Handling depression
Lets talk about depression, it is a topic which we must take very seriously and we must never turn our backs on it since it is the main enemy of our state of mind and if we do not pay due attention it can even cause the loss of human life. .
My work as a teacher makes me face depression closely since adolescents suffer from depression due to multiple factors, family situations, bullying to name a few
We should never dismiss depression
For adults from generations ago, it is difficult for a child to be depressed, it was something impossible to believe. I often hear my parents, who are from another generation, say that it is impossible for a child to be depressed; to which I respond from my vision as an educator, yes, it is possible. Children when they feel neglected, harassed in their environment, or the worst situation that can happen to a child is being abused by the adults who are part of their environment.
Having said the above, I would like to tell you that depression is a psychiatric illness that happens with the frequency that we least imagine; it attacks every human being, children, adolescents, adults; It is also known as mood disorders.
In most cases, depression if not treated on time can trigger psychiatric disorders in the future; such as anxiety, insecurity, to name a few.
Among the symptoms of depression are irritability, moments of anger and hostility to the maximum, sadness, discouragement, hopelessness, loss of interest in their activities, whether school or extra-academic, sports, plastic arts, music.
Accompanying the aforementioned symptoms we add that they feel permanently bored, tired, isolate themselves within their world and do not communicate; they become sensitive to their entire environment; and thoughts of death haunt them and the intention to commit suicide emerges in them.
When there is someone in our environment with any of the aforementioned symptoms, specialized help should be immediately sought to care for both the affected person and their family environment (parents initially) so that they can overcome depression.
Depending on the magnitude of the depressive picture, the medical staff will determine if the patient will need some type of medication or with the various therapies to overcome the disease.
Many are the cases of depression; more than we can imagine; victims of physical and psychological violence who make the mistake of keeping quiet about what happened and end up making the most drastic and definitive decision such as taking their own life. Or, failing that, they suffer from sexual abuse and not to mention what happens to them, they grow up with traumas, fears and resentments for life.
As a practicing teacher, I observe daily cases of school depression due to various factors. I try to always be alert to be able to help them and redirect them towards specialists
I share the most recent case of school depression that I had to witness this week, a 4th year high school student; the three previous years he came with an excellent grade point average, and that year he dropped academically, he arrives late, sometimes he doesn't have the chance to enter all the subjects and when he manages to enter he sometimes falls asleep.
Faced with this situation as a teacher, I began to investigate, investigate, talk with him and it turns out that he presents a rather complicated family picture, his parents went to work in the mines located approximately 12 hours from my Ciudad Bolívar plus 4 hours in a curiara and said parents left him. in charge of two brothers younger than 10 and 8 years.
Three months ago they went into the mines, they have not been able to send money for the children and the older brother I mentioned is working in the free market from 1 am to 6 am to be able to raise money for food.
As well as how many adolescents do not exist having to assume responsibilities that do not correspond to them due to the fact of being the older brother.
Knowing the case of depression plus physical exhaustion, I took a deep breath, saved the tears that were about to flow and sent it to the guidance department of the campus so that the counselor can later pass the case on to the school ombudsman so that they locate an adult who take responsibility for the boys and my student can receive the help he needs in this situation.
This week I learned from this case that in the face of silence or discouragement from a child or adolescent, there is a child in depression who needs to be helped. And as long as I can help you find a light at the end of the tunnel, I will do it with all the love in the world.