Tuesday, 04 August 2009

  • Depression: Just a Phase That Every Teenager Went Through

    I suppose the reason I'm writing this is because I've been diagnosed with Depression more than once... Twice in middle school in which I went to a psychologist and took antidepressants because I was cutting... I went to the Psychologist ONCE and he told my parents that it was fine, that it was just a phase that every teenager went through... In my city this man was supposedly one of the best around... This little phase I was going through lasted more than 3 years... I suppose I'm just wondering why it was kind of passed off as something like a kid sucking on his thumb and being dubbed a "phase". Or like a kid carrying around a blankey... This was obviously sooo much more than just a phase. So, why did the psychologist say this? I have no clue. I quit cutting my sophomore year of high school because of my boyfriend of over a year. My depression didn't go away and the antidepressants I had taken for about a year and a half while in middle school didn't do a thing for me. I did have suicidal thoughts but luckily I didn't ever try hard enough to commit suicide... Now I'm happy but still dealing with depression.

     Depression In Teens

    According to kidshealth.org, as the first title of the subject is titled, Depression Is Common... and it says that "Depression is very common and affects as many as 1 in 8 people in their teen years. Depression affects people of every color, race, economic status, or age; however, it does seem to affect more girls than guys." It is said to affect 1 in 8 people in their teen years.

    Another part of this site's "Depression 'Page'" is titled "How Do People Respond To Someone Who's Depressed?" In this section, it mentions that some friends and family members may notice that the person isn't acting like themselves and is depressed, but that some people may not be able to tell. Some people mistakenly believe that depression is just an attitude or a mood that a person can shake off.  Sometimes, when depression causes physical symptoms, a person may see a doctor. Once in a while, even a well-meaning doctor may not realize a person is depressed, and just treat the physical symptoms.

    The next section is titled "Why Do People Get Depressed?" In the list they give, they mention:: Genetics, Life Events, Family and Social Environment, and Medical Conditions. I already knew that depression could be genetic. So, I pass this subject, but for those of you who don't know I will break down this subsection, that research shows that depression runs in families and that some people inherit genes that make it more likely for them to get depressed. Not everyone who has the genetic makeup for depression gets depressed. And many people who have no family history of depression have the condition. And on to the Life Events section... Of course, or at least I hope that everyone knows, that the death of a family member or a pet can cause some sort of depression. Other events can include::: the separation of parents and sometimes events like moving or changing school can trigger depression. The third subsection is about the Family and Social Environment in which it states that "for some teens, a negative, stressful, or unhappy family atmosphere can affect their self-esteem and lead to depression." This can also include::: high-stress living situations such as poverty; homelessness; and violence in the family, relationships, or community. "Substance use and abuse also can cause chemical changes in the brain that affect mood — alcohol and some drugs are known to have depressant effects. The negative social and personal consequences of substance abuse also can lead to severe unhappiness and depression." The last subsection is Medical Conditions. It states that some medical problems can affect hormone balance that has an affect on mood and that this could lead into depression.

    There are several other subjects.... "What Happens in the Brain When Someone Is Depressed?" "Types of Depression" and "What Are The Symptoms of Depression?" ... I will go post the list of symptoms...

    What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

    Symptoms that people have when they're depressed can include:

  • depressed mood or sadness most of the time (for what may seem like no reason)
  • lack of energy and feeling tired all the time
  • inability to enjoy things that used to bring pleasure
  • withdrawal from friends and family
  • irritability, anger, or anxiety
  • inability to concentrate
  • significant weight loss or gain
  • significant change in sleep patterns (inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get up in the morning)
  • feelings of guilt or worthlessness
  • aches and pains (with no known medical cause)
  • pessimism and indifference (not caring about anything in the present or future)
  • thoughts of death or suicide

    • I still have 9 out of these 12 symptoms of depression.

    For more information go to::::: http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html

    You can also go to:::::: http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/feeling_sad/cutting.html for information about teenagers and cutting... I was going to go into that but decided against it. If you would like to learn more. Just click on the links above.

     

    I just thought that I would shed some light on this subject. I wanted to go into the subject of cutting because of all the people ((including myself)) that have gone through feeling the need to cut in order to feel better. Cutting and depression in teens, and even children, is a rising issue and needs to be noticed... The people out there that don't like to talk about their depression sometimes turn to online societies to talk about their issues... So, I thought maybe I would put up a couple of those websites... A lot of these sites also tell of places and companies and so on that help people with depression....

    WEBSITES

    And an even bigger, more known suicide and depression prevention help "society" is...

    http://www.twloha.com/

    And if you know anyone who is suffering from depression, please don't judge... Just lend an open ear... Try to help in some way... and if they don't want help... find ways of helping anyway... The littlest things can have the biggest affect on a person...

    Is depression something everyone goes through at some point?  How many people do you know that suffered from depression? How did they recover?

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Comments (228)

  • LEXI_F@xanga

    i was diagnosed with clinical depression when i was 15. it started as early as i can remember, but i thought i was just weird/crazy/stupid. when i was in 7th grade (im 22 now-so 10/11 years ago, people weren't cutting, or at least it wasn't a well known thing. i just did it by myself-i honestly thought i "made" it up, that i was the only person in the whole world doing this...) i started turning to self mutilation. what started out with little pins quickly turned into a 8 year relationship with my razor. i have not self mutilated for over 2 years now. i still deal with depression/anxiety/what have you almost every day, but i can talk myself out of it almost every time. if i cant, i have a cigarette (not saying you should resort to that instead, it is still self harm in a way haha) and listen to music or ill do some yoga/meditating. most of the time i just hug my fiancee and have him hold me in his arms for a while. i feel like some people do have depression all their lives; my grandmother did. antidepressents made me more depressed most of the time due to the fact that i felt NO emotion-and i hated that the most.

  • Non_Cherie@xanga

    yeah, i have severe depression and my family doesn't believe me.
    oops, i only attempted suicide twice.
    not a worry, or anything.

    yeah, well. so far i'm not dead and honestly, the depression IS starting to go away.
    maybe it is just a phase for some people.
  • anonymiaous@xanga

    My parents think depression is like pms.. :/
  • Nattifaux@xanga

    Thank you for posting this. People say it's just a phase, and mine's been going on for four years now. It's such a serious matter yet no one seems to treat it like that. Those links will come in use. I've not self-harmed for 2 months now, yet think about suicide most days... :/ 

    Again, thank you for this post. 
  • cillyria@xanga

    Yeah, that whole "phase" thing is what everybody said when I got depressed the first time. I mean, who wants to believe that the straight-A "perfect" student could be unhappy? The second time around they tried to stick with it, still. The third time, when it brought anxiety as a friend, they took me to the doctor. So now I've got pills that don't do anything and people overly concerned about me. It's weird that this post came recently since I've been experiencing a really bad bout of depression and anxiety again within the past few days.

    The only thing I can say is that web pages like that are great, but when you're depressed things like that won't always help. You can't always see that people around you love you and support you, you might only find the bad in every situation. Even worse, you might feel nothing at all.
  • Nope_Ive_Never@xanga

    I often think that I may have depression, but honestly, I'm just too proud to go find out for sure. I know depression runs in my family...right alongside alcohol abuse.
  • methodElevated@xanga

    There's situational depression, and then there's depression that's caused by a chemical imbalance and lasts a significant amount of time.

    I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, recurring, severe with psychotic features when I was 15.  Then again about 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder (schizophrenia + major depressive disorder), and it was like the "step up" from my previous diagnosis.  I guess they don't like to diagnose adolescents with schizophrenia if they don't have to, so I was more accurately diagnosed in my 20s. 

    When I was a teen, it took my parents a while to realize it wasn't just a phase, and I wasn't just "hibernating" in my room and being anti-social.  Unfortunately, I had to "come out" to them about my psychological problems because they had no idea the severity of my problems.  I went through the whole self-mutilation thing, too.  I cut my arms and legs with anything sharp I could get my hands on -- even when hospitalized, I managed to find ways -- and pulled my hair out (trichotillomania).  Thankfully, I was able to overcome those addictions and haven't cut or pulled in over 5 years.

    I tried so many medications, and nothing worked in the end.  So now I've had to learn how to deal with it with diet, exercise, stress reduction and sleep, but even those aren't enough to keep my depression at bay.  It's still crippling sometimes.  I sometimes have to force myself to do things, like exercise, because I know it'll be good for me, and I'll feel better once it's done.  Have I recovered?  No, and I don't think I ever will, but my psychological problems (there are others) are fairly manageable now.

    I've known several other people who have depression.  In fact, yesterday my boyfriend decided he'd go see a shrink because his depression has gotten out of control.  It has presented as anger, irritability and frustration, and it was putting a strain on our relationship.  He finally told me what's been on his mind and admitted he's haivng a problem.  I'm glad he's getting help now.  No one should have to suffer through that shit alone.  Most people wouldn't be (and aren't) as patient with him as I am, but that's because I understand what he's going through.
  • coldcitygravity@xanga

    If its just a phase that all teens go through, then why isn't every adult walking around with self-injury scars from their "depressed teen" phase?
  • SimplyNita@xanga

    I think for some people depression may be a phase but for others it's a serious issue. I can usually tell when people I know claim to be depressed for attention and when they seriously do need help. 
  • methodElevated@xanga

    @LEXI_F@xanga - Haha, I thought I "made up" self-mutilation, too.  I had no idea others were doing it when I started.

    I had the same problem with a few medications.  One of them made me completely numb, and that just drove me to cut myself more because I was desperate to feel something.
  • S0N1@xanga

    @anonymiaous@xanga - Mine too. 
  • xEmox_xBabyx@xanga

    @coldcitygravity@xanga - thank you!!!!



    And to everyone.... This subject is one I don't take lightly... So, thanks everyone!!!!
  • TalithaKum88@xanga

    I've never thought of depression as a mere "phase." I've been diagnosed with severe recurrent major depression, but I'm currently in remission! I'm feeling better than I've felt in years! 

    I've tried nearly every medicine and therapy method, including about 11 separate ECT treatments. I've been in and out of residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, transitional living programs, and therapeutic wilderness programs. I've lost count of the number of times I've been hospitalized and the number of suicide attempts. I've also been cutting for years. For so long, I was absolutely obsessed with death. It was  all I thought about. I planned on dying because I could not bear the thought of ever feeling that low again. I was worthless. I was hopeless... and I just wanted out. I never ever thought I would overcome my depression, but here I am. :) That's why it's so important to keep fighting and holding on.

    Thank you for posting this and sharing some of your own story. I'm sure it will help others.
  • xEmox_xBabyx@xanga

    @TalithaKum88@xanga - oh. I thank you for sharing part of your story. This really is something I take seriously... Especially considering the fact that I know more than 10 people ((including my German teacher for the last two years)) who suffer from mild to severe depression.... Any form of depression is terrible... Thank you sooooooo very much for your comment!!!!
  • Bluekiller2025@xanga

    As someone who was diagnosed with depression while in high school and someone that consistently hears people say I"m depressed I"m tired of people using it as a crunch and saying it's so serious and a "real" disease.  I admit there have been hard times for me  and being a cutter It was one of the best outlets for me.  never on the under arms just on the tops of my arms with a jagged knife.  It helped to just but all my aggression and stuff into it.  I get over my own problems by myself.  I don't use pills and I never use it as a excuse.  Depression IS something you can get over yourself without pills and without anyone else. 

  • B1ANCACACA@xanga

    I was diagnosed with it when I was 17.  Two years later, I'm definitely better but still struggling.  
  • xEmox_xBabyx@xanga

    @Bluekiller2025@xanga -  getting over it yourself is somethimes hard.... like if you're addicted to something like alcohol or smoking and you try to quit cold turkey.... yeah... i quit cutting for someone but have kept from cutting for myself... Depression IS serious still... Some people can't get out of that slump without some help and some people just CAN'T find that help. Different people think and feel different about everything and this is one of those subjects... So, thank you for your oppinion on the subject.
  • silentwhim@xanga

    I believe depression is only a time when we have prolonged negative emotions >.> it can happen at any time, to anyone as long as we are human and we have the ability to experience emotions. You don't need to make a list of symptoms of depression, everyone's perspective is different and will react to certain emotions differently.

    I hate it when people are making depression seem like a disease or something, anyone can feel sad, its how they react to it, do they let it take over and wallow in despair or do they find things to make themselves happy. Its all emotions people! the meds only change your body chemistry so you won't release certain hormones that induce certain negative feelings.

    Yes depression happens, people can't find a way out of the negative feelings and just give up. We all have some ability to face tragedies in our lives, some more than others. Not to make depression seem any less serious or anything just want people to see it as what it really is. 
  • frozenfire55608@xanga

    Phase my butt.  From 19-22 is not a phase. 
  • frozenfire55608@xanga

    I have 9 too. 
  • frozenfire55608@xanga

    @silentwhim@xanga - Then I take it you've never had it happen to you. Your life stops.  You don't have anything to get up for in the morning.  I struggled to get up an finish my last semester of college because I had to.  It was the worst. It's only a little better now.   

    Be glad you don't know what it is like. 
  • anas_song18@xanga

    I always thought my depression was a phase, i was diagnosed bulimic before i was diagnosed with depression.I alwas thought that was normal, when your a teenager to feel so down you contemplate suicide.As the years went on it got to the point where i couldnt get out of bed in the morning i just sat staring blankly at the wall practically catatonic.I didnt want anyone to see me so i stayed awake all night when everyone else in my house was in bed and then just before they all woke i'd go to sleep.I was given sleeping pills that were unsuitable for me considering i was on anti depressants and promptly overdosed. My doctor stepped in at the hospital to stop me being sent to an adult psych unit and i was given a psychiatric nurse.So i guess my message is even tho i always assumed my depression was teen angst it isnt always!! The ones that dont say anything are the ones to watch and i know that from experiance of losing someone.
  • one_chanceatlife@xanga

    Depression feels like hell in your mind :/ 
  • just__one__me@xanga

    I have 11 out of the 12 symptoms of depression, the only one I don't have is significant weight loss or gain. Unless you count a 25 lb gain over 3 years as being "significant" (Maybe it is, I don't know. It could just be because I was growing up during that time.).

    I have been dealing with depression for over 5 years. In addition, I have struggled with self-injury and bulimia for the past three years. I've been on several different anti-depression medications and the only one that has seemed to do anything has been Prozac, 40mg. That being said, I still am struggling with depression, although not as much in the past month.

    I also have hypothyroidism that was just diagnosed a couple of months ago. For those of you who don't know, hypothyroidism can cause depression. The medication has helped somewhat with my depression, but I'm not completely "cured."

    There is hope out there for people who struggle with depression.
  • just__one__me@xanga

    @anas_song18@xanga - For me the diagnoses came the opposite way around - depression first and then bulimia. I've contemplated suicide but fortunately never acted upon it. How are you doing now with depression/bulimia?

    @silentwhim@xanga - I assume you've never experienced clinical depression. It's not just negative emotions that are brought on by a tragedy. I have never experienced what I would consider a "tragedy", yet I still have depression. Sure, "anyone can feel sad" but for some people these feeling won't just go away with time. You can't find things to make yourself happy when nothing makes you happy. People don't choose to have depression and they can't just "react" in a different way to make everything all better.

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