A Little Bit of Everything

Some people may know a lot about depression, they may say its just being sad lonely and really don’t see what it really is and it effects your life.” Depression can be temporary response to many situations and stresses. In adolescents, depressed mood is common because of the normal maturation process, the stress associated with it.

The true definition is adolescent depression is a disorder occurring during the teenage years marked by persistent sadness, discouragement, loss of self-worth, and loss of interest in usual activities. My sources it is difficult to recognize and treat because it wears so many different disguises. The question I ask is what are the top three causes of teen depression? Being so much on this topic, I wanted to generalize it and gather only importance of my research.

Being a student at West I wanted to ask my fellow classmates their thoughts on this topic. Stephanie says depression is when something tragic happens to someone and they let it take over their lives. A question I asked was do you think there is a treatment for depression? She says it’s a self-treatment and you have to work on it and it won’t happen over night. Interviewing Stephanie I also have similar thoughts on this subject, depression is not when your mad that day, it’s when something bad may happened to them or someone they know and I think the best way to get help is to talk to someone, it maybe a teacher, council, mom, etc. That’s the first step to get treated.

In my research I have found that there is a lot of symptoms and if you think or feel something is wrong there is signs and test you can take. The doctor will perform a physical examination and order blood test to rule out medical causes of the symptoms. For teens the doctors will evaluate the teen for signs of substance abuse, such as heavy drinking, smoking, or any drug in their system.

An Expert that I spoke with is KD a LCSW, who is a social worker at West and she gave me quite a bit of information on Depression. She says the top three causes of depression is very often a chemical balance that comes naturally and also can be genetics that run in the family. It maybe social stressor, someone may have a death in the family or a grown up in poverty or divorce. It could be anything. Another one is other mental health issue. Mrs. DiPasquale reveres to a book that has all types of symptoms. The book is called DSM-4 and she has to read this thick to know what she knows. To get help, you should first seek counseling or tell someone. Also you can see a doctor to see if you have depression, if so he or she might give you medication but that’s not great step to get in to.

Referring to my question what are the top three causes of teen depression? It’s a really important topic and it starts in your teens. I feel that if you have depression it really affects your life and you should get treated and talk to someone.

In today’s world, you will find rich and successful people. Some may appreciate what they have and some take things for granted. Then you have the people that just get by but have the means to be happy. There also are the needy people who require other people and some form of assistance to get by.

So I say give a little, Since Christmas is coming up go support a charity and help others. In The Buffalo News published the article, ” The needy need you”. The greater the need, the fewer people are able to help. Since the holidays are coming around there are many things people can do to give to people who are in need. ” The neediest Fund needs the help of all who can give to help make the holiday season a little cheerier for families who can’t afford presents for children or a special holiday meal.” Anyone interesting in getting involved, The Buffalo News 26th annual drive has begun for 2007, seeking donations of gifts for children of various ages and cash to buy 12,000 dinners and other perishable foods. The newspaper also states that a family’s needs that people help ends up life changing. ” Emma D. Sapong reports last year the neediest fund help ends out a family, the mother Debpra Merchant is still grateful for making last Christmas happened. Debora says her kids got everything they wished for and more if it wasn’t for News Neediest fund. The total earnings last year bought holiday dinners for 12,000 to 150,00, through the food bank of Western New York.

What I found interesting is at West there are so many things going on to help out someone. We have a giving tree, which is a tree in the front foyer and children’s name are on the tree and you pick a child and you buy a Christmas gift for them. We have the can food drive; we collect can goods, boxes and etc. to help out others so they have a nice Christmas dinner like the most of us.

To find more suggestions to help out people who need you, I recommend looking in the Buffalo news, because they have something new everyday for you to get involved, So I say take a chance and help someone for the holiday. It’s about helping out others then your self and feeling good about what you have accomplished. So get involved if it maybe community service, donating money, getting involved in a charity or at your school.

In today’s society people question about how music, television and the radio have affected young kids today. Statistics have shown how the media has increased violence, which we see in today’s society.

In the rap music and music videos, they talk about violence and guns, swear words, and poverty. It teaches kids to imitate them and talk like the rappers talk. Because of their action they think that they can get away with it and not deal with any consequences. Children start watching T.V. at 2 to 11 years old without parents. There are so many reality T.V. shows that kids watch and believe that they can do the same thing, not understanding that most of the reality shows on T.V. is not real. The media blames the parents. I agree with this statement because the parents need to be involved and know what their kids are watching and not be so selfish and not caring. Parents might scream, yell at their kids, but no consequences are given for their child’s actions. But then it’s the medias fault in what they put on T.V., radio, music, and the Internet because all they care about is the money coming in and they don’t care that kids are involved.

Today’s society there is so much going on that we need to address and now people are taking about the media, which I think these problems have been going on for too long of a time and something needs to change. Movies and television also have a great impact on children. Television shows are becoming more and more dangerous for Young people. The average child watches 25 hours of TV a week. Cartoons are setting bad examples for young children. There is minor inappropriate language in cartoons that should not be said or even introduced to the age group that watches cartoons. The availability of shows for children is another large issue. One area that children are now known to watch wrestling. Family events consist of watching wrestling, which obviously means that the parents allow the children to watch it. Another problem is the Internet. The Internet is the on technology that has grown the most in these past few years. I would have to say, from personal experience, that almost every household owns a computer. on the Internet, it is almost impossible to be forbidden from a site unless you’re on school computers or have securities set. Kids are exposed to anything and everything on the Internet.

When children watch these horrible movies and show, listen to this awful music, and addict themselves to the Internet sites, they begin to act in similar ways because that is the way they were introduced to it and so they think it is OK. “All media exist to invest our lives with artificial perceptions and arbitrary values.” This quote came from the website www.quotegarden.com, by William Bernbach.  For the parents who raise their children right and set limits and rules for what they do, they learn the correct way of approaching things and are taught about bad things in life at the right time. Again, children are becoming damaged at young ages, all due to the media. If we would find ways to eliminate the media that is inappropriate for children it would not only better our children, but also better the children that will eventually become parents.