Substance abuse prevention

Hear From the Expert Feature Article

Dear Expert,

My 16-year-old daughter has become withdrawn from her family over the last few months; she seems sad much of the time, and irritable. When I ask her if something is wrong, she snaps at me saying nothing is wrong. Is this just adolescent moodiness or could it be more then that?

- A Parent

Dear Parent,

Depression is a serious problem in the teen years. NIMH (National Institute for Mental Health) suggests one in five children and adolescents suffer from depression. Depression looks different at different ages. Children and young teens tend to camouflage depression with overt behaviors such as acting out their feelings through restlessness, temper tantrums and fighting.

Older adolescents may mask signs of depression in the form of promiscuity and excessive risk taking,but they will also displayclassicadultsymptoms- disturbedsleepinghabits, change in appetite and inability to concentrate. Research indicates that depression PEAKS in adolescence. The developmental stage is the struggle for autonomy and identity. This means that the teens are talking to their friends and peers, not adults. They are also extremely conscious of their physical appearance and reputations, always comparing themselves to others.

Most teen depression begins as a reaction to an event: a poor grade, the loss of a relationship, getting into trouble, rather than a biochemical imbalance. Most adolescent depression episodes are intense, but brief. Many teens that experience this intense bad feeling have never gone through it before and fear that it will last forever. They may feel that they are going crazy with the pain and keep the sadness to themselves. During these crises, they feel hopeless. In most cases, the pain goes away with some resolution of the problem or when a "good" event takes its place.

This is the way we learn that we can withstand a "bad" event or fail at something without being a failure or accept a consequence and still go on with our lives. This is a necessary but frightening and intense lesson. Teens may act impulsively during these intense depression episodes. They may experiment with drugs or alcohol. It is important for parents to recognize and validate the intensity of their child's pain. It is also important to remain firm around rules, guidelines and consequences.

Chronic depression is a different matter. It tends to have a slow buildup, usually starting with an incident not even acknowledged by the teen as the precipitator. It tends to snowball to lethargy, a sense of sadness with no core reason and lasts for longer periods (over two weeks). Grades slip, friends disappear, they are no longer interested in their usual activities, and these symptoms add to the stress and depression. There is no easy fix to clinical or chronic depression. In these cases, some action must be taken, hopefully by the parent, toward getting help. It helps the teen to be listened to but this won't cure the depression. Concerned observers may see the problem as ''fixable'' but the depressed child is unable to fix anything as they lack energy, the ability to concentrate and motivatuion. The fear of not being able to attend to their responsibilities may magnify the depression.

You can start with your family doctor. Therapy and medication will need to be considered. Don't allow your child to "disappear" as they will tend to isolate. Clinical depression is not your fault. It is treatable.

For any questions or comments, please call the expert (Danette Bray, Student Assistance Counselor, Chariho High School, (401) 364-7778 Ext. 2143, or email Danette) and mention the Hear From the Expert article at Be In The Know RI.

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