1. DEPRESSION Depression is a prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness.

2. Discussion Questions 1. Is there a difference between clinical depression and “normal” depression? 2. In your opinion is depression a disease? Negative emotions? Or is it something spiritual? 3. If I always trust in God should or will I ever get depressed?

3. Anxiety This is a common feeling. Anxiety is the condition or feeling uneasy or worried about the future and what may happen. Stress management techniques 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 and can lead to other physical, mental, social, or legal problems.

4. Anxiety Disorders A condition in which real or imagined fears are difficult to control. Glencoe Textbook definition Anxiety Disorders can include: Phobias, OCD, Panic Disorder, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) A large, national survey of adolescent mental health reported that about 8 percent of teens ages 13–18 have an anxiety disorder, with symptoms commonly emerging around age 6. National Institute of Mental Health - Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents (Fact Sheet)

5. Depression Depression is a prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness. Depression is a serious condition that may require medical help. So…What causes Depression? Depression can be caused by physical, psychological, spiritual, or social reasons.

6. How many teens are depressed? In 2004, 9.0 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (an estimated 2.2 million adolescents) experienced at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year Among adolescents aged 12 to17 who reported having experienced an MDE in the past year, less than half (40.3 percent) received treatment for depression during that time Adolescents who had experienced a past year MDE were more than twice as likely to have used illicit drugs in the past month than their peers who had not (21.2 vs. 9.6 percent)

7. Warning Signs of Depression 5 or more of these symptoms must persist for two or more weeks before a diagnosis of major depression is indicated. Persistent sad or irritable mood Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed Significant change in appetite or body weight Difficulty sleeping or over sleeping Physical signs of nervousness Loss of energy Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt Difficulty concentrating Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

8. Getting Help If you think someone may be depressed talk with them. Offer to listen and to pray with them. If you recognize signs of depression in yourself or a friend, talk to a trusted adult about it.

9. Getting Help If someone asks you not to tell anyone that he or she is depressed, make no such promises. Initiate Listen and pray Recognize the signs Tell someone

10. Does God Care about Depression and Anxiety? 1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV) Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you

11. Humility 1. Natural Person (Someone who has not received Christ.) "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

12. Humility Spiritual Person (One who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.) "He who is spiritual appraises all things...We have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:15).

13. Humility Carnal Person (One who has received Christ, but who lives in defeat because he is trying to live the Christian life in his own strength.) Anxiety and stress will arise when we believe we must overcome burdens, hardships, and difficult circumstances on our own. Anxiety and stress can be given or “casted onto” to God as we give God permission to be king and leader of our life.

14. How do we “cast our cares” on God ? Declaration Worksheet Talk to God Remember what is true Declare what is true Truth can set us free from anxieties and stresses. Speaking God’s word over your life is called declaring truth, or a Declaration.