As A FRIEND,
YOU CAN HELP
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Depression ſect it. Defect it
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A FRIEND
(SDEDRESSED
GUIDE FOR STUDENTS
The University
of Michigan -
Public Health
Library
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Hedlth Service
NotionC Institutes of Hedlth

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1 FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT DEDRESSIOW.
Q. Who? is depression?
A. Depression is more thon the blues or the blohs; it is
more thon the normol, everyday ups ond downs. When J
that “down" mood, along with other symptoms, lasts for
more thon d couple of weeks, the condition moy be
clinicol depression, Clinicol depression is d serious hedlth
problem thof offects the tofol person. In dodition to
feelings, it con chdnge behdvior, physical hedlth onc
oppedronce, ocodemic performonce, sociol dctivity ond
the obility to honole everyddy decisions ond pressures.
Q. Whot couses clinicol depression?
A. We do not yet know dll the couses of depression, but
there seem to be biological and emotional foctors that
moy increase the likelihood that on individual will
develop d depressive disorder. Resedrch over the post
decode strongly suggests d genetic link to depressive
disorders; depression con run in fomilies. Bod life --~~~
experiences dnd certoin persondlify potterns such ds
difficulty honoling stress, low self-esteem, or extreme
pessimism Cibout the future con incredSe the chonces of
becoming depressed,
Q. How common is if?
A. Clinicol depression is d lot more common thon most
people think. It offects 15 million Americons every yeor.
One-fourth of dll women ond one-eighth of dll men will
Suffer of ledst one episode or occurrence of depression
during their lifetimes, Depression offects people of dll
dges but is less common for teendgers thon for doults.
Approximately 3 to 5 percent of the teen populdtion
experiences clinicol depression every year. Thdt medns
dmong 100 friends, 4 could be clinicolly depressed,
Q. IS if Serious?
A. Depression con be very serious. If hos been linked to
poor School performonce, frudncy, dlcohol dnd drug
dbuse, running dwdy, dnd feelings of worthlessness dnd
hopelessness. In the lost 25 years, the rote of suicide
dmong teendgers dnd young doults hos incredsed
dromoticolly, Suicide often is linked to depression,
Q. Are Cill depressive disorders Glike?
A. There dre vorious forms or types of depression. Some
people experience only one episode of depression in
their whole life, but mony hove Severol recurrences.
Some depressive episodes begin Suddenly for no
opporent redson, while others con be dssocioted with d
life situotion or stress, Sometimes people who dre
depressed connot perform even the simplest doily </
dctivities — like getting out of bed or getting dressed:
others go through the motions, but it is clear they dre not
dcting or thinking ds usual. Some people suffer from
bipolor depression in which their moods cycle between
two extremes — from the depths of despoir to frenzied
folking or octivity or grondiose ideos dbout their own
competence.
Q. Con it be frected?
A. Yes, depression is fred?dble. Between 80 dnd 90
percent of people with depression — even the most
serious forms — con be helped. Symptoms con be 2
relieved Guickly with psychologicol theropies, C.
medicotions, or d combinotion of both, The most
importont step toword overcoming depression – ond
sometimes the most difficult — is dsking for help.
Q. Why don't people get the help they need?
A. Often people don't know they dre depressed, so they
don't dsk for — or get — the right help. Teendgers dnd J
doults shore d problem — they often foil to recognize the
Symptoms of depression in themselves or in people they
COre Cibout.
2 £EAELE TO TELL FAGT
FROM FIGTION.
Myths about depression often separate people from
the effective freqtments now ovdiloble, Friends need
to know the focts. Some of the most common myths
Gre these:
Myth: It's normol for teendgers to be moody; Teens don't
suffer from "red" depression. -
Foct: Depression con affect people at any age or of any
roce, ethnic, or economic group.
Myth: Teens who cloim to be depressed dre wedk ond
just need to pull themselves together. There's nothing
onyone else con do to help,
Foct: Depression is not d wedkness, but d serious hedlth
disorder. Both young people ond doults who dre
depressed need professional freqtment. A troined
theropist or counselor con help them ledrn more positive
wdys to think dbout themselves, chdnge behdvior, cope (V)
with problems, or hondle relotionships. A physicidn con
prescribe medications to help relieve the symptoms
of depression. For mony people, d combination of
psychologicol theropy ond medication is beneficiol.
Myth: Tolking dbout depression only mokes it worse,
Foct: Talking through feelings moy help d friend
recognize the need for professional help. By showing
friendship ond concern dnd giving uncritical support,
you con encourdge your friend to folk to his or her
porents or onother trusted doult, like d fedcher or codch,
dbout getting tredtment. If your friend is reluctant to dsk
for help, you con folk to on doult — thof's whof d red
friend will do,
Myth: People who folk obout suicide don't commit suicide,
Foct: Mony people who commit suicide have given
wornings to friends ond formily. A signal or worning moy
be C. Stotement Such CIS "I wish I were decid," "| coln't folke it
onymore; I wont out," or “My porents would be better off J/
without me." Some people even tell d friend obout d plan
to kill themselves before they dotudlly do. If d friend folks
like this, olwoystoke it seriously. Immedictely moke C
responsible ocult dwore of whof your friend hossoid. A
porent, o fedcheſ, d school nurse or counselor con Gll help.
Myth: Telling on doult thot d friend might be depressed
is befroying d trust. If someone wonts help, he or she will
get it.
Foct: Depression, which sops energy dnd self-esteem,
interferes with a person's obility or wish to get help. And
mony porents moy not understond the seriousness of
depression or of thoughts of dedfh or suicide. It is on dct of
true friendship to shore your concerns with d School
guidance counselor, a favorite teacher, your own parents,
or onother frusted doult.
3 KNow THE SYMptoms.
The first step toward defeating depression is to
define it. But people who dre depressed often hove
d hord time thinking clearly or recognizing their own
symptoms. They moy need your help. Check the
following boxes if you notice d friend or friends with
ony of these symptoms persisting longer thon two
weeks.
Do they express feelings of
[] Sadness or "emptiness"?
[] Hopelessness, pessimism, or guilt?
D Helplessness or worthlessness?
Do they seem
[] Undble to moke decisions?
[...] Undble to concentrote Cind remember?
[] To hove lost interest or pled sure in ordindry
octivities — like sports or bond or folking on the
phone?
[] To hove more problems with school dnd fomily?
Do they complain of
[] Loss of energy dnd drive — so they seem "slowed
down"?
[]Trouble folling dsleep, stoying GSleep, or getting
up?
[] Appetite problems; dre they losing or goining
weight?
[] Hedddches, stomoch dches, or bockCiches?
[] Chronic dches dnd poins in joints dnd muscles?
Hos their behovior chdnged suddenly so thot
[] They dre restless or more irritoble?
D They wont to be olone most of the time?
[] They've storted cutting closses or dropped
hobbies ond octivities? y
DYou think they moy be drinking hedvily or toking
drugs?
Hove they folked about
D Death?
[]Suicide — or hove they oftempted suicide?
tº FIND SOMEONE WHO GAN Help
If you checked severol of the boxes, d friend mdy
need help, Don't dssume thof someone else is foking
core of the problem, Negotive thinking, indppropriote
behavior, or physicol chonges need to be reversed
ds quickly os possible. Not only does freqtment lessen
the severity of depression, freqtment disomoy reduce
the length of time (duration) your friend is depressed
ond moy prevent odditional bouts of depression.
If a friend shows many symptoms of depression, you
con listen and encourage him or her to ask d porent
or fedcher about treatment. If your friend doesn't
seek help quickly, folk to an adult you trust and
respect – especially if your friend mentions death or
suicide.
There dremony ploces in the community where
people with depressive disorders con be didgnosed
ond freqted. Help is ovdiloble from d fomily doctor,
mentol hedlth specidlists in community mentol hedlth
centers or private clinics, ond from other hedlth
professionols,
MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
if you wont more information obout depression, its symptoms,
ond woys to get freqtment, write:
DEPRESSION Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART)
NotionCl Institute of Mentol Hedlth
Room iO-85 -
5600 Fishers Lone
Rockville, MD 20857
Ford free brochure obout depression, Coll 1-800-421-4211.
Depression: Treat it. Defeat it.
NIH Publication No. 94-3824
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3 9015 03256 8498