Learn How to Recognize and Help Depressed Students

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Youth depression can often be overlooked by teachers and professionals when the teen is acting out in aggressive and irritable ways. While we typically think of the depressed individual as withdrawn and isolating, it is important to understand that youth often express signs of depression differently than adults. Depression in children and adolescents can manifest as restlessness (diagnostically referred to as psychomotor agitation) and instead of a depressed mood, they might report feelings of agitation and irritability. Weight loss (or gain) as well as decrease in pleasurable activity are also important indicators to watch for in adolescents when discerning the presence of Major Depressive Episodes.
Perhaps the greatest indicator, which was not addressed in this article, is the recurrent thoughts of death, or suicide. It is a common misconception that talking about suicide will increase the chances of a depressed individual thinking about suicide. On the contrary, this is an important question to ask youth when concerns of depression are present. Asking about suicidal thoughts in fact can protect a depressed person, rather than causing greater harm.
It is also important to consider though that the adolescent years are full of identity formation and confusion. A decreased interest in pleasurable activities can be a sign of depression as well as individuation and identity exploration. In order to effectively determine whether a child is going through normal life ups and downs, or heading for depression, be involved and interested in the changes you observe without any preconceived notions. Being willing to openly and non-judgmentally listen to a youth will help them express themselves and give you a greater insight regarding what they are experiencing. If you continue to have concerns regarding someone's well being, there are a number of community mental health organizations that offer free assessments, as well as emergency room hospitals that will help you determine if these signs are indicative of something more severe.

Lindsey Troup of IL 5:07PM February 19, 2012

As this article notes, depression is all too prevalent among our nation’s youth. In fact, NIH data has shown that half of all mental health disorders start by age 14. Teachers can play an important role in helping to identify teens exhibiting signs of depression. Unfortunately, teens often hide their depression – so it doesn’t show until there’s a crisis. Fortunately, routine mental health screenings can help identify those suffering in silence and has been shown to identify at-risk youth not already known to school personnel or mental health professionals.
Our Center’s mission is to help every teen receive a routine mental health assessment, in order to help identify mental illness in early, easier-to-treat stages. Undiagnosed, untreated mental illness can cause a host of problems, including, teen suicide. We provide free evidence-based tools to support the implementation of adolescent screening programs in schools and youth-serving community settings, as well as in primary care practices. We are currently active in over 2,700 sites nationwide. Screening can be an important first step in identifying those suffering from depression and linking them to professional help. We urge educators to include screening in any plan to address mental health among adolescent students.
Laurie Flynn
Executive Director
TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University
www.teenscreen.org

Laurie Flynn of NY 5:28PM January 18, 2012