Being depressed is a feeling that can affect people of all ages and both genders. It is an illness that does not discriminate by race, religion, location or any other factors. A normally upbeat and happy person can fall into the grasp of depressive thoughts which may last only a couple days and then pass, or could develop into something much more severe which lasts several days, weeks and even months. A young person with the illness may try to hide it, could be misdiagnosed, or simply brushed off as an unruly or disobedient child.
The Many Causes of Depression in Youth
There are many factors which contribute to being depressed and many of those are environmental, such as being teased in school, problems at home, and general feelings of self-disappointment if a certain goal hasn’t been met. Many times these issues can seem worse than they actually are for a child or teenager attempting to find their place in life, and can snowball into a more severe feeling of not being good enough.
Using Drugs to Find an Escape
Often times, a young person might turn to drug use when they are feeling depressed. They think it will be a way to help ease or escape the pain and disappointment they are experiencing. In some cases, using drugs can quickly escalate into an abuse problem which in turn makes the depressive thoughts seem more severe. A combination of the two could result in skipping school or work, acting out aggressively, developing eating disorders, and it could also lead to an increased risk of suicide thoughts or attempts.
Getting Help from the Experts
Teenagers who are struggling with both depression and substance abuse issues in Chicago IL may not respond to a treatment for depression alone. In this case, a combination of both medication and psychotherapy can be very effective in helping them overcome both issues. Setting up an initial treatment plan within a hospital for 30, 60, or even 90 days or longer would be a potential first step to take. After that, creating and sticking to an outpatient treatment and transition plan will go a long way in making sure this young person can overcome the issues they are facing. With time, understanding and some medical intervention, children, teens and adults can all beat their depressive feelings and secondary drug abuse. It just takes a quick phone call to ask about treatment options.
