Unspoken challenges

Hear me, Understand me, Support me: What young women want you to know about depression

In this section:

• Trauma
• Anger
• Low income and poverty

At times, what young women don't say is very instructive. For example, we know that the troubling presence of sexual abuse in the lives of girls is a profound problem, yet the girls who spoke at various VALIDITY gatherings mentioned it only cursorily. Also, emerging research links anger to depression in young women; although anger was not mentioned by the young women overtly, they expressed frustration with the way young women are portrayed, the limitations that are placed upon them and the expectations of how they should act. We also know that socioeconomic status has an impact on health as well as on access to supportive services and healthy food, though again the young women did not mention this issue in relation to depression.

As you engage with young women in discussions related to depression, it is important to keep these realities in mind. Be sensitive to the fact that young women may not feel comfortable exploring deeper issues or may not be aware that certain factors play a role in depression. Developing a relationship built on trust will lay the foundation for you to be able to explore issues that may be at work beneath the surface.

Hear me, Understand me, Support me: What young women want you to know about depression

• Acknowledgements
• Letter to Service Providers
• About the Guide
• Challenges
• Unspoken Challenges
• Girl-Centred Health
• A Healthy Helping Relationship
• The Last Word
• A Critical Link - Referrals and Additional Resources
• In Their Words: Young Women's Stories, Advice and Wisdom

• Print Bookmark