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 Centre for Addictionand Mental Health |
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Recognizing DepressionHear me, Understand me, Support me: What young women want you to know about depressionIn this section: On this page:
Recognizing DepressionI think a lot of girls don't know . . . the signs of depression. I didn't know I was depressed until, like, years after. [Depression is] being unable to actually experience happiness for a long period of time. No matter how hard you try, you're always wondering whether or not it's your ‘period' of Lord knows what. I had been experiencing postpartum blues after weaning my toddler. I wondered why I felt the way I did. I was lonely, sad, angry and just not happy . . . I was hiding inside; I did not want others to know what I really felt. This took so much energy out of me; I made myself physically ill. You're just so used to, like, having all these downfalls and just being kicked when you're down. After a while, you just have no hope anymore. You're just: "Well, this is the way it is!" and you just try and just accept it and live with the fact that, "Hey, my life sucks and it's always gonna suck." That's not a good state of mind to be in . . . And it's really hard to keep an optimistic side . . . there's nobody really there to help you out. For so many years now, people have been trying to help me and I never really saw it . . . I didn't really think that they could have helped me, but I'm wishing now that maybe I should have taken that help a long time ago. Maybe things wouldn't have reached the point that they have today. I think many young black women who are depressed get stereotyped as angry, aggressive and violent. If a physician does not fully understand how culture and race play a role in how you express yourself and your feelings, illnesses such as depression may be undermined or overlooked. It is very difficult for black females to find physicians who can relate to them. A western doctor takes the visual signs of his patients seriously. If they have a broken arm, he acknowledges their pain. If they have fever, then he looks for other symptoms and makes a diagnosis and treats the problem. When I came into my doctor's office, I gave him my symptoms. They were not taken seriously because they were not physical. I think a lot of girls don't know . . . the signs of depression. I didn't know I was depressed until, like, years after. . . . And it was clinical depression too. . . . I said to myself "No! Maybe I'm just sad today." Family and friends may tell a young woman that there is nothing to be depressed about because "you have so much going for you" or "you are so pretty and smart." Given the stigma associated with being a teenager (some people talk about teenagers as "lazy," "unmotivated" and "angry") you might hear someone say, "They're not depressed. It's just typical adolescent behaviour." Others may not take a young woman's feelings seriously. Even professionals may have difficulty making a differential diagnosis between clinical depression and adolescent development and identity issues. Doctors, parents and others may dismiss depressive symptoms as simply a phase or a normal part of adolescence. This lack of understanding about depression in young women impedes their ability to reach out for help. The young women involved in the VALIDITY project tended not to share a mutual definition of depression. The fact that depression takes different forms and exists to different degrees makes it harder to recognize. Some young women may express depression through their behaviour (escaping into substance use, unsafe sex or other high-risk behaviours; difficulty engaging with others; self-harming/cutting; difficulty concentrating); some may experience it as sadness, anxiety and being overwhelmed; and some may experience it as aggressive behaviour and anger. They may associate their low mood with circumstances in their lives, and blame themselves, believing they are ugly, fat, unpopular, unlovable, etc., without seeing that they are depressed. Depression can be particularly hard to recognize when women hide their feelings, such that "typical" signs of depression may not be apparent. There is also a need to recognize that depression is a medical illness, and is often genetically transmitted within families. One young woman noted that sometimes depression isn't caused by external factors. A chemical imbalance may be at work and sometimes no amount of counselling can cure the illness. As the young woman said, You could have grown up with a perfect childhood, a perfect family and everything else, and you still have a perfect life going for you. You're dating the best looking guy on the soccer team. . . . You're like the top GPA . . . and everything else of that nature, but it's just simply, there's something wrong chemically with you. Like there's not enough of the happy stuff! The prevalence of depression is higher for young women, but depression is not a normal part of adolescence. Depression may result from an event, such as the death of someone they loved; a past trauma or abuse; a series of small stressors; or it may be inherited genetically. Young women feel that there needs to be more information about how to identify depression, how to understand external and internal contributing factors, and how to treat it. Learn as much as you can about depression. It may be hard for young women to know what depression is. There is the stereotype of the depressed person as always crying, unable to get out of bed, suicidal. If someone doesn't have these symptoms, they may assume that they simply can't be depressed, so it is important to find out basic information about depression. Encourage young women to talk about their thoughts and feelings, including anger. Create an environment where they feel safe to express their emotions - even anger - and where questions are welcomed. If there is a history of depression within a young woman's family, it is important to discuss the potential for her to experience depression. Don't be afraid to ask for help from other service providers. Refer to the resources section of this guide to learn more about the help that is available. Early intervention is invaluable for recovery from depression. There are web sites that offer information for young people who are experiencing depression or who want to research health issues in general: Black Women and Mental Health http://www.blackwomenshealth.com/ Center for Young Women's Health, Children's Hospital Boston Families for Depression Awareness Teen Depression web site The following resources explore the importance of family, friends, teachers and others in supporting a person who is experiencing depression: Educating Students about Substance Use and Mental Health Empfield, M. & Bakalar, N. (2001). Understanding Teenage Depression: A Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Fassler, D.G. & Dumas, L.S. (1997). "Help Me, I'm Sad": Recognizing, Treating and Preventing Childhood and Adolescent Depression. New York: Penguin Group. Graham, P. & Hughes, C. (1995). So Young, So Sad, So Listen. London: Gaskell/West London Health Promotion Agency. Health Canada. (1999). All Together Now: How Families Are Affected by Depression and Manic Depression. Ottawa: Author. Koplewicz, H.S. (2002). More than Moody: Recognizing and Treating Adolescent Depression. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. Mondimore, F.M. (2002). Adolescent Depression: A Guide for Parents. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Young Minds. Why Do Young Minds Matter? London, UK: Author. Young Minds |
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Last updated: May 02, 2007 10:35 AM Published: Jul 18, 2008 7:25 PM ID#P24655 |