Sunday, May 9, 2010
Ending thoughts/opinions (by Ashley C)
After reading all of our posts and the information we listed about teen suicide and depression, we all hope that you have become informed of the problem that is so prominent in today’s society. As a group, we created this blog for our final for a class called Faith and Media. Finishing off our senior year of high school we all just wanted to pass and graduate. Throughout the process of creating this blog, its safe to say we all took a step back and began to truly get into this project after seeing what a problem teen suicide and depression has become. With information we revealed we can only hope that the people who come across our blog will take a step back and read about something that someone very close to them can be suffering from. This started out as just a project for all of us but in the end became something much more. It became an eye opener that has shown us how with faith anything can be overcome. Teen suicide and depression is not a lifelong disorder. With the right treatment and a new, strong faith in God, a teen can get past this bump in their lives and continue to be the smart, strong, and healthy young person God had sought out for them to be. Always remember the causes, pre-disposers, and preventions if you think you know someone who is suffering with feelings of depression or suicide. For 24-hour suicide prevention and support, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Church's view on suicide and depression (by Walt C)
According to the Bible, death by suicide is a grave and serious sin. The reason for that is because our lives belong to God. He gave us the gift of life and to take that away would be considered sin. We are to preserve our life to honor God for what he has given us and for the sake of our own salvation. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church “Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.” These teachings explain to us that suicide goes against everything that God sent for us to do. We are meant to live our lives healthy and in the image of God therefore killing ourselves would go against that. It is selfish to God and all those around us to commit suicide since it is our law to live together as a community and children of God.
HBO documentary - Boy Interrupted (by Walt C)
This documentary looks at the life and death of Evan Perry, a teenager who killed himself after a decade-long struggle with bipolar disorder. It focuses primarily on Evan's family's attempts to cope with his illness and death. There are detailed discussions about suicide and mental illness and his family explains to us how he wanted to hang himself and the other various ways that Evan would described he would kill himself. Evan Perry had a very short life and was put into a hospital where his parents and family hoped he would get better. When he came out everyone thought he was cured, but after a couple months we see that he was not cured. One night after they had dinner, he went to his room and jumped out the window to meet his death.
This proves that depressed and bipolar people are just like you and me. You can never tell when a bipolar person will undergo an episode nonetheless know when they will commit suicide. It can happen at any point in their life and for any stupid reason such as Evan Perry’s. He didn’t kill himself because his parents sent him to do his Homework. He killed himself because he wasn’t cured. Evan was still depressed and even after months of everyone believing he was cured, he killed himself. Depression and bipolar disease is unpredictable and must always be watched for.
The top of our blog page contains clips of this documentary from youtube.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Preventions (by Kelly C)
Teen suicide is the third leading cause of teenage death. It is important to be aware of the preventions of teen suicide because it can save a life. Here are some ways to help prevent a suicidal teen from suicide or death.
- Talk/ listen to the teen. Ask if he or she has thoughts of suicide. Make sure he or she knows that there is help available to them and that he or she can always ask you for help.
- Do not leave a suicidal teen alone or have access to harmful objects. (Example: firearms, medication, sharp objects, and cleaning supplies)
- If you cannot help him or her with their problem, refer them to a doctor or guidance counselor.
Depression is the most common mental illness of teens. Although depression cannot always be prevented, there are some ways to help reduce the chances of depression episodes. To help a teen suffering with depression, you can:
- Talk/ listen to the teen. Ask them a lot of questions so you know all the reasons why they are depressed.
- Make the teen feel good about his or herself. Make positive persuasive statements about getting involved with extra-curricular activities and hobbies.
- If you cannot help him or her with their problem, refer them to a doctor or guidance counselor.
If you are a teen who has depression, these are some steps you can take to help prevent an episode of depression.
- Get a good amount of sleep
- Go to therapy if your doctor wants you to
- Avoid drugs and alcohol
- Be surrounded by supportive family members, teachers, or friends
- Learn healthy ways to deal with life choices and stress. (Example: exercise)
- Be around friends who have positive goals
- Take the medication prescribed to you by your doctor
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
- Talk/ listen to the teen. Ask if he or she has thoughts of suicide. Make sure he or she knows that there is help available to them and that he or she can always ask you for help.
- Do not leave a suicidal teen alone or have access to harmful objects. (Example: firearms, medication, sharp objects, and cleaning supplies)
- If you cannot help him or her with their problem, refer them to a doctor or guidance counselor.
Depression is the most common mental illness of teens. Although depression cannot always be prevented, there are some ways to help reduce the chances of depression episodes. To help a teen suffering with depression, you can:
- Talk/ listen to the teen. Ask them a lot of questions so you know all the reasons why they are depressed.
- Make the teen feel good about his or herself. Make positive persuasive statements about getting involved with extra-curricular activities and hobbies.
- If you cannot help him or her with their problem, refer them to a doctor or guidance counselor.
If you are a teen who has depression, these are some steps you can take to help prevent an episode of depression.
- Get a good amount of sleep
- Go to therapy if your doctor wants you to
- Avoid drugs and alcohol
- Be surrounded by supportive family members, teachers, or friends
- Learn healthy ways to deal with life choices and stress. (Example: exercise)
- Be around friends who have positive goals
- Take the medication prescribed to you by your doctor
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Causes (by Kelly C)
Teen depression is not just being sad, it is a serious problem and if it goes untreated it can result in suicide. During the teenage years, teens face puberty, peer pressure, drama between friends, and the transition from child to adult. It is understandable that these years are tough, stressful, and overwhelming. Some teen are able to cope with these changes but others aren’t able to. Depression can destroy a teen’s personality, which causes overwhelming sense of sadness, despair, or anger. Here are some of the causes of teen suicide and depression. If you know someone who has these problems listed below, it is important to find them help.
- Problems at school: since depression causes low energy, absents in school and drop of grades can lead to suicide
- Drug abuse: teens will turn to drugs and or alcohol to help them cope with their problems. Drug and alcohol abuse can only make things worse.
- Divorce of parents: this happens a lot during teenage years. Parents getting divorced can cause a child to feel unloved and neglected. Divorced is also a big adjustment change.
- Peer pressure: friends can put pressure on others to do things they don’t like and could bring down self-esteem.
- Social rejection/bullying: during teenage years many teens get bullied because they are not in “the cool group”. Teens hit puberty in teenage years which causes them to be in the “awkward stage” because they didn’t grow into their body yet. Social rejection and bullying brings down self-esteem.
- Home life: constant fighting between parents, parents using drugs/ alcohol, and or verbal and physical abuse.
- Self injury: self injury is cutting. If it continues to happen more and more it can result in suicide.
- Eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.
- Violence: depressed teenagers can become violent. In most cases this is found in boy victims of bullying.
- Talking and joking about suicide or death: for example,"Things would be better without me" or "I want to kill myself"
- Problems at school: since depression causes low energy, absents in school and drop of grades can lead to suicide
- Drug abuse: teens will turn to drugs and or alcohol to help them cope with their problems. Drug and alcohol abuse can only make things worse.
- Divorce of parents: this happens a lot during teenage years. Parents getting divorced can cause a child to feel unloved and neglected. Divorced is also a big adjustment change.
- Peer pressure: friends can put pressure on others to do things they don’t like and could bring down self-esteem.
- Social rejection/bullying: during teenage years many teens get bullied because they are not in “the cool group”. Teens hit puberty in teenage years which causes them to be in the “awkward stage” because they didn’t grow into their body yet. Social rejection and bullying brings down self-esteem.
- Home life: constant fighting between parents, parents using drugs/ alcohol, and or verbal and physical abuse.
- Self injury: self injury is cutting. If it continues to happen more and more it can result in suicide.
- Eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.
- Violence: depressed teenagers can become violent. In most cases this is found in boy victims of bullying.
- Talking and joking about suicide or death: for example,"Things would be better without me" or "I want to kill myself"
Statistics (by Chris C)
Depression is the most widespread mental health disorder among teens in the United States. Statistics show the “numbers” of the sickness and that is crucial to know because the one you love can become one. Statistics are there so people can open their eyes to the endless risks and immediately go look for help. Here are some of the numbers of teen depression, hopefully eyes and minds will open.
- About 20 percent of teens will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood.
- Between 10 to 15 percent of teenagers have some symptoms of teen depression at any one time.
- About 5 percent of teens are suffering from major depression at any one time. As many as 8.3 percent of teens suffer from depression for at least a year at a time, compared to about 5.3 percent of the general population.
- Most teens with depression will suffer from more than one episode. 20 to 40 percent will have more than one episode within two years, and 70 percent will have more than one episode before adulthood. Episodes of teen depression generally last about 8 months.
- Dysthymia, a type of mild, long-lasting depression, affects about 2 percent of teens, and about the same percentage of teens develop bipolar disorder in their late teenage years. 15 percent of teens with depression eventually develop bipolar disorder.
- A small percent of teens also suffer from seasonal depression, usually during the winter months in higher latitudes.
Clearly there are no symptoms of suicide besides death, but there are many factors that increase the risk of suicide. These factors must be known and analyzed before confronting a victim of suicidal thoughts. Being familiar with these factors can make a world of a difference in combating and helping the one you love. Here are some factors that will increase the risk of suicide.
- Depression or feelings of loneliness or helplessness
- Alcohol or drug addiction
- A family history of abuse, suicide, or violence
- Previous suicide attempts; almost half of teens who commit suicide had attempted suicide previously
- A recent loss such as a death, break-up, or parents’ divorce
- Illness or disability
- Stress over school, relationships, performance expectations, etc.
- Fear of ridicule for getting help for problems
- Being bullied or being a bully
- Exposure to other teens committing suicide, such as at school or in the media
- Access to firearms or other lethal objects
- A belief that suicide is noble
- About 20 percent of teens will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood.
- Between 10 to 15 percent of teenagers have some symptoms of teen depression at any one time.
- About 5 percent of teens are suffering from major depression at any one time. As many as 8.3 percent of teens suffer from depression for at least a year at a time, compared to about 5.3 percent of the general population.
- Most teens with depression will suffer from more than one episode. 20 to 40 percent will have more than one episode within two years, and 70 percent will have more than one episode before adulthood. Episodes of teen depression generally last about 8 months.
- Dysthymia, a type of mild, long-lasting depression, affects about 2 percent of teens, and about the same percentage of teens develop bipolar disorder in their late teenage years. 15 percent of teens with depression eventually develop bipolar disorder.
- A small percent of teens also suffer from seasonal depression, usually during the winter months in higher latitudes.
Clearly there are no symptoms of suicide besides death, but there are many factors that increase the risk of suicide. These factors must be known and analyzed before confronting a victim of suicidal thoughts. Being familiar with these factors can make a world of a difference in combating and helping the one you love. Here are some factors that will increase the risk of suicide.
- Depression or feelings of loneliness or helplessness
- Alcohol or drug addiction
- A family history of abuse, suicide, or violence
- Previous suicide attempts; almost half of teens who commit suicide had attempted suicide previously
- A recent loss such as a death, break-up, or parents’ divorce
- Illness or disability
- Stress over school, relationships, performance expectations, etc.
- Fear of ridicule for getting help for problems
- Being bullied or being a bully
- Exposure to other teens committing suicide, such as at school or in the media
- Access to firearms or other lethal objects
- A belief that suicide is noble
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Basic Information (by Chris C)
Suicidal behavior is "Anything that happens to the thinking within the brain, such as injury or bad learning experiences that can interfere with serotonins ability to keep basic instincts in line." Cardell Smith. Teen suicide and depression is something that can suddenly be triggered by a traumatic event in one’s life. That one event can drastically alter the mindset of a person to the point of serious depression. Depression is a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason, and/or the thought of suicide. Suicide and depression among teens is an extreme and likely sickness and effects one out of every eight teenagers. Adolescence is a common time for teens to become vulnerable because naturally there are many physical, emotional, hormonal, and physiological changes occurring. Ups and downs are a regular part of life but with depression, the downs last much longer and are much deeper than usual. Teen depression can come on as a result of chemical changes in the brain due to stress or even to hormonal changes. No matter how teenage depression strikes, however, it is important to get help restoring the brain’s chemical balance before the situation gets too serious and leads to self-inflicted pain or maybe even suicide. A few symptoms of depression are withdrawal from family and friends, lack of energy, and prolonged feelings of sadness. Although most of the symptoms are experienced by everyone at some point in their lives, the roller coaster effect is how one points out the depression factor. The key to determining depression is by realizing that the teen is suffering from five or more symptoms for more than two weeks. The best cure for deterring depression is a balanced combination of therapy and medicine because a regimen of strictly medicine can become habitual.
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