 Depression What you need to know to help yourself and others.

What is depression?  Depression is defined as a prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness and sadness.  Feelings of sadness can affect everyone for many different reasons, but serious depression may require medical help.

Some facts  Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the United States among teens and adults, and can have a serious impact on the lives of the many teens who suffer from depression.  Between 20 to 50 percent of teens who suffer from depression have a family member with depression or other mental disorders.

Facts continued  Less than 33 percent of teens with depression get help, yet 80 percent of teens with depression can be successfully treated if they seek help from a doctor or therapist, and many local health clinics offer free or discounted treatment for teens with depression.  Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, the third leading cause of death among teenagers.

On average, what percentage of teens are displaying some signs and symptoms of depression?  A- Less than 5%  B- Over 40%  C %  D %

D: 10 –15%  This statistic shows cases of depression that have been reported, so the actual number of cases is likely considerably higher.

What do you think is the physical cause of depression?  A: a chemical imbalance in the brain.  B: Poor emotional health.  C: Sadness from rejection or disappointment.  D: The result of too much stress.

A: A chemical imbalance in the brain.  Although certain traumatic life experiences can add to the severity of depression, the main physical cause is due to a chemical imbalance in the brain.  Certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin (the happy chemical in the brain) can be off balance and not doing their job correctly.  Talk therapy (CBT) and medication are some treatments used.

Depression is diagnosed in just as many boys as girls. True or false?  False- Depression can affect a teen regardless of gender, social background, income level or race. However, teenage girls report suffering from depression more often than teenage boys. Boys are less likely to seek help or recognize that they suffer from depression, probably due to different social expectations for boys and girls – girls are encouraged to express their feelings while boys are not.

What percentage of teens with depression develop a substance abuse problem?  A: 10%  B: 30%  C: 60%  D: 45%

B: 30%  Often times teens turn to drugs and alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate and “mask” their depression and escape the reality of their feelings.  It takes courage, but seeking help for depression is the best solution to deal with the vicious cycle the person is experiencing.

What percentage of teen suicide victims suffer a mental illness?  A: 30%  B: 10%  C: 90%  D: 70%

C: 90%  90 percent of suicide victims suffer from a mental illness, and suffering from depression can make a teenager as much as 12 times more likely to attempt suicide.