Depression Doesn't Have To Be Secret Illness
By Liz BurkeDepression. What do you think about it? Most likely, there are girls in your class who are depressed. Would you be able to point them out? Yes, it could be that girl in the cafeteria who sits alone everyday. The girl who doesnUt seem to have many friends. But it could also be your best friend. The valedictorian. The captain of the cheerleading squad. The truth is, depression is not something you have control over. It strikes the best and the brightest of us P and it can be incredibly debilitating. But there is treatment available.
Millions of people struggle with depression everyday. However, clinical depression carries a stigma that can only be dissolved by the truth. People who fight depression are not "crazy", and it is not their fault. Depression is a medical disorder that can be treated.
About five percent of teenagers are diagnosed with depression each year. Guidance counselor Kathy Morrison says, "I donUt think depression is a big problem here, but it is an underlying problem that a lot of girls deal with."
Once someone is diagnosed, healing can begin. It usually starts with psychotherapy, or "talk therapy." Sometimes a combination of therapy and medication is needed to correct a more serious problem. People suffering from depression have an imbalance of serotonin in the brain, and medications such as Prozac, Paxil, or Zoloft can correct this. Some students still have reservations about these medicinies. "IUm against treating mental illness with medication, " says Teresa Karr, senior. "In most cases, I feel itUs caused by something thatUs happened to them, and it can be solved by therapy and healthy activities." Whatever misconceptions people have about anti-depressants, sometimes they are the only method of treatment that works.
Depression happens because of several different factors. It is often passed down through families, and may be something that is predetermined genetically. Environment can also be a factor in depression. Sometimes other people and routine events can trigger an incident of depression.
Dr. Chris Kratochvil, a psychiatrist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, explains; "When significant stressors occur they can actually cause a depressive episode in an individual, even if there is no family history. Most times these two items fall on a continuum, with both genes and environment playing a role." Whether depression is caused by genes, environment, or both, therapy and medication can help.
Statistically, there are bound to be girls at Marian who live with depression. However, the illness is rarely mentioned. "I think itUs a hush-hush topic, " says Katie Kelsey, sophomore. "I think itUs time we recognize it as in issue at Marian and in the world."
Depression is a disorder that can be treated. ItUs time to dissolve the stigma and get help for those who need it. If you or anyone you know displays these signs of depression, tell your parents, talk to your doctor or school counselor, or call an 800 number. No one needs to suffer in silence.
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