Teenage Depression - Epidemic or overblown?

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Asher

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

It is actually - the remedy stares you in the face. Most of you aren't happy because you are spoilt and selfish. Did you ever do anything to deserve all the good things showered on you? Did you ever show any gratitude or give anything back to those that love and care for you?

http://www.stinalisa.com/Brother.html

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.

I do - but early intervention is the key - a bit of discipline, a bit of sport, a few chores, listening, having a bit of a laugh, a good meal - chases the blues away.

[Asher]

Originally posted by monolith94
And I'm sure that the fact that my roomate had no gland to produce seratonin had nothing to do with it, eh?

Of course, had he been thinking happy thoughts, it wouldn't have been a problem.

He's imagining things. No one in the world has a real depressive disorder because lots of teenagers feel down, so none have it. It's normal to feel suicidal and never want to leave the house. It's normal to lash out at people repeatedly for stupid little things like cutting you off while you're talking. It's normal to become hyperactive and have an "all is good in the world" feeling where you're high on everything you can see, to being manic and afraid of everything and unsure of what's going on with memory lapses, to being severely depressed in a short period of time on a regular basis. It's normal for all of this to happen over a period of years, nearly constantly.

We can conclude this because most teenagers feel down sometimes. And with a bit of discipline, a bit of sport, a few chores, listening, having a bit of a laugh, a good meal, they'll be cured. That's all the problem is, because we know everything based on our boundless personal experiences.

[Dis]

AH is correct

Why is it mostly upper and middle class people are afflicted with this?

If people didn't have so much time on their hands, they wouldn't have time to dwell on how ****ty their life is.

Working 80 hour weeks will clear up any depression.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by monolith94
And I'm sure that the fact that my roomate had no gland to produce seratonin had nothing to do with it, eh?

Of course there is a tiny minority of kids who have real health issues, family history of depression, bad home situation and so forth. Though strangely on the last one many kids rise above it - Bill Clinton for one.

But the rest of you are just along for the ride and have NO EXCUSE

[Asher]

Originally posted by Dissident
AH is correct

Why is it mostly upper and middle class people are afflicted with this?

It's just easier to spot because, as you people always seem to mention, there's "nothing to be depressed about".

When you're a poor kid living in a ghetto and feel down, everyone thinks "well that's understandable".

When you're a rich kid in the suburb and want to kill yourself, something is wrong. Telling that kid how good he has it won't change a ****ing thing. But hey, don't let that stop your righteous rants.

You people should know that money doesn't buy happiness anyway.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Asher

You people should know that money doesn't buy happiness anyway.

We do know that - I also know that when my life stopped being about "me" the clouds of depression and gloom vanished.

I'm no saint and my life isn't easy but its about providing a good life for others and in spite of all the struggle and worries and tiredness and lost opportunities I'm as happy as a pig in mud.

We have a house that's full of love and laughter but also with boundaries and rules and one thing I won't tolerate is self pity, self indulgence or sullenness. I nip it in the bud because I know where that leads. Its a slipperly slope.

If my kids whine at me, I have one simple question for them - would you like me to give you something to be really unhappy about? (like the back of my hand)Strangely enough, they usually snap out of their "depression" - almost instantly in fact

[Asher]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
We do know that - I also know that when my life stopped being about "me" the clouds of depression and gloom vanished.

Fascinating, perhaps you should smack around the APA and tell them your glorious techniques.

If my kids whine at me, I have one simple question for them - would you like me to give you something to be really unhappy about? (like the back of my hand)Strangely enough, they usually snap out of their "depression" - almost instantly in fact

Once your kids actually hit puberty this might actually be relevant. But even then, most kids don't actually suffer from a depressive disorder, so I don't see the point.

BTW, I can bet you're looking forward until the time they hit back. You'll be pretty old and they'll be in their prime.

[Dis]

and I actually sufferred a major depressive episode. I orginally wanted drugs, but I'm glad I never saught help . I just worked through my problems myself.

True alcohol was causing my depression. So the fix was easy, don't get drunk all the time. But it was a serious depression, I was very close to suicide.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Dissident
and I actually sufferred a major depressive episode. I orginally wanted drugs, but I'm glad I never saught help . I just worked through my problems myself.

True alcohol was causing my depression. So the fix was easy, don't get drunk all the time. But it was a serious depression, I was very close to suicide.

That's STILL not the same thing.

The concept of a real depressive disorder is that it's chronic (long term) and disruptive to life. When they don't respond to therapy, drugs are then used in conjunction which usually have a very high success rate.

Because you "hit rock bottom" a few times doesn't constitute a depressive disorder, it just means life sucked for a while.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Asher

BTW, I can bet you're looking forward until the time they hit back. You'll be pretty old and they'll be in their prime.

Will never happen - I'll always have the drop on them, just like I do with my brothers. Its called force of personality my son

By the time they are teenagers I won't have to lay a hand on them. I hardly ever have to now because they are good kids and we're very proud of them.

But seriously - we do have to watch depression with a couple of them. And its true that some kids are just born seeing the glass half empty instead of half full - so its nature and nurture.

But trust me, this whole debate is way overblown and I put most of it down to bad parenting and laughable quack medicine.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Dissident
Why is it mostly upper and middle class people are afflicted with this?

Because they're the only ones that can afford counseling to get seen, diagnosed, and treated. Other kids simply have to fail in life because of their disease or kill themselves. Just because it isn't diagnosed doesn't mean you don't have it. Most likly it means you haven't gone to the doctor. Studies have shown that poor pepole suffer from despression far more than their upper class counter parts.

[Dis]

mine was chronic. I suffered this for a few years. I still get depressed from time to time.

and I still have long term mild depression. I'm not as happy as I could be, but I just shake it off. Happiness isn't all its cracked up to be anyways .

[chequita guevara]

Mild can be "shaken off," just because it's mild. It's like amild cold, you really don't have to do anything about it. But if you were bed ridden for two weeks, you can't shake it off, you need to take care of yourself.

[Dis]

but see my point above

when you have too much time on your hands, you tend to dwell on problems. So it's best not to work yourself into a serious depression.

work 80 hour work weeks and you won't get depressed.

[chequita guevara]

You still don't seem to understand that mental illness is as controlable as physical illness. Yes, sometimes, even often times it's mild enough to be ignored. But moderate to severe depression can no more be ignored than pnuenomia.