Depression
Depression, Depression with Social Anxiety, and Self Harm
Depression: The Signs & Symptoms
- an overwhelming sadness
- feelings of hopelessness and desperation
- thoughts of harming oneself
- constantly worrying, intense anxiety; tension
- lack of happiness and enjoyment
- becoming tired easily
- thinking of suicide
Depression: Facts & Statistics
- 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression
- That's 5% of the population
- 11% of teens are affected by depression before the age of 18
- Women are 70% more likely to experience depression in their life than men
- 30% of college students report feeling depressed to a point where it disrupted their studies
- 50% of Americans with depression don't seek treatment
Depression with Social Anxiety
How to deal
Self Harm
Self Harm: Facts & Statistics
- 13% of young people try to harm themselves between the ages of 11 and 16
- Each year 1/5 females engaged in self harm and 1/7 males engaged as well
- Nearly 50% of people who self harm have been sexually abused
- About 50% of those who self harm start around the age of 14 and continue on until the age of 20
- Many who self harm report learning how to do so through friends or pro self injury websites
- Approximately 2 million cases are reported each year in the US
Getting Help
If you are self harming or thinking of doing so, the most important thing to do is to get help. While it may seem like a terrifying thing to do, or you may not want help, it is the only way you are going to get better. Talk to someone you trust about it and let them help you get what you need.
If you are not in a safe environment to get help or you cannot bring yourself to do so, find a way to distract yourself. Self harm is usually an act to deal with the emotional pain of life, so instead of taking out your pain on your body write down your feelings, go for a walk, even draw on yourself with markers if you need to have skin contact. If you are thinking of hurting yourself, a good alternative is to hold an ice cube. The cold will hurt but it will not harm you. While all of these things can keep you from self harming, the most sure way to stop is to ask for help, no matter how hard that may seem.
For those who know someone dealing with self harm:
Tips for you while helping someone who self harms are:
- Be calm and gentle. Someone is such a fragile state needs to be cared for. Yelling at them, showing disdain for their condition, or ignoring the problem only makes it worse.
- Deal with your own feelings. When someone tells you that they self harm you may feel shocked, confused, or even disgusted. You need to confront these feeling because that is the first step to helping the person who self harms.
- Learn about the problem. If you have distaste or even disgust for self harm, the most important thing to do is to learn about it. Try to understand why the person hurts themselves and what it's like to be a a situation where the only option seems to be to hurt yourself.
- Don't judge. Don't criticize the person or make rude, negative comments. The person who self harms is already feeling ashamed and alone, being judgmental only makes it worse.
- Offer support, not threats. It is your natural instinct to want to help and you can do so by being gentle, listening carefully, and finding a professional who can help. The way not to do it, is by threats and punishments.
- Encourage communication. Let the person know that you are here to talk at any time about any thing. Tell them that you want to understand what they are going through and that you want to help in any way you can.