Help With Troublesome Feelings

Do Now: Read this statement and write a reaction to it. Does this surprise you? Why/why not? Studies indicate that one in five children have some sort of mental, behavioral, or emotional problem, and that one in ten may have a serious emotional problem. Among adolescents, one in eight may suffer from depression. Of all these children and teens struggling with emotional and behavioral problems, a mere 30% receive any sort of intervention or treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Troublesome Feelings Acting very emotional or crying a lot Loss of appetite, change in weight Being more moody or depressed as usual Always feeling tired or run down Loss of interest in daily activities Using alcohol or other drugs to cover up feelings Unusual anger or violent behavior Withdrawing from friends or wanting to be alone Talking about suicide

What can untreated depression lead to? The consequences of untreated depression can be increased incidence of depression in adulthood, involvement in the criminal justice system, or in some cases, suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. Even more shocking, it is the sixth leading cause of death among children ages The most troubling fact is that these struggling teens often receive no counseling, therapy, or medical intervention, even though the National Institute of Mental Health reports that studies show treatments of depression in children and adolescents can be effective.

Depression and Substance Abuse Teens with undiagnosed emotional or behavioral problems often use drugs and alcohol as a way to relieve their frustrations. A depressed teen may self- medicate with alcohol to escape the terrible sense of hopelessness. Unfortunately, alcohol only exacerbates the problem. Drugs like ecstasy and other club-drug uppers may even make them feel "normal" when for weeks they have felt miserable. The impact of such drugs on serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, chemicals in the brain that regulate mood, can be devastating for children and adolescents. The damage they do to receptors in the brain can make the road back from depression even harder.

Depression and Substance Abuse While some teens self-medicate to treat depression, other teens end up with a serious mental disorder due to abuse of drugs or alcohol. Abusive drinking or drug use can seriously undermine a teenagers physical, emotional, and psychological health. Some drugs, such as methampetamines, can seriously affect the neurotransmitters, which are known as the "messengers of the brain." Recent studies suggest this damage can be long-lasting and even permanent. Many teens have the mistaken notion that club drugs are benign. In fact, while they might feel "good" while taking them, they can make it difficult for the child to feel good naturally for a long time to come. The longer teens use these drugs, the more difficult treatment and the higher rate of relapse due to their inability to "feel good" or even "normal" because of the damage to their neurotransmitters.

Dealing With Troublesome Feelings Don’t ignore the signs/symptoms Identify and share signs/symptoms with a trusted adult Identify community resources such as a counselor Don’t keep it a secret from others who can help Call Life Net 1800-Life Net