The Catalyst

By Rachel Davis, Reporter

Insane. Messed-up. Crazy. These are words that are often used when the topic of mental illness comes up in conversation, particularly among high schoolers. The very idea creates images of people completely out of touch with reality, heavily medicated and living in hospitals or asylums for most of their lives. Unfortunately, it’s a problem that troubles adolescents worldwide, a group with little understanding of its importance.

Suicide is the third highest cause of death for teenagers, and it’s a remarkably prolific killer; according to the National Institute for Mental Health, some 3,971 people took their own lives before they even see graduation in the US alone. 132,000 high school students have reported attempting suicide, and 15 to 20 percent of them regularly self-injure.

Most of these deaths are overlooked, as the majority of kids who kill themselves never speak up about it. Those who do seek help are often criticized by their peers as ‘just doing it for the attention’. And while some do seek attention, most of these people are genuinely in need of help. All joking about ‘emo’ and ‘goth’ kids aside, threats of suicide and self-harm are not to be taken lightly. As with any situation, suicidal thoughts should be handled carefully and compassionately.

“It’s harder to deal with depression in school,” said one source, who wishes to remain anonymous. “People tend to judge you if you try to talk about it, and most of them act like you’re faking it.”

However, many individuals are able to receive professional treatment for depression, either with medication or counseling. But help itself isn’t without a stigma; due in part to recent years’ news about antidepressant medication aggravating suicidal and homicidal tendencies, consumers of such medications are often branded as unstable or even dangerous due to their assumed mental imbalance. But while tales of psychotic episodes under the influence of antidepressants isn’t completely unheard of, it’s far rarer than many people believe.

The effects of depression on everyday life alone are crippling. The obvious damage to one’s social life and schoolwork is easily noticeable, but the illness itself is imperceptible; all too often, depression disguises itself as simple laziness. Thus, many students suffer from the struggle of keeping up with school compounding on their own problems.

With the proper knowledge of depressive symptoms, students and staff alike can recognize the signs and stop the downward spiral before it begins. Behavioral signs include: someone becoming more irritable, withdrawn and uninterested in previously enjoyed activities. A loss of appetite and excessive sleeping or insomnia may also be a sign, along with disinterest in personal appearance and general apathy.

Depression doesn’t always manifest itself as outright sadness; if a friend exhibits any of these behaviors, it might indicate that they need your support. If so, listen to them. It could make all the difference.