Depression
Are you concerned about a member of your family or a young person you know? Have you noticed, in the last two weeks, any of the following:
Moodiness, irritability, increased frustration, sleeplessness, staying home from school, tiredness, and/or loss of interest in things they are usually interested in?
These are just a sample of some symptoms of depression in young people. Many young people are unsure what is actually happening to them – they may have some or all of these symptoms and don’t know why, and may be unable to talk about it to anyone. Some may feel ashamed they cannot pull themselves out of it, or may feel weak.
Depression is more than just feeling sad. It may be a feeling of hopelessness, a loss of interest in usual activities, or may be masked with unexplained anger. Even more frightening for concerned families, a young person suffering from depression may be exhibiting some of these symptoms, but when questioned may smile and deny anything is wrong.
The statistics on depression are frightening: one in five young people will have experienced significant depressive symptoms by the time they are 18. In Australia 100,000 young people suffer from depression each year. And we know that if left untreated, depression may get worse, especially in young people.
Counselling is critical to discover the source of the problem and to understand the contributing factors. Counselling allows an adolescent to work through issues and to develop strategies to allow them to resume normal functioning.
If you are concerned about a member of your family or a young friend, please speak to them and encourage them to make an appointment to see their GP. Ask the GP for a referral to a Psychologist for counselling (this will be rebateable through Medicare). If you need urgent help phone:
- Lifeline 131 114
- SuicideLine 1300 651 251
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800