Rakib AhamedThe Time Has Come.
May 23rd 2008 02:29
By Sarah Dunstone.
High school tests, VCE, higher divorce rates, homework and keeping up a social life, this is what the youth of today are faced with; it’s no wonder that one of their main concerns is depression. The pressure put on these young minds is unbelievable, but in this day and age they are expected to deal with it. This is the image society has put out to the children of this country.
According to Beyondblue, 25% of young people suffer depression of some degree by the time they reach the early age of 24. That is one in every five children! If the youth can see this problem themselves then we should too. We need to do something about this major disaster.
There is a range of reasons why depression occurs, such as, child abuse, bullying, death of a friend or family member, or stress and family conflict. Just one of these things can send a child into a depressed state according to physiologists, in that case God help them if they have two or more, which is what the majority do! “Its just life you will get over it, it’s just a time thing you’re fine”. At least that’s the impression we’re putting out by not recognizing depression and how serious it is. These children are suffering from depression and are not fine. They need help. We need to notice this, make people see that depression is not just a phase. If you have children talk to them about depression, let them talk to their friends, let the word go around that we know about it and its ok to say you are suffering. “Talking to a therapist seems to be helpful in the sense that they're obviously unbiased and will just sit and listen.” This was said by a person that suffers from depression. So as you can see talking does help, coming from the words of a sufferer.
‘434 suicide deaths at ages 15-24 years were registered in Australia in 1995. Suicide accounted for 25% of all male deaths and 17% of all female deaths in this age group in 1995,’ According to the injury control council of Western Australia. This was in 1995, 1995! Thirteen years later and all that has changed is the amount of youth that have decided life is not worth the trouble. In 2004 19.1 people aged between 15-24 in every 100,000 decided to suicide.
“Among young Australians aged 12-25 years, depression is the most common mental health problem,” stated the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (www.headspace.org.au.) This is disgraceful. Our Government has had its head in the clouds about apologizing to the ‘stolen generation’ that they haven’t seen the amount of people that are silently screaming out for help. The ‘stolen generation’ is important, an important issue, but that is now history, we need to deal with the here and now; the future, so we can make a difference. Funding for help centres and research into the connection of depression with the brain needs to be done now.
To put in prospective, 1-4 women in Australia will suffer from skin cancer, which is that same amount of people suffering from depression. Maybe it’s just me; I seem to see more ads for skin cancer prevention on television than ads for depression. Is this because cancer is seen as our nation’s major health problem? Because on first sight it looks like depression can not hit everyone, but to get skin cancer all you have to do is go outside?
News flash! Depression can hit anyone. Just because depression and skin cancer are different doesn’t mean they should be treated like one is more important than the other. People in the past have presumed that depression occurs merely due to upbringing, but now we have the knowledge through research and study to recognize that it is a mental illness and yet….nothing.
Professor Brian Draper from the University of New South Wales agrees that, “Untreated depression has many negative consequences. Symptoms such as feelings of worthlessness, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and agitation are very distressing and cause considerable suffering and loss of function.” At this very moment hundreds of young Australians are going through depression untreated because they think its wrong and people will judge them if they admit they have a problem, if this continues what Professor Draper stated could happen to them. In days or weeks a person who you thought just had the blues could suicide on their bathroom floor. They could be your daughter, son, partner, friend or even the person you see every day on your way to work. If something all of a sudden changes in their behavior or way they act, keep an eye out or say something, asking if someone’s alright never hurt anyone, and it could save a life
“There is much to be done to improve our nation’s approach to depression,” disputed Brian Draper. And although change seems to be occurring very slowly it’s comforting to see that finally someone has started to act. I give my greatest gratitude, in addition to my respect, to the Tasmanian State Government and Mission Australia, for they have launched an early intervention program aimed at addressing and preventing depression among young Tasmanians. The program, which started in 2006, is a great way to help the children and future leaders of this grand nation. It will confront them on depression and heal a generation that has been hurt enormously through denial of how serious depression is. This is creating a better path for the nation’s people to walk along.
We must understand and help get rid of youth depression for as Paul Kelly sang, “from little things, big things grow.” If we want our country to prevail in years to come we must nurture our youth, for THEY ARE THE FUTURE.
Talk to your children, seek help if you even get the hint that they might be suffering from depression and most of all put trust and hope in their hearts.
High school tests, VCE, higher divorce rates, homework and keeping up a social life, this is what the youth of today are faced with; it’s no wonder that one of their main concerns is depression. The pressure put on these young minds is unbelievable, but in this day and age they are expected to deal with it. This is the image society has put out to the children of this country.
According to Beyondblue, 25% of young people suffer depression of some degree by the time they reach the early age of 24. That is one in every five children! If the youth can see this problem themselves then we should too. We need to do something about this major disaster.
There is a range of reasons why depression occurs, such as, child abuse, bullying, death of a friend or family member, or stress and family conflict. Just one of these things can send a child into a depressed state according to physiologists, in that case God help them if they have two or more, which is what the majority do! “Its just life you will get over it, it’s just a time thing you’re fine”. At least that’s the impression we’re putting out by not recognizing depression and how serious it is. These children are suffering from depression and are not fine. They need help. We need to notice this, make people see that depression is not just a phase. If you have children talk to them about depression, let them talk to their friends, let the word go around that we know about it and its ok to say you are suffering. “Talking to a therapist seems to be helpful in the sense that they're obviously unbiased and will just sit and listen.” This was said by a person that suffers from depression. So as you can see talking does help, coming from the words of a sufferer.
‘434 suicide deaths at ages 15-24 years were registered in Australia in 1995. Suicide accounted for 25% of all male deaths and 17% of all female deaths in this age group in 1995,’ According to the injury control council of Western Australia. This was in 1995, 1995! Thirteen years later and all that has changed is the amount of youth that have decided life is not worth the trouble. In 2004 19.1 people aged between 15-24 in every 100,000 decided to suicide.
“Among young Australians aged 12-25 years, depression is the most common mental health problem,” stated the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (www.headspace.org.au.) This is disgraceful. Our Government has had its head in the clouds about apologizing to the ‘stolen generation’ that they haven’t seen the amount of people that are silently screaming out for help. The ‘stolen generation’ is important, an important issue, but that is now history, we need to deal with the here and now; the future, so we can make a difference. Funding for help centres and research into the connection of depression with the brain needs to be done now.
To put in prospective, 1-4 women in Australia will suffer from skin cancer, which is that same amount of people suffering from depression. Maybe it’s just me; I seem to see more ads for skin cancer prevention on television than ads for depression. Is this because cancer is seen as our nation’s major health problem? Because on first sight it looks like depression can not hit everyone, but to get skin cancer all you have to do is go outside?
News flash! Depression can hit anyone. Just because depression and skin cancer are different doesn’t mean they should be treated like one is more important than the other. People in the past have presumed that depression occurs merely due to upbringing, but now we have the knowledge through research and study to recognize that it is a mental illness and yet….nothing.
Professor Brian Draper from the University of New South Wales agrees that, “Untreated depression has many negative consequences. Symptoms such as feelings of worthlessness, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and agitation are very distressing and cause considerable suffering and loss of function.” At this very moment hundreds of young Australians are going through depression untreated because they think its wrong and people will judge them if they admit they have a problem, if this continues what Professor Draper stated could happen to them. In days or weeks a person who you thought just had the blues could suicide on their bathroom floor. They could be your daughter, son, partner, friend or even the person you see every day on your way to work. If something all of a sudden changes in their behavior or way they act, keep an eye out or say something, asking if someone’s alright never hurt anyone, and it could save a life
“There is much to be done to improve our nation’s approach to depression,” disputed Brian Draper. And although change seems to be occurring very slowly it’s comforting to see that finally someone has started to act. I give my greatest gratitude, in addition to my respect, to the Tasmanian State Government and Mission Australia, for they have launched an early intervention program aimed at addressing and preventing depression among young Tasmanians. The program, which started in 2006, is a great way to help the children and future leaders of this grand nation. It will confront them on depression and heal a generation that has been hurt enormously through denial of how serious depression is. This is creating a better path for the nation’s people to walk along.
We must understand and help get rid of youth depression for as Paul Kelly sang, “from little things, big things grow.” If we want our country to prevail in years to come we must nurture our youth, for THEY ARE THE FUTURE.
Talk to your children, seek help if you even get the hint that they might be suffering from depression and most of all put trust and hope in their hearts.
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