Second Sample of a conversation on depression

Second Sample of a Conversation On Depression

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AL. John, you saw the video about Michael Osmond's suicide. Any comments?

JOHN. As you know, Al, it was caused by depression. Apparently he was having adoption issues. I don't know too many details but teen suicides in general are a concern.

AL. The problem is compounded by neglect, often due to the teen. Some of these suicides come out of the blue. Michael reportedly had a high GPA and texted someone before his suicide. I assume it wasn't a desperate message, like in the case of that fashion designer, McQueen.

JOHN. Well, the doctor in the video, Dr. Real, gave some warning signs, so many suicides are not entirely out of the blue.

AL. You mean like lack of interest, lack of concentration, acting out, getting angry, and things like that. But everyone has those symptoms at times.

JOHN. True, but they are of longer duration in the depressed person, like the video says. That's how you can predict true depression. And don't confuse sadness and depression. Feeling sad is normal, for example, after your classmates leave to go back home during the holidays, or something like that. But the depressed person doesn't just feel sad over something like that but feels that life is not worth living.

AL. I see what you mean. Grief too. Everyone feels grief over a loved one who has passed away, but not everyone feels devastated and wants to kill himself as a result or ruminates over the death for months or years. How would you deal with that kind of depression, John?

JOHN. I would have the person diagnosed, maybe by a family therapist. Sometimes depression involves family situations and everyone is involved.

AL. But sometimes it's not easy to put one's finger on a problem. So there has to be a serious evaluation of the patient to avoid a tragic outcome. Besides, not every family can make radical changes to help a depressed member. I mean, if parents want to get divorced, there's no stopping that. The patient just has to learn how to handle it.

JOHN. Well, divorce is probably not the leading cause of depression, Al! There are other causes, usually long-standng, like low self-esteem. Someone who has low self-esteem will ruminate constantly over a lost friend or romantic partner.

AL. And you can't always tell. That's the problem. That's why suicides, probably especially among teens, always seem to come out of the blue. For example, the doctor in the video points out that girls tend to suffer inwardly whereas boys show outward symptoms.

JOHN. So we have to pay attention to all clues, such as eating habits, rumination, and the memory aid given in the video: MAD, BAD, SAD. That should give parents some insight into their child's mental health, Al.

AL. And then they can refer the child to a mental health counselor, perhaps. Or suggest prescribed medication. There are always resources on a college campus too, such as psychotherapists.

JOHN. Yes, therapy is one option. Medication is another, at least in critical cases of clinical depression. But for subclinical cases, talk and emotional support may be sufficient.

AL. Yes, John. Like the doctor in the video says, relief for depression has a 90% success figure, provided a mental health professional is consulted in the first place.

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