Stress and DepressionStress and Depression

Common CausesCommon CausesCommon Signs and SymptomsCommon Signs and Symptoms

Coping StrategiesCoping StrategiesCaring & Treatment TipsCaring & Treatment Tips

What Is Stress?What Is Stress?

•Stress is the way your Stress is the way your body relates to life’s body relates to life’s pressures.pressures.

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Sources of Stress?Sources of Stress?

• Situations in the home Situations in the home – Parents’ separation or divorce,Parents’ separation or divorce,– A new stepparent,A new stepparent,– A new brother or sister,A new brother or sister,– A single parent household,A single parent household,– Little or no emotional support,Little or no emotional support,– Neglect (personal needs not met),Neglect (personal needs not met),– Abuse (physical or sexual)…Abuse (physical or sexual)…

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Sources of Stress?Sources of Stress?

• Situations in life:Situations in life:– Death of a loved one or friend,Death of a loved one or friend,– Moving to a new town or new school,Moving to a new town or new school,– Illness or hospitalization,Illness or hospitalization,– Violence in the neighborhood, Violence in the neighborhood,

community, world,community, world,– Natural disasters or other Natural disasters or other

emergencies…emergencies…

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Sources of Stress?Sources of Stress?

• Situations at school:Situations at school:– Problems with friends,Problems with friends,– Gangs, threats from others, bullies,Gangs, threats from others, bullies,– Competition,Competition,– Popularity,Popularity,– Homework, grades, pressures to excel,Homework, grades, pressures to excel,– No support for school work…No support for school work…

Reactions to StressReactions to Stress

• Reactions to stress Reactions to stress can becan be– Short termShort term– Long termLong term– Extreme and life Extreme and life

threateningthreatening

• Reactions to stress Reactions to stress can affect a can affect a person’sperson’s– Physical healthPhysical health– Emotional health Emotional health – ThinkingThinking– Social activitySocial activity

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?

• Thoughts:Thoughts:– Difficulty communicating or listening,Difficulty communicating or listening,– Lack of concentration,Lack of concentration,– Memory problems,Memory problems,– Difficulty making decisions,Difficulty making decisions,– Disorientation and confusion,Disorientation and confusion,– Loss of objectivity…Loss of objectivity…

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?

• FeelingsFeelings– Frequent crying, show of emotions,Frequent crying, show of emotions,– Hyper-vigilance or excessive worry,Hyper-vigilance or excessive worry,– Irritability, outbursts of anger, frequent arguments,Irritability, outbursts of anger, frequent arguments,– Depression,Depression,– Apathy,Apathy,– Denial,Denial,– Anxiety or fear,Anxiety or fear,– Guilt, Guilt, – Grief…Grief…

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?

• Physical ChangesPhysical Changes– Short-term physical reactions:Short-term physical reactions:

– Oxygen Oxygen Extra oxygen reaches the brain because the Extra oxygen reaches the brain because the

bronchioles dilatebronchioles dilate– EndorphinsEndorphins– AdrenalineAdrenaline

Extra blood reaches the organs because the Extra blood reaches the organs because the heart rate increasesheart rate increases

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?

• Physical SymptomsPhysical Symptoms– Effects on the Body: Long Term Effects on the Body: Long Term

•Damage to the cardiovascular, immune, and Damage to the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems,nervous systems,

•People develop patterns of response, People develop patterns of response,

•These responses may indicate need for These responses may indicate need for corrective action to limit their impact.corrective action to limit their impact.

What Are Some Common What Are Some Common Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?

• Change inChange in behaviorbehavior– Increase or decrease in activity level,Increase or decrease in activity level,– Substance use or abuse (alcohol or drugs),Substance use or abuse (alcohol or drugs),– Decline in school performance, absenteeism,Decline in school performance, absenteeism,– Avoidance of activities or places (isolation), Avoidance of activities or places (isolation), – Becoming accident prone,Becoming accident prone,– Inability to rest or relax,Inability to rest or relax,– Blaming,Blaming,– Difficulty in giving or accepting support or help,Difficulty in giving or accepting support or help,– Inability to experience pleasure or have fun…Inability to experience pleasure or have fun…

What Is Depression?What Is Depression?

• Depression is a common and serious Depression is a common and serious medical condition characterized by medical condition characterized by extreme sadness and loss of extreme sadness and loss of pleasure in life. pleasure in life.

What Is Depression?What Is Depression?

– Depression can lead to suicide.Depression can lead to suicide.– Depression can happen in anyone’s life. Depression can happen in anyone’s life.

•Any raceAny race

•Any social standing Any social standing

•Any age – Any age – 1 in 81 in 8 adolescents adolescents have some have some symptomssymptoms

What Causes Depression?What Causes Depression?

• Precise causes are not known.Precise causes are not known.– Biological - genetic factorsBiological - genetic factors– Psycho - social factorsPsycho - social factors

•Ex: continued distress from any of the Ex: continued distress from any of the previously identified “stressors”,previously identified “stressors”,

•Ex: distorted, negative thinking patterns…Ex: distorted, negative thinking patterns…

Contributing Factors for Contributing Factors for Depression in Teens:Depression in Teens:

• Stressors such as fear of not meeting Stressors such as fear of not meeting expectations of parents, teachers, others…expectations of parents, teachers, others…

• When things go wrong at school or at home When things go wrong at school or at home teens may feel unsure of abilities or teens may feel unsure of abilities or question how they fit in…question how they fit in…

• Facing choices about friendship, sex, Facing choices about friendship, sex, alcohol, and drugs…alcohol, and drugs…

• Facing conflicting messages from parents, Facing conflicting messages from parents, teachers, friends and society…teachers, friends and society…

Danger Signs in Depressed Danger Signs in Depressed TeensTeens

When students……When students……• Experience a humiliating or anxiety provoking Experience a humiliating or anxiety provoking

situation,situation,• Show more than five major signs of depression Show more than five major signs of depression

for over two weeks (see student handout: for over two weeks (see student handout: Signs of DepressionSigns of Depression),),

• Demonstrate or verbalize suicidal thoughts,Demonstrate or verbalize suicidal thoughts,• Increase risk-taking behavior,Increase risk-taking behavior,• Show signs of personality changes,Show signs of personality changes,• Seriously neglect self-care…Seriously neglect self-care…

Stress and DepressionStress and Depression

• Continued stress can lead to Continued stress can lead to depression.depression.

• Continued depression can lead to Continued depression can lead to suicide.suicide.

• Managing stress can prevent or Managing stress can prevent or reduce depression and suicide.reduce depression and suicide.

• It is important to manage both stress It is important to manage both stress and depression.and depression.

Stress & Depression: Stress & Depression: Comparing Physical Comparing Physical SymptomsSymptoms• StressStress

– Gastrointestinal problemsGastrointestinal problems– Headaches, other aches Headaches, other aches

and painsand pains– Chronic fatigue or sleep Chronic fatigue or sleep

disturbancesdisturbances– Weight loss or gainWeight loss or gain– Sweating or chillsSweating or chills– Tremors or muscle Tremors or muscle

twitchingtwitching– Being easily startledBeing easily startled– Immune system disordersImmune system disorders– Visual disturbancesVisual disturbances

• DepressionDepression– Stomachaches Stomachaches – HeadachesHeadaches– Sleeping problemsSleeping problems– Weight changesWeight changes– Appetite changesAppetite changes– Lack of energyLack of energy– Joint or backachesJoint or backaches

Stress & Depression:Stress & Depression:Comparing ThoughtsComparing Thoughts

• StressStress– Lack of Lack of

concentrationconcentration– Memory problemsMemory problems– Difficulty making Difficulty making

decisionsdecisions– Disorientation and Disorientation and

confusionconfusion– Loss of objectivityLoss of objectivity

• DepressionDepression– Difficulty Difficulty

concentratingconcentrating– Difficulty making Difficulty making

decisionsdecisions– Problems Problems

completing school completing school workwork

– Problems Problems maintaining gradesmaintaining grades

Stress & Depression:Stress & Depression:Comparing FeelingsComparing Feelings

• StressStress– DepressionDepression– ApathyApathy– DenialDenial– Anxiety or fearAnxiety or fear– Guilt Guilt – GriefGrief

• DepressionDepression– SadnessSadness– Lack of enjoyment Lack of enjoyment

of everyday of everyday pleasurespleasures

– HopelessnessHopelessness– WorthlessnessWorthlessness– EmptinessEmptiness– GuiltGuilt

Stress & Depression:Stress & Depression:Comparing ActionsComparing Actions

• StressStress– IsolationIsolation– BlamingBlaming– Difficulty in giving Difficulty in giving

or accepting or accepting support or helpsupport or help

– Inability to Inability to experience pleasure experience pleasure or have funor have fun

• DepressionDepression– RestlessRestless– Not wanting to go to Not wanting to go to

school – cutting school – cutting classesclasses

– Wanting to be aloneWanting to be alone– Difficulty getting Difficulty getting

alongalong– Dropping out of Dropping out of

sports, hobbies, sports, hobbies, activitiesactivities

– Drinking, drug useDrinking, drug use

Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies

• Coping with StressCoping with Stress– There are many resources for stress There are many resources for stress

management.management.– Be aware of signs and symptoms of stress:Be aware of signs and symptoms of stress:

• Take practical action to reduce the stress as soon as Take practical action to reduce the stress as soon as possible.possible.

– Identify ways to manage / reduce source of Identify ways to manage / reduce source of symptoms:symptoms:• Ex: relaxation and meditation techniques to help Ex: relaxation and meditation techniques to help

with physical symptoms of stress,with physical symptoms of stress,• Ex: discuss your thoughts and feelings with a Ex: discuss your thoughts and feelings with a

responsible adult… responsible adult…

Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies

• Coping with Depression Coping with Depression – Recognize the signs of depression.Recognize the signs of depression.– Remember that depression is not a sign Remember that depression is not a sign

of weakness nor is it something you can of weakness nor is it something you can “snap out of”. “snap out of”.

– Depression is a serious condition that Depression is a serious condition that needs medical attention. needs medical attention.

– Depression can be successfully treated Depression can be successfully treated and the emotional pain can be relieved.and the emotional pain can be relieved.

Caring and Treatment TipsCaring and Treatment Tips

• Stress – Stress – – Offer to listen,Offer to listen,– Suggest a responsible person / resource Suggest a responsible person / resource

to go to for help,to go to for help,

• Depression – Depression – – Offer to listen - show concern,Offer to listen - show concern,– Trust your instincts - alert an adult to Trust your instincts - alert an adult to

your concern about a depressed person.your concern about a depressed person.

Extreme StressExtreme Stress

•Chronic or traumatic stress is potentially Chronic or traumatic stress is potentially very destructive and can deprive [youth] of very destructive and can deprive [youth] of physical and mental health. physical and mental health.

• If stress is extreme and not managed, some If stress is extreme and not managed, some individuals may experience post traumatic individuals may experience post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).stress disorder (PTSD).

•PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events.life-threatening events.