Cry For Help- Dealing with depression and preventing suicide

*Adapted from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Adolescence can be a difficult time for both parent and child – but if your teen is feeling extremely sad, hopeless or worthless, he/she could be showing signs of a mental health problem. Mental illnesses are medical conditions, and they often first appear between the ages of 18 and 24. If they go untreated, these illnesses can lead to distress, and dangerous behaviors like substance abuse and thoughts of suicide. Some of the signs of a possible problem – as outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – are listed below.

If you are a Parent or other caregiver of a teenager, pay attention if your teen:

Is troubled by feeling:

• very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things
• worthless or guilty a lot
• anxious or worried a lot more than other young people
• grief for a long time after a loss or death
• extremely fearful-has unexplained fears or more fears than most kids
• constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance
• frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control

Experiences big changes, for example:

• does much worse in school
• loses interest in things usually enjoyed
• has unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits
• avoids friends or family and wants to be alone all the time
• daydreams too much and can’t get things done
• feels life is too hard to handle or talks about suicide
• hears voices that cannot be explained

Is limited by:

• poor concentration – can’t make decisions
• inability to sit still or focus attention
• worry about being harmed, hurting others, or about doing something “bad”
• the need to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines dozens of times a day
• racing thoughts, too fast to follow
• persistent nightmares

Behaves in ways that cause problems, for-example:

• uses alcohol or other drugs
• eats large amounts of food and then forces vomiting, abuses laxatives, or takes enemas to avoid weight gain
• continues to diet or exercise obsessively, although bone-thin
• often hurts other people, destroys property, or breaks the law
• does things that can be life threatening 
• Resources

  Hotlines and Web Sites for Teens

  According to experts, you should seek help immediately if you or someone you know is thinking about self-harm or suicide. Below is a list of resources:

  HOTLINES:

  National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  Both toll-free, 24-hour, confidential hotlines which connect you to a trained counselor at the nearest suicide crisis center.

  Safe Place: 1-888-290-7233
  Project Safe Place provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for young people in crisis through a network of qualified agencies, trained volunteers and businesses in 32 states. Call the hotline to find out if the program operates in your state, or look online.

  National Alliance of the Mentally Ill: 1-800-950-6264
  Toll-free, confidential hotline operating Mon.-Fri., 10 am- 6 pm (EST). Trained volunteers provide information, referrals, and support to anyone with questions about mental illness.

  The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-TREVOR
  The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The Trevor Helpline is available as a resource to parents, family members and friends of young people as well. Visit www.TheTrevorProject.org for more information and resources for young people, including “Dear Trevor,” an online Q&A forum for non-time sensitive questions.

  Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
  The Web site for this 24-hour, confidential hotline offers details about how to call if you need help, how to identify suicide warning signs, and information for veterans experiencing mental distress.

  HELP ONLINE:

  The Jed Foundation
  The Jed Foundation works to reduce the stigma students feel about having or seeking treatment for emotional problems. It provides safe, accessible resources for students to help themselves or a friend.

  ULifeline
  A program of the Jed Foundation, ULifeline is an anonymous, confidential, online resource center, where college students can be comfortable searching for the information they need and want regarding mental health and suicide prevention. The Jed Foundation provides ULifeline to all colleges and universities free of charge, regardless of the size or type of institution. Currently, more than 1,200 colleges and universities participate in the program. If your school does not participate, you can still access information on the Web site including suggestions for helping friends or family members suffering from mental illness and links to other online resources.

  National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
  A grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country. NAMI on Campus clubs are student-run, student-led organizations that provide mental health support, education, and advocacy in a university or college setting.

  National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center
  A user-friendly, single point of access to potentially life-saving information about youth violence and prevention and intervention strategies for the general public. Its site includes information on warning signs, prevention strategies and treatment for adolescents struggling with mental illness, and tips on how to prevent and/or respond to violent act in schools.

  The Jason Foundation, Inc.
  The Jason Foundation provides information, education programs and resources to help in the fight against the “silent epidemic” of youth suicide.

  DepressedTeens
  This Web site provides valuable information/educational resources for teenagers, their parents and educators to understand the signs and symptoms of teenage depression and get help when needed.

  The National Association for School Psychologists
  Offers extensive information for teens through its NASP Crisis Resources link.

  The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
  A suicide prevention organization dedicated to generate grassroots support among suicide survivors.

  Families for Depression Awareness
  An organization that helps families recognize and cope with depressive disorders, and prevent suicide. Its Web site contains helpful resources, and inspirational stories about recovering from mental illness.

  American Association of Suicidology
  AAS is a membership organization for all those involved in suicide prevention and intervention, or touched by suicide. Its Web site includes resources for helping those who are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, and inspirational stories from suicide attempt survivors.

  Teen Moods
  Teen Moods is a depression support community created by an adolescent with depression, and is open to all including teens and parents.

  Depression Forums
  A supportive, informative Web site that offers a caring, safe environment for members to talk to their peers about depression, anxiety, mood disorders, medications, therapy and recovery.

  www.teenscreen.org
  The TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University is a non-profit privately funded public health initiative working to increase youth access to regular mental health checkups and the early identification of mental illness. TeenScreen Schools and Communities is the National Center’s flagship program, offering mental health checkups to youth through more than 500 local sites in 43 U.S. states. Visit the Web site to read facts/figures about teenage mental health, and to learn more about the National Center’s programs and initiatives. You can also call the center’s information line at 866-833-6727.

  
  
• STEPS - Using Technology to Find Troubled Teens

  * Teen STEPS is now open to the public, no access code needed! Visit Teen STEPS @www.TeenSTEPS.org.

  That’s the theory behind STEPS – Screening, Treatment, and Education to Promote Strength – a first-of-its-kind virtual mental health initiative for teens and their parents.

  Created by New York University’s Christopher P. Lucas, an Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, STEPS aims to reduce risk of suicide and school violence through online education, self-help and screening. The voluntary, school-based program features a Web site for both teens and parents accessible at school or at home. On each site, visitors can find scientific information, chat around the clock with online clinicians and with each other, and participate in a confidential suicide questionnaire.
  Since its launch last fall in two New York high schools, STEPS is already showing signs of success – with membership numbers nearly doubling. Lucas says he hopes the program will attract at-risk teens not only with its wealth of information, but also with its edgy style and interactive features.

  “STEPS is really the result of seeing what works and what does not work in the suicide prevention field and really trying to leverage the power of technology and the way that teenagers relate to each other,” says Lucas.

  While STEPS is currently being studied in only five schools in New York State, Lucas and his colleagues hope  to introduce STEPS to at least a dozen high schools by the end of this year.  They believe that successful intervention with teens who are at risk can be achieved by improving the mental health of an entire student population.

  “The goal at the end of this is to get people to seek help,” Lucas says.

  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/cryforhelp/episodes/resources/hotlines-and-web-sites-for-teens/11/

  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/cryforhelp/episodes/the-film/watch-the-documentary/1/