Teenage years can be difficult and
challenging at the best of times, but add clinical depression, raging hormones
and issues of sexual orientation and identity into the mix and you’ve got a
situation that parents need to keep an eagle eye on.
Psychiatrist Marc Lockhart is
keenly aware of this and urges parents and caregivers to watch out for the
warning signs of suicidal tendencies in teens.
He said he and colleagues see a lot
of teenagers in Cayman with suicidal tendencies, and pointed out that suicide
is the third most common cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24 in
western countries.
“From a statistical standpoint, the
leading causes of death in most western countries, including North America and
the United Kingdom, for those aged 15 to 24 is accidents, homicide and suicide.
That is something that many people are shocked to realise. The third leading
cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds is suicide… I would say, more than
likely, that’s also the case locally,” Dr. Lockhart said.
He urged parents to watch for signs
of depression and changes in behaviour among the teenagers in their families.
“The first thing to look out for
are signs of depression. The major signs of depression are changes in appetite
and sleep patterns; feelings of withdrawal from friends and family and regular
activities; unusual negligence of personal appearance; marked personality
change; feelings of boredom; frequent physical complaints; and losing interest
in pleasurable activities,” the doctor said.
He acknowledges, however, that
since teenagers can generally be moody and irritable, the red flags are not
always easy to spot.
“Here’s a caveat when we are
dealing with teenagers – many times, they show signs of violent actions,
rebellious behaviour, aggressive personality, irritability and anger. Those are
very prominent features when dealing with teenage depression,” he said.
Long-term, ongoing clinical
depression is a serious disorder that affects millions. By 2020, it is expected
to be the second leading cause of disability in the world, and as such, should
be treated as seriously as any other medical condition, the psychiatrist said.
Seeking control
Teenagers are caught between still
being dependent on their parents for food and shelter and money while growing
into adulthood and a desire for independence and autonomy. Feeling they have
little control over their lives, some turn to cutting and hurting themselves because
that is one element they can control.
“We’re also seeing a fairly high
incidence of self injuries, which is very common,” Dr. Lockhart said. “It’s not
necessarily fully suicidal, but SIB, or self injurious behaviour, is a step
away from that.
“Young people see it as a way of
coping with the stressors and challenges and so forth… It can lead to
accidents or mistakes or promote teenagers to suicidal attempts and behaviour.”
Teenage years are also the time
that young people begin exploring their sexuality, and if parents see that
their son or daughter is having difficulty dealing with sexual orientation,
especially if coupled with any signs of depression, they should seek help immediately.
“A major issue with suicidal
tendencies is issues with sexual orientation. It can be a major focus during
that time from age 12 to 20 or so. That can also be a red flag,” Dr. Lockhart explained.
“If the parents have suspicions that maybe the teen is having some concerns
about orientation or are gay, that is something to take seriously and keep an
eye on how the teenager is coping and dealing with this.”
He said seeking professional help
in this situation is not option, it’s a necessity.
“If the child is having difficulty
coping with making friends or something like that, it is not necessary to take
them to a therapist or a councillor, but if there are serious mood swings and
irritability and anger, or self injuries, along with the possibility of issues
of identity or sexual orientation, there’s no doubt about it – professional
help is required.
“That professional help is not just
for the teenager, but also for the care giver involved, so they can learn how
to cope and deal with some of the challenges ahead,” he said.
In a small community, seeking
professional help from a psychiatrist or therapist can have a stigma attached
to it, but Dr. Lockhart said that over the past decade, there seemed to be more
openness and acceptance to this kind of treatment in Cayman.
And if a person needs help or if a
parent sees signs of clinical depression in a child, it’s not always necessary
to wait to get an appointment with a mental health professional. Sometime, a
paediatrician or general practitioner can help, Dr. Lockhart said.
Related Videos
