Comments on Teen Depression

We cannot always trace depression to a specific cause. More than likely, depression is caused by a number of things in general. The following are some ideas on the causes of depression in teenagers. (They are not listed in any particular order.)

• being lonely
• emptiness and meaninglessness
• fear than nothing will happen
• lack of communication skills
• do not know how to reach out to others
• bio-chemical with more active hormonal system
• bio-genetic -- body breaks down in transmitting nerve impulses
• manic-depressive illness...bi-polar Illness
• a perfection personality
• laid back personality, introverts are more depression prone
• have a personality more prone to depression
• pressure can cause depression
• responding to various loses improperly
• too much freedom without instruction
• broken homes
• working mothers -- Latch Key Concept
• facing adapting to new environment, moving
• Depression is often anger turned inward.

Depression is: (also leading to suicide)

• it is an illness or disease
• it is overwhelming, overpowering
• it is despair
• it is acute or chronic
• repeated
• it affects body, mind and soul
• it is often mistaken for physical illness
• life is filled with terror
• there is a longing for death
• there is the feeling that God is against them as persons
• could be caused by hormone fluctuations

Characteristics of Depression:

1. Negative self view -- seems helpless to change lives and circumstances. There is withdrawl.

2. Negative view of the world and one's relationship to it. There is a distortion of reality, so the slightest challenge not reachable. There is self pre-occupation.

3. Negative view of the future -- there is a giving up with the idea that nothing will get better, it will always be the same.

4. What is needed is a Christ image. A person needs to be converted by Jesus. This involves conviction of sin, confession of sin, and the foresaking of sin. When one is converted, one is accepted by Him. This acceptance means that God sees us through forgiving eyes. It means we can see ourselves through the mind and heart of Jesus. If Jesus accepts us, we can learn to accept ourselves. This is "Christ image."

Suicide and Depression:

There are 11 classic signs for suicide:

1. Tired most of the time even when a person gets plenty of sleep and rest.

2. Disturbances in sleeping habits.

3. Irritability -- things that normally would not bother begin to bother, people yell or show temper.

4. They are sad without identifying why they are upset, they cry for no reason at all.

5. Decrease in sexual drive.

6. Headaches -- dull aches which radiate to the shoulders from the back of the neck.

7. Chronic lower back pain, also in thighs, legs, abdomen.

8. Lack of enthusiasm -- doesn't get turned on.

9. Not being able to concentrate, short term memory, there may be a feeling to becoming retarded.

10. Indigestion -- choking when eating, weight loss.

11. Feeling of worthlessness -- like in a deep, dark, black hole. There is no optimism, paranoia sets in, deep feelings of guilt, delusion of crime.

What to look for in people who may take their lives:

• conversation about suicide
• self-inflicted wounds
• pre-occupation with death
• abrupt personality changes
• withdrawl
• argumentative
• grades drop
• giving away of personal items
• lack of sense of humor
• acting out more

Effective Treatment of Depression:

1. Medication

2. Psychotherapy, including Pastoral Counseling

3. Environment

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