Depression and Suicide

An illness when the feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and despair persist and interfere with a child or adolescents ability to function

Defining Depression

Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying

Hopelessness

Decreased interest in activities; inability to enjoy previously favorite activities

Persistent boredom; low energy

Social isolation, poor communication

Low self-esteem and guilt

Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure

Warning Signs

Increased irritability, anger, or hostility

Difficulty with relationships

Frequent complaints of physical illness such as headaches and stomachaches

Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school

Poor concentration

Major change in eating and/or sleeping

More Warning Signs

Talk of or efforts to run away from home

Self-injury

Alcohol and drug abuse

Even More Warning Signs

Prozac Zoloft

Paxil Luvox

Celexa Lexapro

Wellbutrin Effexor

Serzone Remeron

Drugs that Treat Depression

5% of children and adolescents are depressed

18.8 million American adults suffer from clinical depression which is 9.5% of the adult population

35 million Americans suffer from depression severe enough to warrant treatment at some time in their lives

In one given period, 13-14 million experience the illness

Depression Statistics

Select a therapist

Acupuncture

Many types of therapies like behavioral and biomedical

Holistic medicine

Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Psychoanalysis

Relaxation Techniques

Self-Help

Professional Help

Listen

Take care of little tasks like doing laundry

Remember the depressed person is not being lazy

Learn everything you can about depression

Take it seriously if someone talks about suicide

Make sure the person is keeping doctor appointments and taking their medication

Ways to Help Someone who is Depressed

Alternating moods of abnormal highs (mania) and lows (depression). Called bipolar disease because of mood swings

Manic-Depression

Hallucinations

Most people with bipolar disorder can achieve substantial stabilization of their mood swings and related symptoms with proper treatment

Symptoms of Manic-Depression

Each year in the U.S. thousands of teenagers commit suicide

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24 year-olds and sixth leading cause of death for 5-14 year-olds.

Suicide Facts

Previous suicide attempts

Close family member who has committed suicide

Past psychiatric hospitalization

Recent loss like a relative’s death or a family divorce

Social isolation

Drugs and alcohol abuse

Exposure to violence in the home and the social environment

Handguns in the home

Suicide Risk Factors

Trust your instincts that a person is in trouble

Talk and listen to the person

Ask questions without judgment

Get professional help

Do not leave the person alone

Do not swear secrecy

Do not act shocked

Do not counsel the person yourself

What to do if you think someone is suicidal

Deep breathing

Relaxation techniques

Call a friend, try not to be alone

Take a hot bath

Listen to music

Write in a journal

Allow yourself to cry

Ways to Overcome Suicide

The attempt to deliberately cause harm to one’s own body

Self-Injury

Major Self-mutilation like limb amputation

Head banging, eyeball pressing, and biting

Cutting, burning, hair-pulling, and bone breaking

Three Types of Self-Injury

Lack of role models and invalidation

Biological disposition

Emotionally overwhelmed

Why People Self-Injure

All people are capable of self-injury

From early teens to early sixties

Usually not a failed suicide attempt

People who self-injure are not necessarily psychotic

People who are Likely to Self-Injure

Being rejected by someone who is important to you

Being blamed for something over which they had no control

Feeling inadequate

Being “wrong” in some way

Triggering Events for Self-Injury

A serious brain disease that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and function

Bipolar Disorder

Episodes of depression

Episodes of mania

Psychosis

Mixed state - Episodes of depression and mania at the same time

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Characterized by 6 months or more of chronic, exaggerated worry and tension that is unfounded or much more severe than the normal anxiety most people experience

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Chronic fatigue

Depression

Irritability

Lack of focus

Sleep deprivation

Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

The emotional changes our bodies experience as we adjust to the changing environment

What is stress?

Can help compel us to action

Can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective

Positive Effects of Stress

Can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression

Can lead to health problems like headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke

Negative Effects of Stress

Become aware of your stressors and your emotional/physical reactions

Recognize what you can change

Reduce the intensity of you emotional reaction to stress

Maintain emotional and physical reactions

The best ways to manage stress