The Invisible Disease: Teen Depression

CEBU, Philippines - A few months ago, Cebu was plagued with news reports of a series of suicides.

Be it the extreme pressure from parents of a 13-year-old girl in Pardo, or love life issues of a 17-year-old boy from Minglanilla, or some self-created drama of a 17-year-old student leader, Cebu has not been short in receiving reports of suicides this year.

One reason that seems to appear in these incidents is the word depression, but one notes that most of the cases were barely in their 20s.

Studies show that the younger they are, the sadder they get.

This doesn’t sound like your regular bad moods or emotional moments.  Depression is so much more than just a state of feeling sad and lonely. It is the kind of emptiness that causes a simple smile to be a bit too much of an effort, of feeling like being in a black hole that is suffocating the life out the self.

Depression is caused by “bad” brain chemistry. Depression is caused by biological factors.

It is a serious psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder that can lead to social discrepancies, drug abuse, violence or even suicide.

Gigi (not her real name), 19, a student at a local university, shared her previous struggle with depression. One that started ever since her parents separated.

“I just thought it was the end of everything. I felt like there was no hope for me and it started to affect my everyday life,” she told me.

Gigi was often called “emo” by her peers, a slang for emotional. She admitted that while most of her friends were out having a good time, she opted to stay in her room and drown herself with unhealthy thoughts.

According to Psychology Today, signs or symptoms such as , angry outbursts, chronic pain and decreased energy, digestive disorders, helplessness/hopelessness, feeling melancholy or sad most of the day or every day, inability to concentrate, insomnia or oversleeping, serious weight loss or gain in a short period of time and thoughts about suicide are red flags for teen depression.

Like any other teenager, Gigi thought the phase would be a short one but then she started noticing that she was in a never ending quest to hurt herself. She used to cut herself and drink medicine in large amounts right before going to sleep.

“I knew it was serious when teachers and guidance counsellors approached me personally and referred me to a psychologist. It was embarrassing but I knew I needed help and I took it.”

Gigi recovered and ended up being free from the sadness that left her emotionally alienated from the world. Some may be not as lucky as Gigi.

“I’ve been depressed for almost five years now, and nobody knows it,” Elle (not her real name) shared.

Elle, 17, has been battling depression since she was in high school.

“I’ve tried wrist cutting, taking heavy doses of painkillers with alcohol and even burning myself. I intentionally hurt myself just to feel something—anything to remind me that I’m still human. People wouldn’t really guess that I am the way I am, knowing that I’m a student leader, owning a reputation opposite to a depressed teen’s, but this is reality to me, and I’m fighting my way through it.”

Elle is currently in her third year in college, an active student leader and volunteer in varied organizations and groups. She still hopes for that day when she conquers depression, permanently.

Dr. Rey L. Totoy, a psychologist, says that teen and adult depression, have the same symptoms namely irritability, weight loss, extreme sadness, lack of motivation for daily activities and the like. He mentions that parents should be sensitive to the conditions and the symptoms.

“It is important to have an open communication with their kids for them to be able to freely discuss the different concerns and issues. Parents should also be educated as to the symptoms and impact of depression and suicide in society.”

Depression is an illness of the body as much as the mind. Throughout life, everyone experiences episodes of grief and sadness. Sometimes, they create their own coping mechanisms. They deceive themselves, growing comfortable with the disorder. But not everyone learns to cope. Not everyone survives.

Still, there is hope. It is treatable. (FREEMAN)