Mennonite Central Committee

Depression

 

1. What is Depression?
2. What are the Symptoms?
3. Youth responses to Depression
4. Where do you look for help?
5. What can you do to help your friend who struggles with Depression?

 

1. What is Depression?

   • A very deep and long feeling of helplessness and hopelessness
   • More than down or blue or something you can get out of by trying hard
   • A common problem among youth
   • Something youth don't talk about because they want their friends to think everything is fine
   • Sometimes caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain
   • Sometimes a result of difficult circumstances or relationships in the lives of youth or children

    

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2. What are the Symptoms?

   All of us get these symptoms sometimes, but when several of them persist over several weeks, it is time to look for help. A proper diagnosis for depression must be made by a professional.

   • Loss of interest in things and people
   • Overwhelming sadness that doesn't go away
   • Often being in a bad mood
   • Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
   • Anxiety that doesn't go away
   • Anger for no particular reason
   • Tendency to over-react emotionally
   • Withdrawal
   • Poor concentration/dropping of marks
   • Physical symptoms such as weight gain or loss, headaches or stomach aches
   • Feelings of not being able to handle life and thinking of suicide
   • Turning to alcohol, drugs, promiscuity, violence, and harming oneself

    

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3. Youth responses to Depression

   Healthy and Helpful responses:

   • Talking about how you feel
   • Looking for help

    

   Unhealthy responses:

   • Keeping quiet and crying by yourself
   • Trying to self-medicate by using drugs or alcohol
   • Attempting suicide

    

   Why is it so important to get help?

   • So you can have fun in life
   • So you can enjoy your friends
   • So you can be enthusiastic about the future
   • So your marks improve
   • So you can have a better relationships
   • So you don't feel suicidal
   • So it's easier to stay away from alcohol or substance abuse, promiscuity and violence

    

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4. Where do you look for help?

   If the person does not understand, try someone else. Be persistent. Keep looking until you find someone who listens and understands.

   • Therapists - for unhappy events or circumstances, or to help you sort out what is happening
   • Doctors - for medical help
   • Internet - www.mcc.org/canada/hlth.html
   • Books and Magazines (Library)
   • Local Mood Disorders Association (Sometimes called Society for Depression and Manic Depression)
   • A Parent, pastor, or another trusted adult

    

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5. What can you do to help your friend who struggles with Depression?

   Do:

   • Continue to be a friend
   • Let your friend talk - listen a lot
   • Sit in silence - be with your friend
   • Go with your friend to find help
   • Treat your friend with respect
   • Be careful about sharing information about your friend - don't blab but get help!
   • Get information about depression to your friend and to other people who know your friend
   • Pray that your friend will find good help
   • Pray that your friend senses God through you, other people or events
   • Get your Sunday school teacher or youth leader to teach some lessons on mental illness (MCC has videos you can borrow and a suggestion for four lessons for Sunday school).

    

   Don't:

   • Don't try to give simple solutions to big problems
   • Don't say "snap out of it already"
   • Don't make fun of your friend
   • Don't tell your friend he or she is lazy or stupid
   • Don't say "I understand" if you haven't been there
   • Don't tell your friend that he or she should have more faith
   • Don't tell your friend that the depression is the result of sin
   • Don't tell your friend to pray and it will go away

    

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Taken from Talk About It: Youth and Depression brochure.