1. Depression Education and Health Promotion Project
Michelle Slivinsky, MA
UCONN Health Center
Department of Psychiatry

2. The Myth of the Bad Kid Handout from SAMHSA (Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services)
Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health Campaign

3. True or False?? A depressed person can just “snap out of it”
If you are depressed it is your fault
Approximately 2 of every 20 young adults suffer from symptoms of depression at any given time
Depressed people will always be depressed
Depression can put a strain on relationships at home and at school
There is no way to tell if someone is depressed

4. Depression affects a person’s mood, thoughts, and actions
Depression is just a bad mood and goes away in a few days
Many times depression goes unidentified- depressed children, teens, and adults are sometimes inappropriately viewed as “difficult” or “unapproachable”
Depression is just in your mind- it can’t affect your body
People often feel “stressed out”- learning to deal with stress can help you to feel better by coping better
Depression is a treatable illness

5. Signs of Depression Ages 6-12 Somatic complaints Schoolwork diminished
Negative self-statements—highly sensitive to imperfections
Fatigue
Crying/whining, irritability/clinging to parents
Boredom/Apathy
Eating Disturbance
Decreased Concentration
Anxiety
Repeated rejection by other children/refusing to engage with others
Problems learning
Ages 12-18
Frequent absences from school
Suicidal thoughts
Low self-esteem/hyper-critical
Social Isolation
Drug/Alcohol use
Sexually acting out
Overeating
Rage

6. More about Depression……….
Four types of depression:
Major Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Dysthymia
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

7. What Depression Can Look Like

8. Contributing Factors Genetic predisposition to depression
Effects of an abusive childhood or a poor attachment to the mother
Hormonal changes that occur in adolescence
Loss of a loved one
Effects of divorce
Exposed to traumatic events such as 9/11
Bullying
Kids with attentional, learning, conduct or anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression (known as co-morbidity)
STRESS

9. Depression Statistics
National Comorbidity Survey- Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)
Lifetime Prevalence:
11.2% of 13 to 18 year olds
Lifetime Prevalence of “Severe” Disorder:
3.3% of 13 to 18 year olds
An estimated 10% of adults report depression
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports:
1.4 million adolescent girls age experienced a major depressive episode
Depression rates triple between the ages of 12 and 15 among adolescent girls (from 5.1% to 15.2% respectively.

10. About Co-Occurring Disorders
Mental and substance use conditions often co-occur. In other words, individuals with substance use conditions often have a mental health condition at the same time and vice versa.
Approximately 8.9 million adults have co-occurring disorders; that is they have both a mental and substance use disorder
Only 7.4 percent of individuals receive treatment for both conditions with 55.8 percent receiving no treatment at all.

11. Adults vs. Teens Teens show:
Irritable or angry mood – grumpy, hostile, easily frustrated, or prone to angry outbursts.
Unexplained aches and pains – headaches or stomachaches.
Extreme sensitivity to criticism
Withdrawing from some, but not all people --teenagers usually keep up at least some friendships; less than before, pull away from their parents, or start hanging out with a different crowd.

12. In the Classroom Loss of interest in activities Lack of energy
Problems concentrating, recall, decision-making
Loss of appetite or eating too much
Thoughts of suicide, cutting, suicide attempts
Aches, pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not go away.

13. Behavioral Symptoms
Frequent, unexplained irrational changes in behavior
Decreased concentration, lack of interest
Hyperactivity, restlessness
Impulsiveness and recklessness
Giving away of prized possessions (“a living will”)
Aggressiveness
Lack of energy, lethargy, fatigue
Loss of pleasure in usual activities
Somatic complaints
Social withdrawal

14. Emotional Symptoms Feelings of loss
Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness
Crying spells, tearfulness, sadness
Low self-esteem, unreal expectations of self
Feelings of powerlessness, out-of-control, outside control
Feelings of isolation, loneliness
Depression
Sudden happiness following depression
Guilt, remorse, self-reproachment
Nervousness
Withdrawl, sulkiness
Pronounced mood swings
Anxiety

15. Warning Signs Talking or joking about committing suicide.
Saying things like, “I’d be better off dead,” “I wish I could disappear forever,” or “There’s no way out.”
Speaking positively about death or romanticizing dying (“If I died, people might love me more”).
Writing stories and poems about death, dying, or suicide.
Engaging in reckless behavior or having a lot of accidents resulting in injury.
Giving away prized possessions.
Saying goodbye to friends and family as if for good.
Seeking out weapons, pills, or other ways to kill themselves.

16. Anxiety Disorders Anxiety often co-occurs with Depression
Anxiety disorders affect about 40 million American adults age 18 years and older (about 18%) in a given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty.
Women are 60% more likely than men to experience an anxiety disorder over their lifetime. Non-Hispanic blacks are 20% less likely, and Hispanics are 30% less likely, than non-Hispanic whites to experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime.
A large, national survey of adolescent mental health reported that about 8 percent of teens ages 13–18 have an anxiety disorder, with symptoms commonly emerging around age 6. However, of these teens, only 18 percent received mental health care.

17. Anxiety Disorders generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),
panic disorder,
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and
social phobia (or social anxiety disorder).

18. EDIT (when you want to make a change to something that already exists)
Educate
De-stigmatize
Identify
Treatment

19. EDUCATE Workbooks Informational Brochures for students and parents
Handouts (fact sheets, puzzles, awareness sheets)
DVDs
Open discussions at school, at home, in your parish and your community!

20. DE-STIGMATIZE
Depression is an illness, and should be treated like any other illness.
Depression can affect anyone at any age
Depression is treatable!
Through education, we can help people understand the differences between the facts about depression and the myths surrounding depression

21. IDENTIFY Symptoms of Depression
Troubled Thoughts and Feelings
Sadness or Irritability
Inability to enjoy usual activities like work, hobbies, school, friends
Feelings of hopelessness or guilt
Anxiety or restlessness
Trouble concentrating or remembering things
Thoughts of death or suicide
Physical Symptoms
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Unexplained headaches, backaches, or stomachaches
Eating too much or too little
Low energy

22. DEPRESSION IS TREATABLE!
TREATMENT
DEPRESSION IS TREATABLE!
Therapy
Interpersonal
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Individual
Group
Self Help
Medication
Light Therapy
Hospitalization
Any of these treatments may be used alone or in combination, and treatment may change over time. It is important to follow through with treatment plans with the doctor.

23. Summary EDIT- Educate, De-stigmatize, Identify, Treatment
Teach people about depression so they can get the help they need, or help a friend get the help they need
Understand the differences between facts and myths surrounding depression
If you or someone you know is depressed, please reach out and talk to someone you trust (parent, teacher, support staff, clergy) so they can get you the help you need
Get help! Depression is an illness- people should not feel ashamed of being depressed and deserve to feel better!

24. Crisis Intervention for Students
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s toll-free, 24-hour hotline at TALK ( ) or TTY: TTY ( ) to talk to a trained counselor.
Call 211 (Info line)
Encourage people to talk to parent(s), clergy, teacher(s)/support staff, or other adult(s) who can get them (or the person they are concerned about) the help they need

25. DVD: Not Just a Phase: Understanding Kids and Depression

26. Thank you!! 
Hand outs
Q & A