An estimate from of the World Health Organization ( from the WHO ) indicates that at least 30% of the world's population will suffer from an episode of depression throughout life. And while this type of illness is usually diagnosed in adulthood, studies indicate that about 50% of adults with depression report the onset of symptoms before the age of 18. .
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Depression is a condition for which a psychiatric diagnosis can be triggered by both the genetic load and the environment in which the person is inserted. There is no consensus on what would prevail.
"Each child has a predisposed genetic burden, can be very sensitive with significant genetic load and a minimum of negative stimulus can precipitate the onset of a symptom," he says. "is acting out of an anxiety or phobia crisis," says a psychiatrist Lee Fu specialist in children and adolescents and author of three books on the subject .
However, a depressive image can only be verified if the feeling of sadness persists, for no apparent reason, for at least 15 days. The diagnosis depends on the family history of psychiatric illness and there is no clinical test to date, such as blood tests or magnetic resonance imaging, to identify the disorder.
Lee explains that adolescents are a vulnerable audience because they are still vulnerable to HIV / AIDS. get "alternatives to cope with life and obviously have more frustrations". That's why, according to her, what happens in school counts in the lives of young people and can not be neglected.
"When they arrive at the office, they always bring the tip of the iceberg The parents say: my son is very shy,] Lee . It may that horrible things happen, such as abuse or the young man's temperament.
But what are the signs that can help identify the disease?
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Falling school performance
When acting as children and adolescents, depressive symptoms inevitably result in a drop in school performance, as one of the symptoms is the change in form and speed of reasoning, according to Lee Fu . It is also common for these students to miss more students in clbad.
"The child says he's paying attention, but he does not remember everything he's studied.These are maybe students who had good grades before, but now the head does not work.] Lee .
The school report change is usually the big alarm signal for parents. The psychiatrist says that it is not possible to generalize and affirm that the school does not address this type of problem, but recognizes that public and private networks can not take into account all the problems inherent in childhood and adolescence.
"The public school can take half of the cases because it has fewer resources, less teachers, but there are good educators, even excessive sinners."
Leaving the school does not always solve the problem. "Sometimes the child or adolescent needs to change the environment because the school does not have time to solve the problem, such as phobia, insecurity and anxiety, but it depends on case."
Behavioral change
A depressive picture is not always related to melancholy, sadness and introspection. Behaviors such as excessive mood, irritation or even increased appetite and sleep can also be symptoms of depression.
"Schools sometimes change habits when the adolescent becomes quieter or isolated.Some schools have this focus," says Lee Fu .
In addition to slowing academic performance, other symptoms of depression include mood changes, apathy and excessive crying. The teenager can also become grumpy and complain about not knowing what to do.
A change in weight, changes in sleep (taking longer to sleep and having more nightmares) and low self-esteem can also be signs. Another characteristic is the loss of the ability to feel pleasure with things that were once pleasant.
Psychiatrist Arthur Danila explains that untreated depression increases the chances of suicide.
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Suicidal Ideas
WHO data show that suicide accounts for 1.4% of all deaths in the world, becoming in 2012 the 15th leading cause of death in the general population. Among the 15-29 year olds, it is the second leading cause of death, losing only external causes such as homicides and climatic accidents.
However, not all cases of suicide are related to depression. According to the psychiatrist Arthur Danila of the Institute of Psychiatry of the Hospital das Clínicas USP is that untreated depression increases the chances of the person who thinks suicide.
In the most severe cases, depressed teens can talk or think about death. "The lack of hope that one finds so much among depressed people is one of the psychological factors most related to suicidal ideation," explains Danila .
Absence of future plans
Lack of commitment to the future, apathy, fear and insecurity of adolescents are issues that have emerged in the career guidance work being done by the psychologist. Érica Costa da Garcia Espírito Santo .
Érica works for a video guided video orientation application, entitled Kuau for students of the public network of several Brazilian states. While the role of the platform is to help young people find their calling and add affinities to the professional choice, the symptoms of depression have been identified as a reason for youth to stop. access the application.
"We have 15-year-old boys engaged in the future and 20 others do not." What we found was that when we started to focus on career counseling, there were other more serious and serious problems. is treated, one can not give free rein to an badertive professional choice that reflects his identity. "
According to the psychologist, if the student has a fundamental emotional problem to solve, it is not possible to progress and work career guidance, for example. "It's not possible to decide the career if the young person does not have autonomy as a whole." Adolescence is characterized by high levels of depression and anxiety.
From these comments Kuau began to offer seminars and trainings to which teachers addressed problems such as depression in the clbadroom. "The school is very worried, but it does not have a tool to map and treat the problem."
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Fun in the virtual world only
Although young people have a very close relationship with Internet this can become a problem when the virtual world becomes their only source of pleasure.
"When the young man becomes hyperconnected with the virtual world and disconnected from the real world, he ends up having no experience of life, he is less compromised, an emotionally frail young man." Psychologist Erica da Costa Garcia .
Prevention and Treatment
For Lee Fu depression is apparent to an allergy. "Once you have it, you know that it will happen, you just do not know when, when you start treating it with a therapy or medication, it is an observation. a year."
Not all cases are medicated. When there is a prescription, it must be done with great caution and follow-up to adjust the dose. For mild depressive disorders, there is an indication of psychotherapy, often for families as well.
"But evaluation by psychiatrists can help a lot to define the best behavior in each case and, of course, the early identification of symptoms and the proper use of care by a specialized professional," strengthens Arthur Danila. .
Prevention remains the best remedy. For this, remember the doctor, the practice of physical activity, healthy eating, sleeping in sufficient quantity and quality, and the promotion of friendly and constructive and solid social relations are good contributions.
"It sometimes happens that we can not show that the world is colored by young people because they do not understand." Lee Fu .
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