Anna Blevins, Nick Collins, Tyler Holloway, Amanda Newton, and Alison Sowles

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Depression

• Anna Blevins, Nick Collins, Tyler Holloway,
  Amanda Newton, and Alison Sowles

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Overview 7,10.

• Depression- a serious psychological disorder
  marked by sadness, helplessness, and hopelessness
• Different from just being in a funk
• When suffering from depression, the person feels
  like nothing will get better and he/she has no
  control over the situation.
• Between 15 and 20 of teens have been clinically
  depressed at least once by the time they enter
  young adulthood

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Risk Factors 12.

• Recent Death of someone close
• Neglect
• Bullying and Violence
• Divorce of Parents
• Extreme Stress
• Especially if lack of social support
• Poor Students more at risk
• ADHD, learning disabilities, and behavioral
  problems put a teen at special risk

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Other Risk Factors 6.

• Medical conditions
• Hypothyroidism affects hormone balance and mood
• Chronic physical illness
• However, once medical condition is diagnosed and
  treated, depression usually disappears
• Substance abuse
• Causes changes in brain chemistry
• Genetics
• If you have a relative that suffers from
  depression, you are 3X as likely to suffer from
  it as well.
• Genetic differences in the brain and how it
  responds to stress
• Chemical levels are not balanced

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Earlier Traumatic Events 6.

• Abuse and Incest
• Emerge during teen years and cause distress
• As a young child, victim was not capable of
  processing the painful experience or to protest
  against it
• Memories emerge in adolescence
• Distress can be worse if adults deny or discredit
  the information

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Symptoms 5,10.

• Feel sad or cry a lot
• Think about death, dying, or suicide
• Guilt for no apparent reason
• Lack of Focus and Motivation
• Forgetful
• Decline in school performance, absenteeism
• Drug/Alcohol Abuse
• Used as a means to self-medicate
• Furthers depression because it changes chemistry
  of brain
• About 2/3 of adolescents with depression have
  another psychological disorder, often substance
  abuse.

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Symptoms cont 6.

• Sleeping and Eating Patterns change
• Significant weight loss/gain
• Loss of self-confidence
• Neglect appearance
• Easily irritated
• Often withdraw from friends and family

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Dangers of Ignoring 12. Depression

• Can take many different forms
• Sometimes easily missed
• Self-Destructive behaviors can result from
  underlying depression
• Cutting, alcohol/drug abuse, eating disorder
• Often a cry for help
• Wake-up call for parents
• If left undiagnosed or ignored, has the potential
  to lead to suicide

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Effects on Families 10.

• Families of Depressed Teens
• More likely to be filled with conflict
• Divorce more common
• Parents tend to be more overprotective
• Because of genetic factor with depression,
  parents are also more likely to be depressed
• Depression of teen and parent can play off of
  each other

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SAD 9,12.

• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Usually strikes during the winter months when
  there is limited sunlight
• Affects chemical balance in brain
• Gradually worsens from fall to winter
• Peaks in mid-winter then starts to fade
• Compared to having a dimmer switch on your mood
• Frustrating because if you enter recovery during
  the Spring or Summer, will soon feel the effects
  of SAD in the fall
• Usually requires year-long therapy
• More prevalent in females

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Ethnic Differences in Female Depression 4.
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Hispanic Depression 4.

• Tend to experience depression as bodily pain
• Often described as feeling nervous or tired
• 24 of Hispanics with depression received
  appropriate care, compared to 34 of whites

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African American 4. Depression

• African Americans are less likely to suffer from
  depression than Caucasians, but almost half of
  those suffering are afflicted with severe
  depression
• Only 26 percent diagnosed received treatment from
  their disorder
• African Americans are less likely than Caucasians
  to receive treatment with the same disorders
• 16 compared to 24

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Asian American 8. Depression

• Most Asian Americans do not discuss personal
  problems for fear of bringing shame to their
  families
• Even if they try to seek help, there are few
  resources
• Many local ethnic organizations and churches
  offer support to Asian families, but openly
  addressing the issue of depression is not
  necessarily a service provided

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Gender Differences 2,10.

• Girls have higher rates of depression in
  adolescence.
• Boys more likely to experience depression when
  coupled with substance abuse and conduct
  problems.
• Severe Depression and Suicide
• Girls twice as likely to attempt suicide
• Boys 5 times as likely to succeed
• More violent means

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Recovery from 1. Depression

• It is extremely important that depressed teens
  receive prompt and professional treatment.
• If left untreated, depression can worsen to the
  point of becoming life threatening.
• Treatment for depressive disorders in adolescents
  often involves short-term psychotherapy,
  medication, or the combination, and targets
  intervention in the home and school environment.
• In depressed adolescents, the length of the
  episode ranges from 3 to 9 months.
• The rate of recovery is between 50 and 90.
• The rate of relapse is between 20 and 54.

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Psychotherapy 3.

• There are two common types of psychotherapy used
  for teenagers
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

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Cognitive Behavior 3. Therapy (CBT)

• CBT is based on the belief that people who are
  depressed have cognitive distortions in their
  view of
• Themselves
• The world
• Their future
• CBT is designed to be a time-limited therapy that
  focuses on changing these distortions
• A NIMH study reported remission in 65 of
  adolescents who go through CBT

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Interpersonal Therapy 3. (IPT)

• IPT focuses on working through disturbed
  personal relationships that may contribute to
  depression.
• IPT has been shown effective in adolescents with
  depression.

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Medications 3.

• Using medications for depressed teens has caused
  controversy in the past because little evidence
  was available about the safety of these drugs in
  youth
• Medications intended to restore chemical balance
  of the brain
• A number of experts have recommended that
  psychotherapy should be the first line treatment
  in this age group, with antidepressants reserved
  for adolescents who don't respond.
• Psychiatric medication should be used as a part
  of a comprehensive plan of treatment, with
  continuing medical evaluation
• Common antidepressant medications are selective
  serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which
  include Prozac, Zoloft

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Medications 3.
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Suicide 1,10.

• Suicide amongst teenagers young adults has
  increased 3 fold since 1950.
• Went from 4.5 deaths per 100,000 to nearly 14
  deaths per 100,000
• Since 1995 it has declined to about 10 deaths per
  100,000
• 90 of these adolescents had a diagnosable mental
  illness, with depression as the leading illness.
• By treating adolescents who are depressed quickly
  and effectively, teenage suicide rates should
  drop.

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Sources

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  Childhood Differ From Onset in Adolescence?.
  Journal of the American Academy of Child and
  Adolescent Psychiatry, 43 , 63-70.
• Claridge, G., C. McCreeny, O. Mason, et al.
  (2006). Differential Exposure and Reactivity to
  Interpersonal Stress Predict Sex Differences in
  Adolescent Depression. Journal of Clinical Child
  and Adolescent Psychology, 35, 103-115.
• Depression in Children and Adolescents.
   National Institute of Mental Health. August
  2000. childdepression.html .
• Depression in Racial/ Ethnic Minoriteies.
  2000-2006, HealthyPlace.com,Inc. April 10, 2006
  n/minorities.asp.
• Franklin, Donald J. Depression in Teenagers.
  Psychology Information Online. 1 April 2005
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• Jaffe, Jaelline. Teen Depression Signs,
  Symptoms and Getting Help for Teenagers.
  Helpguide Mental Health Issues. 4 April 2005
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• King, Cheryl A., Michele S. Knox, Nathan
  Henninger, et al. (2006). Major depressive
  disorder in adolescents Family psychiatric
  history predicts severe behavioral disinhibition.
  Journal of Affective Disorders. 90, 111-121.
• Pick Your Path to Health. womenshealth.gov,
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  (2006). High prevalence of self-reported
  depressive mood during the winter season among
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