Michael Cheng, Psychiatrist

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Stress, Anxiety and Depression An Overview
Mother Teresa High School, Apr 7, 2005

• Michael Cheng, Psychiatrist

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Goals

• An overview about stress, anxiety and depression
  in youth
• What is it
• What causes it
• What can everyone do about it
• Where to get help (in Ottawa)

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Top Questions

• How are stress-anxiety-depression related?
• What is a mood disorder?
• What does bi-polar mean?
• What are early signs of depression in
  adolescents?
• What is schizophrenia?

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Top Questions

• At what point does a parent seek help?
• What is the sequence of events for seeking help?
• What are non-medicinal means of treatment of
  depression?
• How can a teacher accommodate the needs of a
  depressed student?
• How can teachers make mental illness an
  acceptable topic of discussion?

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What is normal mood?

• It is normal for moods to vary along a range
• It is NOT normal to have mood problems that
  seriously get in the way of functioning at
  school, work or relationships
• Trust your instincts if you think there is a
  problem, there is no harm in doing something
  about it

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What are normal goals in life?

• Autonomy, Agency, Sense of Control (Power)
• Affiliation, Connection with People (People)
• Sense of hope and Meaning (Spirituality)

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Point A
Point B (Goals)
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Obstacles such as stress (at home, school, work),
depression, anxiety
Point A
Point B (Goals)
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Stress happens whenever one of these is
threatened

• Problems with autonomy, or achievement
• E.g. failing a test
• Problems with people or connections to others
• E.g. conflict with family, peers, teachers
• Problems with hope and meaning
• E.g. life events that lead one to lose hope or
  meaning in life

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Life is a balance between coping and stress
Demands / Expectations / Stresses
Coping Ability
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Problems if demands, expectations or stresses
outweigh coping
Coping Ability
Demands / Expectations / Stresses
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There are two solutions to restore the balance...
? Coping Ability
? Demands / Expectations / Stresses
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Stress can lead to

• Physical problems
• Emotional or mood problems such as
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating Disorders
• OCD
• Any problems with mood/coping...

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Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Children and
Adolescents in Canada (Stats Can, 2002, age 0-19)
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Questions?