Chapter 1- Depression

Everyone feels sad at one point or another and that's normal for a healthy person. What isn't healthy and can be very worrying is a prolonged feeling of sadness for months or even years at a time. This is what is known as depression. Depression can be caused by many different things such as daily stress or a traumatic event.

Depression comes in many different forms. Major depression last for most of the day or weeks even. Symptoms can be loss of interest in things once liked, problems sleeping and thoughts of suicide along with others. Note that you must display 5 or more symptoms for your doctor to diagnose you for major depression. Persistent Depressive Disorder symptoms vary from change in appetite, sleeping to much or too little, fatigue and others. The persistent part is that it must last 2 years or more.

Bipolar disorder is different in the fact that people with it fluctuate from manic highs and depressive lows. These periods can last anywhere from a few minutes or years before they change from a high to a low or vice versa. Seasonal depression happens during the winter season due to the days being shorter then they normally would be. This type of depression normally goes away during the spring time and summer times but if it persist then talk to your doctor about other types of depression. Psychotic depression is much like major depression but with the symptom psychotic episodes such as paranoia, delusions and hallucinations. Anti-depressants and anti-psychotics are advised for treating this type of depression but contact your doctor before taking any drugs

Depression can even be caused because of stress and the way your body reacts to stress. Too much stress from work, school, family or friends can cause any number of symptoms such as headaches, lack of sleep, irritability and depression. learning to coup with stress is a very useful skill that can help you a lot in keeping a health state of mind. Even speaking to your counselor at your school can help you. Some types of depression can be treated by talking with a therapist or counselor, although other kinds require the use of anti-depressants. Keep in mind that you should always see a doctor and get diagnosed before taking any medication.

Who can I turn to if I have depression?

If you feel like you have depression then turn to a parent, a close friend or your school counselor

What should I do if I'm having thoughts of suicide?

Contact the national suicide prevention hotline (1-800-273-8255) and seek help immediately.

How do I know if i have depression?

If you have any of the symptoms that we covered before then It might be a good idea to talk to your doctor or school counselor

I'm afraid to tell someone how I feel, what should I do?

There is nothing wrong with going to someone for help, it doesn't make you weak to seek out help for yourself

Depression is a serious condition that can have dangerous symptoms. Seek help as soon as you can if you feel depressed

Chapter 2 - Coping With Stress

A lot of things can cause someone to be stressed, such as work, school, friends and family. Stress isn't always a bad things tho, sometimes it can help you reach your goals and strive to achieve something you never thought you could do but too much stress can have unwanted symptoms.

Common ways to coup with stress include eating healthy, exercising on a regular schedule, get 7-8 hours of sleep each night and talk to others about your stress. There are other activity's you can do to lower stress but these are the main ones that will help you.

Stress can have a wide array of effects on your body such as headaches, chest pain, stomach aches and fatigue, and these are only the physical effects. The behavioral effects of stress include outburst of anger, withdrawing socially, use of drugs and/or alcohol and irritability. Knowing how to manage stress, whether it be daily stress you face everyday or a much larger event is key to making sure you have good mental health.

On the other hand stress can be a positive thing that helps you reach your goals. Take for example you are a player on the baseball team, the stress from wanting to win can cause you to become more focused at achieving what you want. Remember that stress is only good in short doses, if prolonged it can cause the above symptoms.

Knowing how to deal with stress can keep your daily stress form turning into something worse like depression. Know when you need to seek help from someone. If something in your day to day life is causing you too much stress then the best course of action is to just take a break from it for a bit. come back to whatever it was when you feel you are in a better state of mind to tackle to problem.

How long is too long to be feeling stress?

It depends on what is stressing you, such as school, family or friends.

What can I do to not be so stressed?

Eat right, be active, talk to friends and family and get good hours of sleep each night.

What should I do if my daily routine is too stressful?

Determine what it is that is stressful to you and take a break from it.

Who should I talk to about my stress?

Talk to your parents, counselor or a close friend.

Chapter 3 - Warning Signs of Suicide

There are many different warning signs for suicide and each should be taken seriously. People to turn to if you are experiencing any of the signs would be your parents, counselor or even a close friend.

There are many warning signs for suicide so we'll put them in categories, verbal, behavioral and mood. Verbal signs include being a burden, an obsession with death, their death and feeling pain. These signs should not be taken lightly and talking with them about this behavior is recommend.

Behavioral signs include increases use of alcohol and/or other drugs, Searching for methods of suicide online, reckless or risk taking behavior, withdrawal from friends or activity's they once found pleasurable, sleeping too much or little and giving away things they once held dear to them. If you know anyone displaying these behaviors report it to your school counselor or someone that can look into the issue.

Signs in mood can include anxiety, depression, irritable and becoming easy to anger. All of these are common signs for someone that may be considering suicide. Suicide is never a solution to your problems and it is permanent and will hurt the people around you who care for you. If you or someone you know is showing any of these signs call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255).

Who can I go to if I'm having thoughts of suicide?

Tell your parents, counselor or a trusted friend.

Who common is depression?

Around 6.8% people in the USA have major depression.

How do people treat depression?

Depends on what is causing it. Depression can be caused by your environment, traumatic events or the lose of a loved one. This is treatable through therapy. Other times it can happen because of chemical imbalances in the brain. In this case the person in questions may need to take medication.

What causes depression?

Depression can be caused because of your environment, this includes an unstable house hold, stress full daily life and traumatic events.

Sometimes it is caused by a lack of a certain chemical in the brain. This is most often called clinical depression

Chapter 4 - Seeking Help

You might not know who to turn to when it comes to depression. there are a lot of people ready to talk with you and help you work though your problems. Schools usually have a counselor you can speak to about issues you may be having, either at home or school

Remember, there is no shame in asking for help. It shows maturity too care for your well being and where you go in life. Asking for help doesn't make you weak.

There are plenty of organizations that aim to help people with depression around the world. There are even smaller local groups that can help.

There also exist many hotlines and even apps that connect you to people that are ready to listen to you and try and help. Although these hotlines and apps can help, it is recommended that you see a therapist or your doctor rather then using these apps, if possible.

Many websites can help you find a local counselor near you. Your school most likely has a counselor on campus, ready to help you. Remember that they are there to help you.