Depression / Question
Published: June 21, 2001
Dear TeenHealthFX,
For the past few months I've been feeling really depressed and I don't know why. Before all this started, I was really happy, but all of a sudden I started having mood swings where I'd be so sad I'd just stay in my room and sleep for hours, so I wouldn't have to deal with anything. A couple of months ago, I started to starve myself, and after bringing my nearly 5'10 frame down to below 125 lbs. and a few days where I didn't do anything, my parents brought me to doctors and psychiatrists and everything, and I started to eat again. They said that since I screwed up my metabolism so bad that when I started to eat I would gain weight because my body wasn't used to food. Four weeks and 9 lbs. later, my parents have slacked off on keeping me updated with my doctor, and they are never home. When they are, and I'm sad, they tell me "I'm ungrateful" and to "just get over it" and I "drive them crazy." I feel like I can't control anything, I'm just so stressed and sad, and I started to not eat again. I don't know what to do, I feel like I can't ask them for help because my problems are menial to them. Please help!
Signed: Depressed & Starving Myself
Dear Depressed & Starving Myself,
FX is very concerned about you and how you must be hurting inside. It must be very difficult for you to feel like you cannot ask for help from your parents and to be so depressed. It seems that you have tried going to your parents about this, but you feel like they are not hearing you. You still need to ask for help!
You need help from your parents or some other adult who can assist you in finding the right professional help. Depression and eating disorders are treated by therapists, medical doctors, and psychiatrists, often working as a team to help people to become emotionally and physically healthy. If you feel like you cannot go to your parents, then try talking to someone else such as your pediatrician, a school guidance counselor, school nurse or a teacher. Tell them what you have told TeenHealthFX and that you need professional help. They can link you up to the services you need.
In addition, if you live in Northern New Jersey, you can call Atlantic Behavioral Health's, 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at (973) 540.0100. You can also call the Eating Disorders Program of Atlantic Health System at (908) 522-5757. If you live outside of New Jersey, you can call the National Hope Hotline at 1(800) SUICIDE. Sometimes these thoughts and feelings of sadness and depression can make you feel like you want to hurt yourself. If you are at this point or feel out of control with your feelings and cannot deal with life or are in danger of hurting yourself, please call one of the above numbers or 911.
Teens and young adults do suffer from sadness and mood swings, but yours seem pretty severe. You are not alone, many teenagers become depressed and need help. Matter of fact, some forms of depression have a biological basis that often begins to show up during the teen years. This does not mean that you will feel this sad all of your life. Through therapy and maybe medication, you can work through your thoughts and feelings. This can help you to feel better over time.
Your not eating, sleeping a lot, wanting to be alone and feeling out of control is a way of demonstrating how sad you are feeling. Starving yourself, one sign of an eating disorder, is usually related to having a low self-esteem. It is also fairly common for people with eating disorders to have some signs of depression. TeenHealthFX believes that you are good and your life is worth it.
Get help immediately!
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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