SHARE HOPE Depression Support Group

Hello, and welcome. If you have found your way to this page, then you are likely a teen or a loved one of a teen who may be dealing with Depression, Anxiety or even Grief.   Some of you may be wondering why design a separate page just for Teen depression, when we have an entire site devoted to the subject. That would be because Teen depression is an entirely different animal. The symptoms are often different and the treatments, especially medication, need to be handled differently also. Because of my battle with depression, I have become pretty tuned in to the signs and symptoms of adult depression. But sadly I am not as tuned in to depression in a teen-ager. Depression in young people all too often looks like a troubled, angry teen. We parents only see the dis-obedience, the attitude.   Red Flags to watch for are: mood changes, they tend to be crabby and irritable, Grades falling, having a hard time concentrating, trouble eating and sleeping.We get angry, and yes concerned. But we don't usually think depression. We think hormones.

To all you Teens who may have wandered to this page, I want to tell you that this page has been designed just for you. Yes, parents and adults may come here looking for way to help you or someone they love. But this page is designed for you. This includes the music videos which have been chosen. I hope that you feel welcomed here, that you find hope and encouragement here. And I hope that you will come back to this page as often as you feel like. We are here for you.

The first video that I chose for this page is "Recognizing Teenage Depression" I hope that it may be of help to you guys in knowing that you are not alone. That there is help and hope. And I hope that it may be of help to any loved ones of a teen who may be dealing with depression and may not even know it. Please sit back for a few minutes and watch.

What is Depression?

Clinical Depression is a serious illness that can affect anybody, including teenagers. It can affect your thoughts, feelings, behavior, and overall health. 

Most people with depression can be helped with treatment.  But, most depressed people never get the help they need. And, when depression isn't treated, it can get worse, last longer, and prevent you from getting the most out of your life. Remember, you're only a teenager once.

How do I know when I'm depressed? 
How can I tell if a friend might be depressed?

First, there are two kinds of depression: The sad kind, called major depression, dysthymia or reactive depression, and manic-depression or bipolar illness, when feeling down and depressed alternates with being sped -up and sometimes acting reckless. 

If you have had several of these symptoms, and they've lasted several weeks, or cause a big change in your routine, you should talk to someone who can help, like a psychologist, or your school counselor!

WHEN YOU'RE DEPRESSED..

• You feel sad or cry a lot and it doesn't go away. 
• You feel guilty for no real reason; you feel like you're no good; you've lost your confidence. 
• Life seems meaningless or like nothing good is ever going to happen again.
• You have a negative attitude a lot of the time, or it seems like you have no feelings.
• You don't feel like doing a lot of the things you used to like-- like music, sports, being with friends, going out-- and you want to be left alone most of the time. 
• It's hard to make up your mind. You forget lots of things, and it's hard to concentrate.
• You get irritated often. Little things make you lose your temper; you overreact.
• Your sleep pattern changes; you start sleeping a lot more or you have trouble falling asleep at night. Or you wake up really early most mornings and can't get back to sleep.
• Your eating habits change; you've lost your appetite or you eat a lot more.
• You feel restless and tired most of the time. 
• You think about death, or feel like you're dying, or have thoughts about committing suicide

** Taken from:  www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/teens.htm

The following is a comedy/drama skit by a couple of guys called "Skit guys" it lets us know in a humorous and loving way how very much we mean to our Creator, God. We may feel like we are junk. Maybe because of something that someone did to us, or said to us, or something that we may have done. But You are not Junk!! You are God's personal Masterpiece, you are His child. God does not make junk. Please watch this skit and let it touch your heart. You are wonderfully made and you are loved beyond words. You are a Masterpiece. Believe it.

"Dare you to move" by Switchfoot.   I dare you to run, I dare you to move, I dare you to pick yourself up off the ground, is part of this song. Life may be crazy, we may feel knocked down, but we don't  have to stay in that place. Turn around, and run, move, toward life. You may be going against the flow, but that is great.  Others may not understand, but that is Okay.  Please, turn toward life, Run toward life.

Treatment for Depression

LET'S GET SERIOUS HERE. 

Having depression doesn't mean that a person is weak, or a failure, or isn't really trying... it means they need TREATMENT.  

Most people with depression can be helped with COUNSELING, provided by a professional psychologist, and some are helped with Counseling and Medicine.

COUNSELING, or psychotherapy, means talking about feelings with a trained psychologist who can help you change the relationships, thoughts, or behaviors that are causing the depression. Think about it, you feel depressed because you think your life is bad. What if you're wrong? What if you're missing all the good things around you? What if your future holds a lot more promise than you think? When you're depressed, you're in a rut, and you can't see anything good. You need to talk to someone who can help you get out of that rut! Don't wait, ask your parents, or your school counselor for help today.

MEDICINE is used to treat depression that is severe or disabling. Antidepressant medications are not "uppers" and are not addictive. When depression is so bad that you can't focus on anything else, when it interferes with your life in an overwhelming way, medication might be necessary, in addition to counseling. But most often, counseling alone is sufficient.

With treatment, most depressed people start to feel better in just a few weeks.

So remember, when your problems seem too big and you're feeling low for too long,

                           YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Taken from:  www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/teens.htm

Treatment of Teen Depression

Many types of antidepressants are available, but they should be used with caution for teen depression. While some newer antidepressants have been demonstrated to be used safely for teen depression, other antidepressants should be used only in severe cases.

Psychotherapy is typically used along with medication. Recent research shows that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective for treating teen depression. CBT is based on the belief that those with teen depression have a distorted view of themselves and the world, and the future. CBT helps them to see themselves and the world differently.

Support groups for parents of children with teen depression are important, as parents need to have an in-depth understanding of the illness. Additional research on treatment of teen depression is needed.

Taken from:  www.waldenbehavioralcare.com/teen_depression.asp

The next song is called "Irene" by Toby Mack.  "Hey little girl with the pressures of the world on your shoulders, don't say it's over, I heard your prayers." This is a line from the song about a teen-age single mother. Life is not always what we dreamed it would be, and we sometimes feel like the pressures of the world on on our shoulders and we just don't know how to go on. Please listen to this song. 

Another Toby Mack Song, "I was made to love you", says it all.   "I was made to love and be loved by you." So many times in this world we feel unloved, unlovable, but this song tells you that God knew you even before you were. And He made you and He loves you.

 
Now, I am not a teenager, haven't been for many years. But I do remember so many feelings. I remember feeling alone, even in a crowd. I remember feeling so different. I remember feeling like no one understood me. How could they? I didn't understand myself. If you have checked out the rest of this website then you pretty much know my story. If not, here's the reader's digest version.
 I grew up on  a farm, and was sexually molested by one of the farm hands when I was 11 years old. Because things were so much different back then and they did not have all the resources they do now, this was never dealt with. I never got the help I needed. It became my deep dark secret, which lived in me for years. Bringing with it feelings of low self-esteem, feeling worthless, unlovable, dirty. I went in and out of depression, although I did not realize it at the time. My moral compass was all messed up and I did things that I now regret, things which could have caused me harm. Finally in 1998, I had a total break down, and it saved my life. It forced me to seek out the help that I so desperately needed. I went to a wonderful Doctor, who explained depression to me, and let me know that there was hope. I sought out a Christian Counselor, and for 3 years we worked together to help me become a whole person. It wasn't easy, but it was the best thing I ever did for myself.

This next song is "I'm not alright" by Sanctus Real. Have you ever just wanted to shout to anyone who will listen - "I'M NOT ALRIGHT!!!" Well, we all do. That's what this song is about

www.survivingteendepression.com  This is a website designed by Dr. Gary Nelson. This site is set up specifically around a book he wrote called "A Relentless Hope" The passage below is from the site and it tells you a little about Dr. Nelson and his book and why he wrote it. I am not telling you to buy this book or advertising it for Dr. Nelson. I usually will not put a link to a site on our site which is set up to sell you something.  But from what I read on his site and I listened to a short video clip of an interview with Dr Nelson, I think that this book may be a positive help, if you so desire.

  Depression and related illnesses threaten to wreck the lives of many teens and their families. Suicide driven by these illnesses is one of the top killers of young people. How do teens become depressed? What does depression feel like? How can we identify it? What helps depressed teens? What hurts them? How do families cope with teen depression?
    In, A Relentless Hope, Dr. Nelson uses his experience as a pastor and pastoral counselor to guide the reader through an exploration of these and many other questions about depression in teens.  He’s worked with many teens over the years offering help to those confronted by this potentially devastating illness. The author also uses the story of his own son’s journey through depression to weave together insights into the spiritual, emotional, cognitive, biological, and relational dimensions of teen depression. The book is written for those without formal clinical training, so it appeals to teens, parents, teachers, pastors, and any who walk with the afflicted through this valley of the shadow of death. Through careful analysis, candid self-revelation, practical advice, and even humor, this pastor, counselor, and father, reminds us God’s light of healing can shine through the darkness of depression and offer hope

The next video is call: Teen depression and suicide: Teen surviving the storm. It is done by Dr. Gary Nelson and it is very powerful and eye opening 

The following is a drama acted out by Teens to the Song, "Total Eclipse of the Heart". Our youth group performed this several times and it touches people each time.  So many things pull at us, knocking us down, seducing us, lying to us. We feel bad about ourselves, and try to do anything to make us feel better. But all these things only destroy us. They make us feel worse, worthless. So we dig deeper, drugs, alcohol, sex, abuse and sadly sometimes even suicide. But there is hope. You are worthwhile, you are special, you are beautiful, you are loved.  Don't ever give up on yourselves,no matter what. Please! 

This song is called "Take it all" by Third Day. It lets us know that no matter what we have done, no matter how bad we feel it is, we can go to the Lord and ask Him to take it all. We do not have to carry these burdens around with us. Trust Him.

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