severe type of depression, Dysthymias
  long - term chronic symptoms keeps one from
  functioning well, or from feeling good.

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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.

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What Causes Depression?
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Causes of Depression

• Kinship studies reveal that heredity plays an
  important role
• Hormonal changes of puberty trigger depression in
  genetically susceptible young people

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Causes of Depression

• Depression could be entirely chemical, entirely
  environmental, or a combination of the two
• More important than causes are identification and
  treatment

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What are the Symptoms of Depression?
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Symptoms to look for in children
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• 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 childs 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?

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• 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?

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Symptoms to look for in Adolescents and Adults
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• 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

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• 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.

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Suicide
SUICIDE
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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.

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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

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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).

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Strategies

• Be psychologically available
• Communicate a caring, capable attitude
• Assess the immediacy of the risk
• Empathize with the young persons feelings
• Oppose the suicidal intent
• Offer a plan for help
• Obtain a commitment

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Treatment
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Treatments
Intervention with depressed and suicidal
adolescents ranges from antidepressant medication
to individual, family, and group therapy.
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Medications
There is a wide variety of medications that can
be taken for depression, with varied
effectiveness and side effects
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Therapy

• Depression is not fully recognized as an illness
  by most health care insurance providers, so
  coverage may be limited.

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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.

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• For the past few weeks you have noticed some
  changes in Ellorys behavior. She has been
  exhibiting the following behaviors
• She has been withdrawn from her friends
• She doesnt 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.

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What do you think is wrong with Ellorys
behavior? How should you address the situation?
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The Storm in My Brain