Sandi Squicquero is a frequent contributor to MyWindsor and the Greeley Tribune, where she writes about mental health issues and more. (Credit/Sandi Squicquero)
Most recently I was asked to write more about depression, and adolescent depression is at the top of the list.
why? Maybe it’s because our teens are currently in their last quarter of school and this is a big adjustment for them.
Once school ends, other pressures come in different forms. Responsibilities change depending on caring for other siblings, a first job, or the other parent’s honeydo. Our teens are feeling the pressure and parents are worried about them.
Will we ever forget the Columbine High School massacre that occurred in Jefferson County, near Littleton, on Tuesday, April 20, 1999? Most of us remember where we were. I was in Texas, and when I heard about it on TV, I immediately called my brother in Littleton because I was worried about my niece’s daughter.
As with any national emergency, phone lines were so congested that calls could not be reached. This wasn’t Washington or New York. This was Colorado.
Despite new anti-bullying policies and a “zero tolerance” approach to weapons and student threats toward others, we still hear of similar incidents of teen shootings in schools.
What is happening to our teens? Are we winning the battle against youth violence and depression? I guess it depends on who you ask. The U.S. Secret Service investigated all school shootings in the United States and found that schools focused on physical safety, not student behavior before the attack.
We know that depression is a precursor to suicide. Adolescent depression is on the rise. One in five teens suffers from clinical depression. According to the Surgeon General, a suicide occurs every two hours in our country.
It is not uncommon for young people to feel “down” or sad. All of us parents have seen it. When things don’t go well at home or school, teens often overreact, feel stressed, and confused. Despite good parenting, youth ministers, and guidance counselors, teens often become depressed.
Today, our teens are inundated with and exposed to things that the baby boomer generation did not experience. The internet, television, the threat of HIV/AIDS, and conflicting messages from people we trust – both good and bad.
Unrealistic expectations can create a strong sense of rejection, leading to disappointment and anger. Feelings of anger and resentment combined with exaggerated feelings of guilt can lead to impulsive and self-destructive behavior. Our teens are losing their identity, core values, and sense of acceptance and belonging. They are stuck in a black hole of depression, from which there may be no obvious path, no anchor, no lifeline.
What can we do? How can we help? Engage with your teens. They need adult guidance now more than ever.
Learn the signs and causes of depression in teens. Has anyone in your family suffered from depression? If you have a family history of depression, you may be at increased risk of someone in your immediate family developing depression.
Find out what is happening to your teens and how they are affected. Fights with girlfriends or boyfriends affect each teen differently. When I was a psychiatric social worker in a trauma emergency room, teenage suicide attempts were often the result of a teenage breakup.
Other life events, such as death or divorce, can have a devastating impact on teens, causing negative thoughts and negative thought patterns, which can lead to depression. Be careful of broken relationships and bullying at school. Stressful life events often precede suicide. The behavior of depressed teens may differ from depressed adults, and early diagnosis and treatment are essential.
Know, recognize, and take seriously the warning signs of teen depression and teen suicide.
Sandi Y. Squicquero M.Ed, LPC is a licensed counselor at the Medical Hypnosis and Counseling Center located at 1180 Main St., Suite 5B, Windsor. She has over 30 years of experience as a counselor and is certified in medical hypnosis.
