The Nightingale Center

Depression Kills, And it is killing Our Young People. Help is Available.

By Lois V. Nightingale, Ph.D.

• Depression affects 18 million people a year. Many of its victims are our youth.
• 20,000 teens ages 15 to 19 try to kill themselves every year. 5,000 of these teenagers actually die at their own hands.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds. More than 13 of every 100,000 people aged 15 to 24 committed suicide in 1993.
• Young men actually die from suicide attempts six times as often as young women. But young women attempt it four times as often as young men do.
• Adolescent suicides tripled between 1960 and 1988.
• 59 percent of 13-19-year-olds surveyed for a Gallup poll said they personally knew a teenager who had attempted suicide. More than one fourth of them said the attempt was successful.
• Depression appears to have a hereditary component. If a close family member has a history of depression children are at higher risk for this illness.

Depression is a treatable illness. If you or someone you care about may be experiencing signs of depression do not delay looking into treatment. The teen years are filled with challenges, confusion, self-doubt and peer pressures. These stresses can lead to feeling depressed and trapped and suicide make look like a "way out".

If you feel your own depression may be affecting family members and causing them worry and concern, or loved ones are acting out your isolation, feelings of sadness, hopelessness or despondency, know that help is available. Ask your family physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist for more information. New breakthroughs in medication and psychotherapy make feeling better an option for most everyone struggling with depression.

Depression is not the normal feelings of sadness and grief experienced after loss. Depression is a more long-standing disabling illness. A checklist of symptoms of depression can be found at our web site: www.nightingalecounseling.com.

The Nightingale Center is proud to be participating in National Depression Screening Day on Oct. 8. We will be showing a video, presenting a lecture, giving free depression screenings and consultations with mental health professionals.

If you would like to know more about National Depression Screening Day or would like to receive a free information packet about depression please call our office at: 1-800-9-HELP 2 U or 714-993-5343.

For further information on this topic you can read:

The Depression Workbook: A Guide for Living with Depression and Manic Depression
By Mary Ellen Copeland

© 1997 Dr. Lois V. Nightingale, Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Nightingale Center in Yorba Linda, Calif. (714) 993-5343