Teenage Depression - Epidemic or overblown?

[Asher]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
This is incorrect. In fact it is rather the opposite, they are rather mild by older medicines comparisons.

How do you mean that?

I needed to sign frickin' waivers to get some of my stuff, I've never had to do that for anything else.

[Alexander's Horse]

I really have a problem with this teenage depression thing. What the hell have teenagers today have to get depressed about? I remember bouts of sadness and depression in my youth. Its called life get over it, get on with it. This is not a medical problem. Most of you just need a good swift kick up the arse or a nice firm slap in the face. Then you would be happy because you would realise the f*cking world doesn't revolve around you and your pathetic little personal problems. Something didn't turn out right for you today? Boo f*cking Hoo!

So, how does your life compare to:

. That of a teenager growing up in a slum in a third world country?

. All the little children in your local cancer ward?

This "woe is me I want to die" bullsh*t makes me so mad

[Asher]

If you made that one more subtle you would have had a higher rating.

3/10

[Alexander's Horse]

I'm serious - the only reason there's depression amongst normal young people today in Western countries is because most kids are spoilt rotten and raised to think the world owes them a f*cking living. So when they face the slightest adversity they just go to pieces.

Its all about good parenting and building good character.

[Asher]

Nice try.

[Alexander's Horse]

Its so ironic that you don't believe me

But its true

People in past generations didn't get depression because they had real life issues to deal with - like surviving every day. Go and ask your grand parents about how they dealth with the little problems in their life - like The Cold War, World War II and the Great Depression, lol.

[Asher]

I'm assuming for your own sake it was nothing but a troll, because it would seem you haven't a clue what the article is about nor have you read anything in this thread.

I'm doing you a favor, now admit it's a troll and scurry off to your job.

[Alexander's Horse]

By the age of ten you had a better life and more comfort than most people in the world have for their whole life. And you're depressed?

I'd like to see some of you people tell your "terrible" "depressing" personal problems to peasant farmers in just about any Third World country you care to name!

Did you know that most people in the world don't even get 3 meals a day?

Wake up! Grow UP!

[Asher]

You're persistent, I'll give you that, but I'm not biting old man.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Asher

You're persistent, I'll give you that, but I'm not biting old man.

You see, unlike some of you (and if I give up the cigs, he he) I think I have a good shot at being an old man and having a life I can look back on and marvel at.

Here's a few depression cures for you:

Help somebody else.

Get out in the fresh air.

Do something nice for somebody, maybe even (shock, horror) your mom or dad

Do some housework (Lord knows few of you seem to be helping out in that direction - you think parents are your f*cking slaves?)

Do some exercise

Join a sporting team or social group

Do some volunteer work for charity.

Smell the freaking roses.

Look up at the stars on a clear night.

Do some travel.

Take up a hobby.

Make a list of all the things you would like to do in life.

Make a list of all your favorite things.

Count your blessings.

Celebrate someone else's achievement.

Be strong so you can carry your brother.

Lend someone a shoulder to cry on.

Find something to laugh about.

Don't take yourself so seriously.

Set some achievable personal goals.

Do something hard and don't stop till you finish it.

Just get off yourself!

[johncmcleod]

You beat me to it Alex. I was going to say the same exact thing when I saw the title of this thread, but I waited. I totally agree. This recent teen depression is because of spoiled teens. I was talking to this one kid once. He was in 7th grade and he said he was depressed because he said there was this girl he had crush on and she didn't like him. Boo-hoo. For me the same thing happened, but at a little bit older age, and yeah it hurts and I still want her so bad it hurts. But did I get depressed? Hell no. I thought about how about 6 billion people in the world would kill to switch lives. This whole depression thing is about kids who get sad over chapped lips.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
Just get off yourself!

That's the best advice you could give a teenager, Horsie. Well done!

I'm sure the rest of your post was equally funny but I don't have the energy to read more bait right now.

You still apparently don't seem to understand the difference between being depressed and suffering from a depressive disorder, but that's okay -- I'll let it slide. You're Australian, after all, just here for the world's amusement.

[Asher]

Originally posted by johncmcleod
You beat me to it Alex. I was going to say the same exact thing when I saw the title of this thread, but I waited. I totally agree. This recent teen depression is because of spoiled teens. I was talking to this one kid once. He was in 7th grade and he said he was depressed because he said there was this girl he had crush on and she didn't like him. Boo-hoo. For me the same thing happened, but at a little bit older age, and yeah it hurts and I still want her so bad it hurts. But did I get depressed? Hell no. I thought about how about 6 billion people in the world would kill to switch lives. This whole depression thing is about kids who get sad over chapped lips.

Words cannot describe my disappointment in the inability of morons to differenciate the average kid feeling down and out during adolescence (which is common and is not a real depressive disorder, and usually isn't diagnosed as such), and people who suffer from real disorders like being bipolar.

Are you honestly implying people who are bipolar can just suck it up and think happy thoughts and all would be good? If so, the thought of so many ignorant people in this world depresses me.

[monolith94]

And I'm sure that the fact that my roomate had no gland to produce seratonin had nothing to do with it, eh?

[chequita guevara]

Okay, some people seem to be confused about the difference between being sad and being depressed. Being sad is an emotion. Being depressed is a sickness. It's kinda like the difference say, between being in love, and being obsessed and stalking someone. One is normal, the other is a sign of a serious mental problem.

Just because the same word has two meanings depressed = sad & depressed = sick, doesn't mean that depression = depression.