Stress and depression

1. Stress and DepressionStress and Depression
Common CausesCommon Causes
Common Signs and SymptomsCommon Signs and Symptoms
Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies
Caring & Treatment TipsCaring & Treatment Tips

2. What Is Stress?What Is Stress?
•Stress is the way your body Stress is the way your body
relates to life’s pressures.relates to life’s pressures.

3. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Sources of Stress?Sources of Stress?
•Situations in the home Situations in the home
–Parents’ separation or divorce,Parents’ separation or divorce,
–A new stepparent,A new stepparent,
–A new brother or sister,A new brother or sister,
–A single parent household,A single parent household,
–Little or no emotional support,Little or no emotional support,
–Neglect (personal needs not met),Neglect (personal needs not met),
–Abuse (physical or sexual)…Abuse (physical or sexual)…

4. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Sources of Stress?Sources of Stress?
•Situations in life:Situations in life:
–Death of a loved one or friend,Death of a loved one or friend,
–Moving to a new town or new school,Moving to a new town or new school,
–Illness or hospitalization,Illness or hospitalization,
–Violence in the neighborhood, community, Violence in the neighborhood, community,
world,world,
–Natural disasters or other emergencies…Natural disasters or other emergencies…

5. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Sources of Stress?Sources of Stress?
•Situations at school:Situations at school:
–Problems with friends,Problems with friends,
–Gangs, threats from others, bullies,Gangs, threats from others, bullies,
–Competition,Competition,
–Popularity,Popularity,
–Homework, grades, pressures to excel,Homework, grades, pressures to excel,
–No support for school work…No support for school work…

6. Reactions to StressReactions to Stress
•Reactions to stress Reactions to stress
can becan be
–Short termShort term
–Long termLong term
–Extreme and life Extreme and life
threateningthreatening
•Reactions to stress Reactions to stress
can affect a person’scan affect a person’s
–Physical healthPhysical health
–Emotional health Emotional health
–ThinkingThinking
–Social activitySocial activity

7. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?
•Thoughts:Thoughts:
–Difficulty communicating or listening,Difficulty communicating or listening,
–Lack of concentration,Lack of concentration,
– Memory problems,Memory problems,
–Difficulty making decisions,Difficulty making decisions,
–Disorientation and confusion,Disorientation and confusion,
–Loss of objectivity…Loss of objectivity…

8. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?
•FeelingsFeelings
–Frequent crying, show of emotions,Frequent crying, show of emotions,
–Hyper-vigilance or excessive worry,Hyper-vigilance or excessive worry,
–Irritability, outbursts of anger, frequent arguments,Irritability, outbursts of anger, frequent arguments,
–Depression,Depression,
–Apathy,Apathy,
–Denial,Denial,
–Anxiety or fear,Anxiety or fear,
–Guilt, Guilt,
–Grief…Grief…

9. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?
•Physical ChangesPhysical Changes
–Short-term physical reactions:Short-term physical reactions:
–Oxygen Oxygen
Extra oxygen reaches the brain because the Extra oxygen reaches the brain because the
bronchioles dilatebronchioles dilate
–EndorphinsEndorphins
–AdrenalineAdrenaline
Extra blood reaches the organs because the heart Extra blood reaches the organs because the heart
rate increasesrate increases

10. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?
•Physical SymptomsPhysical Symptoms
–Effects on the Body: Long Term Effects on the Body: Long Term
•Damage to the cardiovascular, immune, and Damage to the cardiovascular, immune, and
nervous systems,nervous systems,
•People develop patterns of response, People develop patterns of response,
•These responses may indicate need for corrective These responses may indicate need for corrective
action to limit their impact.action to limit their impact.

11. What Are Some Common What Are Some Common
Symptoms of Stress?Symptoms of Stress?
•Change inChange in behaviorbehavior
–Increase or decrease in activity level,Increase or decrease in activity level,
–Substance use or abuse (alcohol or drugs),Substance use or abuse (alcohol or drugs),
–Decline in school performance, absenteeism,Decline in school performance, absenteeism,
–Avoidance of activities or places (isolation), Avoidance of activities or places (isolation),
–Becoming accident prone,Becoming accident prone,
–Inability to rest or relax,Inability to rest or relax,
–Blaming,Blaming,
–Difficulty in giving or accepting support or help,Difficulty in giving or accepting support or help,
–Inability to experience pleasure or have fun…Inability to experience pleasure or have fun…

12. What Is Depression?What Is Depression?
•Depression is a common and serious Depression is a common and serious
medical condition characterized by medical condition characterized by
extreme sadness and loss of pleasure in extreme sadness and loss of pleasure in
life. life.

13. What Is Depression?What Is Depression?
–Depression can lead to suicide.Depression can lead to suicide.
–Depression can happen in anyone’s life. Depression can happen in anyone’s life.
•Any raceAny race
•Any social standing Any social standing
•Any age – Any age – 1 in 81 in 8 adolescents adolescents have some have some
symptomssymptoms

14. What Causes Depression?What Causes Depression?
•Precise causes are not known.Precise causes are not known.
–Biological - genetic factorsBiological - genetic factors
–Psycho - social factorsPsycho - social factors
•Ex: continued distress from any of the previously Ex: continued distress from any of the previously
identified “stressors”,identified “stressors”,
•Ex: distorted, negative thinking patterns…Ex: distorted, negative thinking patterns…

15. Contributing Factors for Contributing Factors for
Depression in Teens:Depression in Teens:
•Stressors such as fear of not meeting Stressors such as fear of not meeting
expectations of parents, teachers, others…expectations of parents, teachers, others…
•When things go wrong at school or at home When things go wrong at school or at home
teens may feel unsure of abilities or question teens may feel unsure of abilities or question
how they fit in…how they fit in…
•Facing choices about friendship, sex, alcohol, Facing choices about friendship, sex, alcohol,
and drugs…and drugs…
•Facing conflicting messages from parents, Facing conflicting messages from parents,
teachers, friends and society…teachers, friends and society…

16. Danger Signs in Depressed Danger Signs in Depressed
TeensTeens
When students……When students……
•Experience a humiliating or anxiety provoking Experience a humiliating or anxiety provoking
situation,situation,
•Show more than five major signs of depression Show more than five major signs of depression
for over two weeks (see student handout: for over two weeks (see student handout: Signs Signs
of Depressionof Depression),),
•Demonstrate or verbalize suicidal thoughts,Demonstrate or verbalize suicidal thoughts,
•Increase risk-taking behavior,Increase risk-taking behavior,
•Show signs of personality changes,Show signs of personality changes,
•Seriously neglect self-care…Seriously neglect self-care…

17. Stress and DepressionStress and Depression
•Continued stress can lead to depression.Continued stress can lead to depression.
•Continued depression can lead to suicide.Continued depression can lead to suicide.
•Managing stress can prevent or reduce Managing stress can prevent or reduce
depression and suicide.depression and suicide.
•It is important to manage both stress and It is important to manage both stress and
depression.depression.

18. Stress & Depression: Stress & Depression:
Comparing Physical Comparing Physical
SymptomsSymptoms
•StressStress
–Gastrointestinal problemsGastrointestinal problems
–Headaches, other aches Headaches, other aches
and painsand pains
–Chronic fatigue or sleep Chronic fatigue or sleep
disturbancesdisturbances
–Weight loss or gainWeight loss or gain
–Sweating or chillsSweating or chills
–Tremors or muscle Tremors or muscle
twitchingtwitching
–Being easily startledBeing easily startled
–Immune system disordersImmune system disorders
–Visual disturbancesVisual disturbances
•DepressionDepression
–Stomachaches Stomachaches
–HeadachesHeadaches
–Sleeping problemsSleeping problems
–Weight changesWeight changes
–Appetite changesAppetite changes
–Lack of energyLack of energy
–Joint or backachesJoint or backaches

19. Stress & Depression:Stress & Depression:
Comparing ThoughtsComparing Thoughts
•StressStress
–Lack of concentrationLack of concentration
–Memory problemsMemory problems
–Difficulty making Difficulty making
decisionsdecisions
–Disorientation and Disorientation and
confusionconfusion
–Loss of objectivityLoss of objectivity
•DepressionDepression
–Difficulty concentratingDifficulty concentrating
–Difficulty making Difficulty making
decisionsdecisions
–Problems completing Problems completing
school workschool work
–Problems maintaining Problems maintaining
gradesgrades

20. Stress & Depression:Stress & Depression:
Comparing FeelingsComparing Feelings
•StressStress
–DepressionDepression
–ApathyApathy
–DenialDenial
–Anxiety or fearAnxiety or fear
–Guilt Guilt
–GriefGrief
•DepressionDepression
–SadnessSadness
–Lack of enjoyment of Lack of enjoyment of
everyday pleasureseveryday pleasures
–HopelessnessHopelessness
–WorthlessnessWorthlessness
–EmptinessEmptiness
–GuiltGuilt

21. Stress & Depression:Stress & Depression:
Comparing ActionsComparing Actions
•StressStress
–IsolationIsolation
–BlamingBlaming
–Difficulty in giving or Difficulty in giving or
accepting support or accepting support or
helphelp
–Inability to experience Inability to experience
pleasure or have funpleasure or have fun
•DepressionDepression
–RestlessRestless
–Not wanting to go to Not wanting to go to
school – cutting school – cutting
classesclasses
–Wanting to be aloneWanting to be alone
–Difficulty getting alongDifficulty getting along
–Dropping out of sports, Dropping out of sports,
hobbies, activitieshobbies, activities
–Drinking, drug useDrinking, drug use

22. Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies
•Coping with StressCoping with Stress
–There are many resources for stress management.There are many resources for stress management.
–Be aware of signs and symptoms of stress:Be aware of signs and symptoms of stress:
•Take practical action to reduce the stress as soon as Take practical action to reduce the stress as soon as
possible.possible.
–Identify ways to manage / reduce source of Identify ways to manage / reduce source of
symptoms:symptoms:
•Ex: relaxation and meditation techniques to help with Ex: relaxation and meditation techniques to help with
physical symptoms of stress,physical symptoms of stress,
•Ex: discuss your thoughts and feelings with a responsible Ex: discuss your thoughts and feelings with a responsible
adult… adult…

23. Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies
•Coping with Depression Coping with Depression
–Recognize the signs of depression.Recognize the signs of depression.
–Remember that depression is not a sign of Remember that depression is not a sign of
weakness nor is it something you can “snap weakness nor is it something you can “snap
out of”. out of”.
–Depression is a serious condition that needs Depression is a serious condition that needs
medical attention. medical attention.
–Depression can be successfully treated and Depression can be successfully treated and
the emotional pain can be relieved.the emotional pain can be relieved.

24. Caring and Treatment TipsCaring and Treatment Tips
•Stress – Stress –
–Offer to listen,Offer to listen,
–Suggest a responsible person / resource to go Suggest a responsible person / resource to go
to for help,to for help,
•Depression – Depression –
–Offer to listen - show concern,Offer to listen - show concern,
–Trust your instincts - alert an adult to your Trust your instincts - alert an adult to your
concern about a depressed person.concern about a depressed person.

25. Extreme StressExtreme Stress
•Chronic or traumatic stress is potentially very Chronic or traumatic stress is potentially very
destructive and can deprive [youth] of physical and destructive and can deprive [youth] of physical and
mental health. mental health.
•If stress is extreme and not managed, some If stress is extreme and not managed, some
individuals may experience post traumatic stress individuals may experience post traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).disorder (PTSD).
•PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur
following the experience or witnessing of life-following the experience or witnessing of life-
threatening events.threatening events.