The following speech was delivered by Rebecca Leetham, crew officer with Young Beyond Blue as part of our presentations of the Young Eco-speaker award at the National Greenbuild and Eco-show in Sydney in June.

Beyond Blue is a national depression awareness campaign

Good Morning ladies and gentlemen, mums, dads and all the kids out there. My name is Bec and I am from Beyond Blue’s youth program: YBBlue.

For those who aren’t aware of Beyond Blue, Beyond Blue is the national depression initiative that was created with the help of the state and federal governments to raise awareness of depression, anxiety and related disorders within the community.

Beyond Blue works in partnerships with health services, schools, workplaces, universities, and media and community groups and not to mention those suffering from those suffering from the disorder to break-down the barriers and stigma associated with depression.

As a member of the YBBlue Crew, a youth program targeted to the 18-25 year olds, we attend conferences, schools, and community forums and media groups to share of our experiences and to raise awareness about the illness and how it can affect everyone from the individual to the community as a whole.

We also aim to raise awareness by saying to the community that it is OK to suffer from the illness and that there is no need to hide behind its ugly face, because 1 in 5 Australians, and 1 in 3 Australian adolescence will suffer from depression in their life.

So why did I choose to get involved?
Well, I have been suffering from depression on and off since I was 12.
When my parents separated, I like a lot of children, blamed it on myself. However, it was not until year 10 that we realised something was wrong. I was a victim of school yard bullying, spending my lunches going from group to group, and I didn’t even turn up to my year 10 school photos, because I didn’t think that anyone would want me in their photos.
Since then, I have good years and not so good years. It was not until last year that I was hospitalised for depression, and on my discharge I said that I wanted to help those that aren’t as fortunate as me. Because I sought help, but there are many who don’t.

So, what is depression?
Depression is a serious medical illness which leaves a person feeling sad or miserable most of the time, making it difficult for them to cope from day to day activities.

What are the possible causes of depression?
There are many possible causes of depression in adolescents and these may include:
• Loss of a family member
• Breakdown of a relationship
• Parents separating or getting a divorce
• Home environment
• Peer pressure and peer acceptance
• Bullying
• Substance abuse including marijuana
• Cultural differences
• Pressure on one’s self or by family– with school or sport

Can different environmental issues play a part in developing depression?

Definitely, in an article written by Burns, Andrews and Szabo of Beyond Blue it was noted that poor interpersonal skills coupled with negative thoughts can cause havoc with adolescence negotiating changing relationships, trying to fit in together with trying to succeed in a competitive academic and social environment. Now does that sound familiar?

It was also noted that recurrent bullying or victimisation in year 8 predicts symptoms of depression in year 9, especially for girls.

It was also noted that the home environment can play another significant factor in adolescent depression. Teenagers with a depressed parent are 4 times more likely to develop the disorder.

From the study, it was concluded that the risk factors for depression lie within the adolescent environment, as does the way teenagers understand that environment.

In order to minimise the risk of developing depression there needs to be an adoption of school based programs which focus on strengthening the interpretation of hardship. There also needs to be more emphasis on encouraging young people to get involved in community and school based activities and acknowledging them with positive recognition for getting involved.

In a study done in the US, it was concluded that people living in a poor quality built environment has been associated with a greater likelihood of depression.

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms include, but are not limited to:
• Sleeping too much or difficulty in sleeping
• Lack of energy
• Withdrawn from activities with friends or sport
• Lack of concentration
• Increased alcohol consumption and risk taking behaviour, including drugs
• Negative thoughts including thinking that they are a failure
• Feelings of frustration, indecisiveness, overwhelmed
• Attempts of self harm in extreme cases

For me, I slept a lot – to a point of nearly 16 hours a day; I lost my appetite, but my weight yo-yoed; I lost interest in sport and netball, something I have loved since I was 8; I was constantly overwhelmed with everything, and my poor time management skills never helped.

So what can I do?
If you believe that a friend or a family member is showing symptoms of depression, DON’T tell them to “Get over it” or “Snap out of it”, because this may put them into a downward spiral.

So the best thing to do;
• Talk to them or
• Listen to them as all they may want to do is get it all out.
• Spend time with them – go to the movies, have a coffee
• Suggest going to their local GP, even if that means going with them
• Helping them in finding out more about depression, especially on the internet.

My friends and family are so important to my recovery. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here. They let me talk when I need to and they help me see things in a way that I wouldn’t.

If you feel that these symptoms sound similar to you, the best thing is to talk to someone about it. Don’t bottle it up. Speak to a friend or a family member.

If you feel that you can’t speak to them, go to a GP or the school counsellor, because they are there to help you out.

If you just want to talk, even if it means remaining anonymous, call Lifeline or Kids Help Line. Here trained counsellors are there to take calls.

What other resources are available?
Other resources that are available are through your local GP or community health centre or through the internet, where everyone remains anonymous. These internet sites include:
• www.kidshelpline.com.au
• www.reachout.com.au – where there are interactive games involving teen issues
• www.itsallright.org
• www.beyondblue.org.au
• www.ybblue.com.au

So I would like to congratulate all those who participated in the Young Eco Speaker Award for 2006, to those who made the finals and those who did not.
As you can see the social environment plays a large impact on the youth of today’s society.

Posted by kurityityin in HOME - current news