Download Help With Troublesome Feelings

Help With Troublesome
Feelings
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Studies indicate that one in five children
have some sort of mental, behavioral, or
emotional problem, and that one in ten
may have a serious emotional problem.
Among adolescents, one in eight may
suffer from depression. Of all these
children and teens struggling with
emotional and behavioral problems, a
mere 30% receive any sort of intervention
or treatment.
Do Now: Read this statement and
write a reaction to it. Does this
surprise you? Why/why not?
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Acting very emotional or crying a lot
Loss of appetite, change in weight
Being more moody or depressed as usual
Always feeling tired or run down
Loss of interest in daily activities
Using alcohol or other drugs to cover up
feelings
Unusual anger or violent behavior
Withdrawing from friends or wanting to be
alone
Talking about suicide
Signs and Symptoms of
Troublesome Feelings
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The consequences of untreated depression can
be increased incidence of depression in
adulthood, involvement in the criminal justice
system, or in some cases, suicide. Suicide is the
third leading cause of death among young people
ages 15 to 24. Even more shocking, it is the
sixth leading cause of death among children ages
5-14. The most troubling fact is that these
struggling teens often receive no counseling,
therapy, or medical intervention, even though
the National Institute of Mental Health reports
that studies show treatments of depression in
children and adolescents can be effective.
What can untreated depression
lead to?
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Teens with undiagnosed emotional or behavioral
problems often use drugs and alcohol as a way to
relieve their frustrations. A depressed teen may selfmedicate with alcohol to escape the terrible sense of
hopelessness. Unfortunately, alcohol only exacerbates
the problem. Drugs like ecstasy and other club-drug
uppers may even make them feel "normal" when for
weeks they have felt miserable. The impact of such
drugs on serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins,
chemicals in the brain that regulate mood, can be
devastating for children and adolescents. The damage
they do to receptors in the brain can make the road
back from depression even harder.
Depression and Substance Abuse
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While some teens self-medicate to treat depression, other
teens end up with a serious mental disorder due to abuse
of drugs or alcohol. Abusive drinking or drug use can
seriously undermine a teenagers physical, emotional, and
psychological health. Some drugs, such as
methampetamines, can seriously affect the
neurotransmitters, which are known as the "messengers of
the brain." Recent studies suggest this damage can be
long-lasting and even permanent. Many teens have the
mistaken notion that club drugs are benign. In fact, while
they might feel "good" while taking them, they can make it
difficult for the child to feel good naturally for a long time
to come. The longer teens use these drugs, the more
difficult treatment and the higher rate of relapse due to
their inability to "feel good" or even "normal" because of
the damage to their neurotransmitters.
Depression and Substance Abuse
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Don’t ignore the signs/symptoms
Identify and share signs/symptoms with a
trusted adult
Identify community resources such as a
counselor
Don’t keep it a secret from others who
can help
Call Life Net 1800-Life Net
Dealing With Troublesome
Feelings