FACING

TEENAGE
BLUES
by :-hannan
-syafiqah
-amirah
 DEPRESSION
How to help a depressed teenager?
Depression is a serious mental • Talk to them about it
health problem that causes a It’s important to talk to teenager about their depression and how
persistent feeling of sadness they feel. They may not open up to you about it but it’s key to let
and loss of interest in activities. them know you are there for them to talk about whatever is going
It affects how on in their lives, not just their depression.Teen’s feelings and it
your teenager thinks, feels and will help you to better understand them.
behaves, and it can cause • Don’t try to fix their problems
emotional, functional and One common route that parents often take is to try to fix
physical problems whatever issues and problems their child is experiencing. Your
teen is at a pivotal stage in their life and they need to learn the
necessary skills for problem solving. One way they can learn that
Signs of teen is solving some of the problems leading to their depression.
depression: • Have them get a physical from their doctor
• Sadness or One of my main recommendations for anyone coming in with
hopelessness. depressive feelings is to get a physical by your doctor. It is
• Loss of interest important to rule-out any physical causes for depression, such as
in activities. low Vitamin D. A complete physical with blood work is a good
• Poor school place to start.
performance.
Overtly – ( clearly ) Drastic – ( radical and
definitely , obviously extreme ) harch , serious

Discern – (
cath sight
Devastating –
(destroy or vocabul of ,
recognize
ruin )
dangerous , ary and
understand
destructive
) detect ,
determine

Agony – ( extreme physical or Trivial – ( a little value or

mental suffering ) pain , importance )unimportant ,
hurt meaningless
 It is difficult to discern any
pattern in these figures
He never overtly expressed his
feelings about the issue.

I don't know why

he gets so upset
She lay there about something
screaming in agony sentences so trivial.

In the desert there’s a drastic

change in temperature from day Satellite images showed clearly
to night. the devastating impact of the
earthquake.
 Bullying

Depression

TEENAGE
PROBLEM

Internet
addiction
Drug use

Self-esteem
 BULLYING

The definition of bullying is when an individual or a

group of people with more power, repeatedly and
intentionally cause hurt or harm to another person or
group of people who feel helpless to respond. Effects of Bullying
Warning Signs for Bullying • Kids Who are Bullied
Depression and anxiety, increased feelings
of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep
and eating patterns, and loss of interest in
Signs for Bullying
activities they used to enjoy. These issues
may persist into adulthood.
• Lost or destroyed clothing,
• Kids Who Bully Others
books, electronics, or jewelry
Abuse alcohol and other drugs in
• Changes in eating habits, like
adolescence and as adults, get into fights,
suddenly skipping meals or binge
vandalize property, and drop out of
eating. Kids may come home
school,engage in early sexual activity
from school hungry because
they did not eat lunch.
• Difficulty sleeping or frequent
nightmares
 Drug Use

There is a common misconception that teenagers who experiment with drugs and alcohol are
inherently “bad kids.” Many parents assume that teenagers experiment because they are
rebellious and want to lash out. That may be the reason a small percentage of teenagers try
drugs and alcohol today, but the dangerous trend is not that simple or one-sided. In order to
understand us, you have to put yourself in our shoes and imagine what we
are really experiencing.

Negative consequences of teen drug abuse might

include:
Reasons why teenagers • Poor judgment.
experiment with drugs: • Sexual activity.
• A Bonding Experience • Mental health disorders.
• Depression • Impaired driving.
• Curiosity
• Weight Loss
 Self-esteem

Self-esteem directly effects the self-worth of a teen. A teenager’s self-esteem is measured by how
the teen feels about themselves and what they are worth. Self-esteem is also perceived, as teens
will also determine how much others value them. While perceived value in the eyes of others may
not always be accurate, this idea also contributes to a teenager’s self-esteem.

What Influences a Teen’s Self-Esteem

• Puberty & Development
Puberty is often a difficult time for teenagers. While everyone goes through
puberty, not everyone goes through it in the exact same way at the exact same
time. As a teen’s body is changing, it is easy for them to become self-conscious. How Teens Can Improve
This time may skew their thinking and how they believe others perceive and view Body Image
them. Media Images & Cultural Influences • Changing Focus
While media was previously mentioned, it is worth mentioning again. Our culture
• Create Realistic Goals
is saturated with images and ‘guidelines’ for what is considered to be beautiful. If
comparing themselves to celebrities and airbrushed magazine images, teens • Control Negative
can suffer from self-esteem issues and doubt. Thoughts
• Family & School Environments
According to Kids Health, family members can affect their teens’ body images,
even without meaning to. Teens may also encounter negative feedback and
comments from peers in the classroom. Although these remarks are not always
intended to be harmful, they can be damaging to a teen’s body image during
this volatile time.
 Internet addiction
Internet today has become an inseparable part of our lives and irrespective of our age, profession as well as field. We are making
use of the internet in some way or the other. Out of all the people who use internet for fulfilling their everyday needs, requirements
as well as entertainment purposes, teenagers are often seen to be the biggest contributors to the use of internet. Today parents
have least control over the type of content their kids are exposed to on the internet and with the increasing number of teenagers
who are finding their way towards internet; it certainly has become a topic of concern as well as fear for their parents. With virtual
relationships and friendships given more relevance over the real ones, it is high time that we regulate the extent of internet
exposure provided to our children.

NEGATIVE & POSITIVE

EFFECETS

Studies show that children who spend more time on

the internet as compared to the time spent with their
friends and families become recluse as they grow.
Apart from this, teenagers who are new on the
internet often see it as a playground where they have
endless things to try and explore. This leads to
addiction and them drifting towards exploring
different stuff on the internet which involves several
chatting websites and content which can leave a
deep impression on their young as well as developing
minds.
Teenagers can use it to great extents for
academic purposes. It will keep them
connected with the outside world which will
help them in staying informed about
everything that is happening around the
world. Internet is good for teenagers as far
as its use is regulated and they are taught
about the positives as well as negatives
from the beginning.
 QUESTIONS
1 What is depression? (paragraph 3)
-Depression is a medical condition that can affect anyone irrespective of age .

2 Find statistical proof to show that youths are affected by depression. (paragraph 3)
-Statistical proof showed that 20% of adolescents in Malaysia are affected by depression.

3 List th three main causes of stress. (paragraph 4)

•Exams
•Family problems
•A failed relationship

4 Why is the onset of depression difficult to diagnose? (paragraph 5)

-Onset of depression difficult to diagnose because it can be hidden or masked or it may look like ‘normal’ mood changes that
teenagers go through.

5 Name three symptoms of depression that are observable. (paragraph 5 )

Ranging from sadness
Uncontrollable crying
Suicidal thoughts

6 Give two examples of how depression is masked. (paragraph 6)

oExpress boredom and irritability
oEngage in risky activities
SONGS RELATED TO
DEPRESSION