Depression - The Silent Killer
Depression - What can you do to help?
As a teacher, I make it my mission to do ONE MAIN THING. Get to ‘know’ my students. Obviously there are many benefits to doing so. Not only am I able to build strong relationships, which help with behaviour management in the classroom. I am able to improve my ability to develop and deliver innovative lessons, but above all I am also better able to recognise when something ‘isn’t quite right’.
According to statistics provided on the ‘Black Dog Institute’, ‘one in five children and adolescents are affected by mental health problems and disorders. Those aged 18-24 have the highest prevalence of mental disorders of any age group’. That is a shocking statistic, which can be easily avoided if we as family members, friends or work colleagues do one simple thing. Just ask: ‘How are you doing?’ It’s amazing how just asking ‘how’ someone is and showing you actually care can make a real difference to someone’s day.
So lets just say that you have a friend whom you have known for years. Something is not right, but you are not sure what is going on or how you can help. There are some relatively ‘standard’ signs that someone could possibly be suffering from depression. These are:
- Becoming socially withdrawn
- Falling in their performance at school (or at work)
- Engaging in risk taking behaviour
- Engaging in drug and alcohol abuse
(Black Dog Institute, 2014).
If your friend demonstrates any of these signs, what can you do then??
The first step is to ‘talk’ to them and see if they will open up to you. Hopefully this is enough and they will confide in you that they just aren’t coping well with life. From here you can suggest various ‘support’ services, which could possibly help them. If they do not confide in you, you are best to speak with a guidance counselor (at school), or their parents. Just letting someone else know that you are concerned about him or her, is a very VITAL step to helping. These people will then take control and implement the necessary actions to seek help for your friend.
The various support services available include:
- Black Dog Institute.com
- Beyond Blue.com
- Reach out.com
- Parents, friends, work colleagues
- Doctor (GP)
- School counselor
- Trusted teacher
So I suppose, at the end of the day there is one vital thing that YOU can do to help people (who are silently screaming for help). Ask at least ONE person/day ‘HOW’ they are, and if they are ‘OK’. Just asking those simple questions, could be the exact thing that person required to seek support. BE that helping hand, BE that support, just BE THERE.
