Take the pain away

By Jameliah Salter

Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep

Photo by Jameliah Salter

“I could care less about what other people think about me, but when I begin to hate myself, it's a problem.” These words, spoken by 17-year-old Subria Whitaker, focuses on a central issue of teen depression.

Teen symptoms of depression

The Cyberbullying Research Center and Cybersmart.org offer a few prevention pointers to combat the problem.

* apathy
* complaints of pains, including headaches, stomachaches, lowback pain or fatigue
* difficulty concentrating
* difficulty making decisions
* excessive or inappropriate guilt
* irresponsible behavior -- for example, forgetting obligations, being late for classes, skipping school
* loss of interest in food or compulsive overeating that results in rapid weight loss or gain
* memory loss
* preoccupation with death and dying
* rebellious behavior
* sadness, anxiety or a feeling of hopelessness
* staying awake at night and sleeping during the day
* sudden drop in grades
* use of alcohol or drugs and promiscuous sexual activity
* withdrawal from friends

According to recent studies, 1 in 8 adolescents could be suffering from depression and 30 percent of them are receiving treatment. Sharon Tillman, social worker at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, says she believes that some of the causes of depression are “strained relationships with parents, consistently not doing well in school, if they have a significant health issue that’s uncommon for teens, or not being able to make or keep friends, issues regarding dating. And another big one is regarding sexual identity.”Whitaker (who has not been diagnosed with depression) admitted to being in depressed states. “I knew I wasn’t the same, but I didn’t realize the changes and results until later.”

“In a lot of cases it can’t be avoided,” says Tillman. “Depression is a mental health issue, and sometimes people are born with this mental health issue like if someone was born with a heart condition.” For students that end up in her office, she is very “practical” with her methods. “We help them a lot with their time management and help them with talking to teachers.” She also mentioned talking to the students’ parents and having them involved in getting their child help outside of the school.

To deal with everyday problems, Subria Whitaker uses music and poetry to get her issues off of her chest. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of health care experts, evaluates the latest scientific evidence on clinical preventive services. It recommends screening adolescents aged 12 through 18 years for depression, but only when systems are in place to ensure proper diagnosis and to provide psychotherapy and follow-up care.

Tillman’s advice: “Knowledge is power. Get a lot of information about depression. The information helps.” Depression usually doesn’t go away, she says, and if left untreated, “you start to treat yourself. Reach out to someone and don’t suffer in silence.

Comment