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Depression

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"One of the things that constantly reassures me that God is real... is the fact that people who pray for strength, hope, and courage so often find resources of strength, hope and courage that they did not have before they prayed."

Harold S. Kushner

Teens - Help With Depression

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know that just to be alive is a grand thing." --Agatha Christie

Depression is a complex condition that touches most people in our society today, either directly or indirectly. Depression is hard to describe and the World Health Organization defines it as a common mental disorder that occurs with a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration.

Adolescent depression, as opposed to, but not completely separate from the adult form, is difficult to categorize and identify. Depression during formative years of growth may be coupled with normal hormonal changes, peer influence, and body fluctuations (such as PMS) in girls. Be aware of your changing moods. Dr. G. Keith Olson in Counseling Teenagers states, "it is not surprising that many adolescents' depression relates to developmental struggles."

Beyond the blues, depression can be caused by various things:

Biological Factors - biochemical imbalances in the brain
Ambivalence - a feeling of helplessness
Parental Rejection or Abuse
Negative Thinking
Stress
Anger or Guilt

and depression can appear in a number of symptoms as detailed by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Even David in the Bible experienced depression. In Psalms 143, he expresses his torment:

The enemy has pursued me. He has ground my life into the dirt. He has made me live in dark places like those who have died long ago. That is why my heart is in a state of shock.

David makes a startling realization, understanding that he was too deep in trouble while on his own. He found his only sure hope was in God. Although David was in a bad situation of grief, this position placed him in communion with God. He turned a bad situation into a good one.

In dealing with depression, it is good to be a LEADER:

Listen with interest, pray, and ask questions
Empathize and try to understand
Affirm and support the person
Direct the depressed person to find outlets of health
Enlist commitment to heal and recover
Refer the person to professional help

A very helpful website loaded with information, advice, help and tips for coping with depression can be found at www.depression.com.

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