Anxiety and Depression in Teens

Teen Years: New pressures & challenges

All of these pressures and stressors can cause: Anxious feelings Sleeping difficulties Even mild depression

What is Anxiety? Condition of feeling uneasy or worried about what may happen. Positive results from anxiety Motivates you to get work done. Makes you alert in a risky situation. Negative results from anxiety Gets in the way of performance. Always feeling fear or dread. Some symptoms of anxiety are: *Fear and dread *Perspiration, trembling, restlessness, muscle tension *Rapid heart rate, lightheadness, shortness of breath

Strategies For Coping with Anxiety Coping Strategies for Anxiety Time management Relaxation techniques Exercise Sleep Positive Attitude Talk to someone Eat nutritious foods Coping Strategies for Stress Look Familiar?!

Depression: the feeling of depression vs. the clinical diagnosis of depression Reactive Depression(feeling of depression) Short lived. (Less that 2 weeks) Goes away in a short time. Normal, natural feeling. For example: loss of a loved one or a pet. Bad news, bad grade, lose a game, a friend moves away. OK to feel like this once in awhile. Major Depression (clinical depression, a treatable illness) Medical condition requiring treatment. More severe symptoms. Lasts longer than reactive depression. Could be a chemical imbalance. Could be genetic. Biological. Environmental factors Need professional help if you feel this way all the time.

Good News About Depression It’s treatable! It is not a permanent condition. There are doctors for the mental part of health too, not just doctors for your physical health. (P-E-M-S-S) Just like you have to go to the doctor for a physical condition, you have to go to the doctor for mental and emotional conditions. Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Social worker, Counselor or other health professionals.

Various Treatments Medicine: There are antidepressant medications. Work with neurotransmitters like Seratonin and Dopamine. Herbal: More effective for minor depression. For those who prefer non-medicine treatment. Not as effective and do not always work. St. John’s Wort is an example. Psychotherapy: Working with doctors to “talk” about root of issues. Combination of medicine and psychotherapy is extremely helpful. But you have to get help from someone.

Major Depression: signs & symptoms Persistent/constant/chronic “empty feeling” Mood swings Poor sleep patterns Loss of interest in activities Loss of interest in friends Energy levels decrease, fatigue Feeling of hopelessness or pessimism Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions Inability to perform day-to-day activities Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

9 Symptoms Used to Diagnose Depression. (American Psychiatric Association) Deep sadness Apathy Fatigue Agitation Sleep disturbances Weight or appetite changes Lack of concentration Feeling worthless Morbid thoughts A person is diagnosed with major depression if they have 5 of the 9 symptoms that last two weeks or more.

Some facts about depression More common in women. People seeking treatment always improve. The earlier that treatment is started the better the outcome

Why is it important that you know something about depression? It’s good to recognize symptoms of depression. You can get a friend help by telling an adult about your concerns. Don’t be afraid to confide in an adult. You can be supportive. Treatments work!