Depression

• Feelings of loneliness, helplessness or hopelessness
• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Decreased appetite
• Increased appetite
• Staying awake at night and sleeping during the day
• Rebellious behavior
• Sudden drop in school grades
• Use of alcohol or drugs
• Sexual activity
• Social withdrawal
• Preoccupation with death and dying
• Headache
• Stomachache
• Decreased energy (fatigue)
• Low back pain

• Family history of depression or mental illness
• Stress related to school, peers, athletics or work
• Sudden life changes including, parent’s divorce, death of a loved one, break-up
• Alcohol or drug use
• History of abuse or violence
• Access to firearms
• Previous suicide attempts

• Talk with an adult you trust; parent, teacher, counselor, coach or principal
• Keep a journal about how your feeling
• Take care of yourself by exercising, eating healthy and getting enough sleep at night
• Surround yourself around people you enjoy being with
• Participate in activities you find enjoyable

• 4 out of every 100 teens suffer from severe depression
• In any given 6 month period, 5% of 9-17 year olds struggle with depression
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens
• For every 1 death caused by suicide, there are 10 more teems attempting suicide
• Girls are more likely than boys to attempt suicide
• Boys are 4-5 times more likely to die from their attempt
• More than half of the suicides committed by teens are done by using a gun
• 90% of people that commit suicide suffer from a mental illness including: depression, alcohol/drug abuse, bipolar disorder (periods of extreme highs called mania which includes insomnia, extreme happiness or irritability, inability to concentrate and excessive energy followed by extreme lows), or schizophrenia
• Half of the teems that commit suicide have attempted it in the past