Martha T Hinson, M.Ed. Licensed Professional Counselor National Board Certified Counselor
General uneasiness to panic attacks and phobias Excessive fears and worries, feelings of restlessness Continual nervousness or extreme stress May appear dependent, withdrawn, or uneasy Perfectionistic, unsure of oneself May redo tasks or procrastinate Needs excessive reassurance about identity and whether he/she is "good enough"
Muscle tension and cramps Stomach and headaches Pain in the limbs and back Fatigue Often see intensify at onset of puberty and throughout teen years
Most common mental health disorder in the United States among teens and adults. About 20 percent of teens will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood. Between 10 to 15 percent of teenagers have some symptoms of teen depression at any one time.
Regardless of gender, social background, income level, race, or school or other achievements Teenage girls report suffering from depression more often than teenage boys Teenage boys are also less likely to seek help or recognize that they suffer from depression
Previous episodes of depression Experiencing trauma, abuse, or a long-term illness or disability 20 to 50 %- family history of depression 65% of teens with major depression also suffer with anxiety
Sadness or hopelessness Irritability, anger, or hostility Tearfulness or frequent crying Withdrawal from friends and family Loss of interest in activities Changes in eating and sleeping Restlessness and agitation Feelings of worthlessness and guilt Lack of enthusiasm and motivation Fatigue or lack of energy Difficulty concentrating Thoughts of death or suicide
Irritable or angry mood Unexplained aches and pains Extreme sensitivity to criticism Withdrawing from some, but not all people
Isolation / social withdrawal Avoiding problems Yelling or lashing out at others Physical fights Smoking/Using drugs/alcohol Thrill-seeking (putting self at risk or in danger to get a high or thrill) Binging/ purging/ restricting calories/eating disorders Physical self-injury (burning, cutting, piercing with sharp objects or hitting self.) Self-criticism Wishful thinking vs. ways to solve problem Blaming others
Suicide: Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers after accidents (73% car) and homicide Less than 33 percent of teens with depression get help, yet 80 percent of teens with depression can be successfully treated
Suicidal behavior includes suicidal ideation (thoughts), attempts, and completions Suicide rate among children and teens has increased over 300% since the 1950s A child or adolescent commits suicide in the U.S. approximately every 2 hours Suicide rates are highest among high school students, although there have been recent increases among middle school students (NASP 2008)
Greater prevalence and earlier age of onset of mental disorders Changes in rates of substance use Increased accessibility and availability of firearms Gender differences in help-seeking behavior and stress tolerance Change in nuclear family structure and consequent effects on children Greater acceptability of suicide as an option CSSP S-W CRT 2001-2010 (Berman, Jobes & Silverman. (2006) Adolescent Suicide Assessment & Intervention. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC Hawton, 1998)
More children and adolescents die annually from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, and other medical conditions combined Research suggests approximately 20% of high school students experience serious suicidal thoughts in a given year, and that about 4-8% make actual attempts Over 2000 children and adolescents commit suicide annually (NASP 2008)
Gender Adolescent females attempt suicide at a rate of 2:1/ 3:1 compared to adolescent males Adolescent males commit suicide at a rate of nearly 5:1 compared to adolescent females Age Rates of suicidal behavior increase as children get older, hitting peak in early 20s (NASP 2008)
Students who talk about suicide are just looking for attention Listening to certain types of music (e.g., heavy metal ) or engaging in certain activities (e.g., watching particular movies) causes people to become suicidal Preventing access to lethal means will not prevent suicide - students will simply choose another method Most dangerous myth: Talking about suicide will encourage suicidal behavior (NASP 2008)
Definition: A suicide attempt without the ideation or typical warning signs
Triggering Events: Has the person experienced humiliation, shame or despair? Examples include loss of relationship, bullying, legal, school status-real, imagined, threatened or anticipated. Does the person currently take an antidepressant that was newly or continuously prescribed or recently discontinued? Examples include single or combination antidepressant medicines.
Signs of Acute NIS Risk: Restlessness Insomnia Dysphoria Nighttime Worsening Panic Confusion Inflexible Thinking Psychic Agony
Talking to parents or friends Exercise / sports Yoga / meditation Reading Problem solving Thinking positive / being optimistic / using humor Listening to music Hobbies / recreation Journal / writing Hanging out with friends Praying / religious activities Social support / asking for help Getting enough sleep Volunteering
Offer support Be gentle but persistent Listen without lecturing Validate feelings Quality time to connect Reassurance/ Reminders of past difficulties and positive ways they dealt with it Focus on internal and external strengths
School Counselor Physician Mental Health Counseling Cognitive Behavior Therapy National Institute of Mental Health helpguide.org http://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/perch/res ources/info-for-parents-english.pdf http://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/document s/pm_positive_comm.pdf www.anxietybc.com
Take care of yourself as caregivers Seek help if needed Focus on positive/how you and your teen are moving forward
Be an advocate for decreasing the stigma around mental health!!!
1. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General [online] 2. Kidshealth.org from the Nemours Foundation, "Understanding Depression" [online] 3. Center for Mental Health Services, SAMHSA, A Family Guide, Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy and Drug Free, "Depression Hurts" [online] 4. U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia, "Depression signs in Teenagers" [online] 5. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, "Depression and Suicide in children and adolescents" [online] 6. WebMD.com : Depression in Childhood and Adolescence [online] 7. WebMD/The Cleveland Clinic "Seasonal Depression" [online] 8. Helpguide.org: Teen Depression: A Guide for Parents 9. Your Adolescent: Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Development from Early Adolescence Through the Teen Years [Paperback], David Pruitt, M.D. and AACAP 10. Surviving The Teens /Suicide Prevention, Coping with Teen Stressors, www.cincinnatichildrens.org