Saturday, August 16, 2008

Teens and Depression

With the ever pressing demands on teens nowadays, there has been a rise in teenage depression. No matter what the cause, there has to be an assemblance of adults with accurate information to share with them, to help them cope with all the pressures life will bring them. There are going to be a vast number of teens peers who will want to pick on and criticize folks who usually do not have the ability to fight back. I do not mean physically either. Kids pick on ones and bully the kids who they think they can just push around verbally and emotionally without any resistance. If you are a teen who has this problem OR know someone who does, there are certain skills which can be learned, to be able to put these people in their place and let them move on to go bother someone else. It is a very sick and twisted way of thinking. First, to think about doing this to other more unfortunate youths and then consciously go out and aggravate someone as though it was a sport, is downright, sick, mean, bullish and cowardly. We all need to help our peers and not sit by and watch because if that were a sibling of yours I guarantee the humor would go out of it really fast. IF you may know someone who is now going through this, we can provide a phone link which would be totally confidential by dialing *67 first to block the number which you are calling from. That would free you up to speak with me, as I have worked a confidential hotline for 20 years and have dealt with as many different sensitive situations you can think of. I have lost many people in my life to suicide--two teens especially and I do not want to loose one more person. In the darkest of moments there are ways we can find to cope with whatever is going on and we can identify resources if you like to contact. ALL your choice every step of the way. I do not want to know who you are. Make up a first name to refer to you and we can talk. I just want to know that you would trust a voice on the other end of a phone line who says he cares and you would be willing to talk WITH, not that you will be talked at or down to, so we can find the very solutions that are being clouded at the moment. Here is my personal cell# to call if you need to reach out and hear a calming voice, to work through whatever may be complicating your life. No strings attached. Sounds like a good deal to me. 239-253-6600. I will await your call and please know someone cares about what you are going through. I wish you Godspeed and if you get my voicemail just say "this is Jim or Linda and need to talk, I will call you back in 5 minutes". That will let me know you are in a desparate situation and will be ready for your call. Know my heart rides with you!!!