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Depression
Mike's story
Mike started showing signs of depression as a young boy. He was angry a lot. Sometimes he’d beat up on kids at school. He didn’t think he had any friends.
Mike was a good student but had a hard time concentrating. When he tried to tell his parents, Ronnie and Chris, they got him a tutor and encouraged him to work harder. They didn’t understand that his struggle to concentrate was an early sign of depression, and Mike didn’t know how to explain that he was so unhappy.
In high school, Mike’s depression grew more intense. He couldn’t pretend anymore that things were OK. “I felt like I was just sinking in the ocean with like a weight strapped to my feet, “ Mike says. “The pressure was just unbearable. I couldn’t breathe. I was just panicky, and I would lay in my bed in the fetal position for days, trying to make myself as small as I could so that the pressure might be lessened a little bit.”
Mike’s parents continued to encourage him to go to school. They thought his moods and school troubles were things that happen to teens.
One day, Mike told his school counselor that he was so depressed that he’d had thoughts of suicide. The counselor called Ronnie to a meeting, and within a day, Mike was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. With medication and therapy, he was treated for his depression. Mike was relieved to be away from the day-to-day pressure of high school.
After two weeks, Mike left the hospital. Everyone around him thought he was doing better, but he was still depressed. So, once more, he was hospitalized.
Finally, through therapy, Mike learned to accept that sometimes he’d have negative feelings and it was OK to talk about them. He understood that no one is happy all the time, and he didn’t have do everything just right. “I learned that my parents would much rather have me alive than be perfect,” he says.
Mike continues to take antidepressant medication, to see his doctor, and to talk with a therapist. It’s been worth the effort.
“I know that there are people who are suffering with depression and [they] won’t ask for help because, either they’re afraid of the stigma, or they simply believe that they are beyond help,” he says. “I’m so glad that I took that step, and that I did ask for help, because my life is so much better. And, you know? I’m happy.”
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It's A Fact.
Depression is medical condition that affects people of all genders, races, ages, and income levels. 1
People who are depressed feel more than sadness or "the blues." They feel hopeless and suffer deep emotional pain for prolonged periods.1
Two-thirds of people with depression do not seek treatment because they don't understand their symptoms or have fear of the stigma of mental illness.1
Of those who seek treatment for depression, 80% are treated effectively with medication, psychotherapy, or both.1
8.3 percent of adolescents in the U.S. suffer from depression.2
One in ten U.S. children suffers from a mental disorder severe enough to cause some level of impairment. 3
Mental health issues in the U.S. are greatly misunderstood. Young people living with mental illness are often teased and shunned and improperly diagnosed.4
Dealing With It.
If you are depressed tell a parent or another adult you trust. You can also call: The National Hope Line: (800) 784-2433
Or you can visit SuicideHotlines.com. This Web site provides a phone number you can call in every state to talk with someone who is trained to listen.
Hear more from Mike in Depression: True Stories(DVD) and Words Can Work: When Talking About Depression and Other Mental Health Disorders (booklet)
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1. Families for Depression Awareness.
2, 3, 4 National Institute of Mental Health.
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