Dealing with Anxiety and Depression

Understanding Anxiety

Main Idea: Occasional anxiety is a normal, manageable reaction to many short-term, stressful situations.

Experiencing difficult emotions is a normal part of life. They occur for a variety of reasons, including hormonal changes, relationship issues, grief, or stress. A common feeling is anxiety, the condition of feeling uneasy or worried about what may happen. You may, for example, feel anxious about an important class presentation.

Occasional anxiety is a natural response to life events. Brief feelings of worry, insecurity, fear, self-consciousness, or even panic are common responses to stress. Usually, once the stressful situation is over, so is the anxiety it created.

Coping with Anxiety

Knowing that anxiety is common doesn’t make it easier to manage. Think about the situations that have caused you to be anxious in the past. What can you do in the future to plan ahead so that stress will not build and cause anxiety? The stress-management techniques described in Chapter 4 can help reduce anxiety. Some people use substances such as alcohol or drugs to escape from anxiety. These substances produce a temporary, false sense of relaxation but can cause other physical, mental/emotional, social or legal health problems.

Understanding Depression

Main Idea:

Depression can linger or be severe enough to disrupt daily activities.

Depression is a prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness. Feelings of sadness affect everyone, but depression usually lasts longer and may produce symptoms that do not go away over time. Depression is a serious condition that may require medical help. Almost 15 percent of all teens will display some signs of depression. It’s one of the most common mental health concerns among teens. Types of depression include major depression, which is intense and can last for weeks or months. Mild depression has less severe symptoms, but can last for years. Adjustment disorder is a reaction to a specific life event. For example, a person may have trouble reaching closure when grieving.

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Causes and Effects of Depression

Depression can be caused by physical, psychological, or social reasons. A medical condition or illness may cause depression. It may also be caused by psychological reasons such as surviving a traumatic life event. Finally, social or environmental factors, such as living in poverty or in a physically or emotionally harmful environment may cause depression. Figure 5.2 lists warning signs of depression. Other Symptoms include the following:

Changes in thinking. People who are depressed may have trouble concentrating and making decisions. They may have self-destructive thoughts.

Changes in feelings. People who are depressed may experience apathy, or a lack of strong feeling, interested, or concern. They may not feel pleasure in things they once enjoyed. They may be sad, or irritable and angry.

Teen Depression and Anxiety: What Parents Can Do • Youth Dynamics ...

Changes in behavior. People with depression may become emotional, and they may being eating too little or too much. The person may have trouble sleeping and may seem tires. The person might also neglect basic hygiene and withdraw from social situations.

Getting Help for Depression

Main Idea: Depression is a treatable illness.

If you recognize sings of depression in yourself or a friend, discuss your concerns with a trusted adult. Depression is serious, but it is treatable. If a friend asks you not to tell anyone that he or she is depressed, it’s okay to break that promise. Health professionals can develop a plan to treat depression that may include taking medication, making changes in the home or school environment, or counseling. Treating depression takes time, persistence and patience.