Azpeitia 1

Nellely Azpeitia

Ms.Gardner

English Honors Period 4

9 May 2017

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

When it all started, I was the first one to realize what was going on: not her teachers, not her

boyfriend, and especially not our parents. It was so crystal clear that my sister at age 17 struggled to wake

up in the mornings, could anyone not see she was depressed? Then the day came that this discovery of

mine finally reached my parents, but it was harsh, like a slap in the face. She had been going to therapy

for a while now but only because my mother thought we needed it after her sickness. The therapist asked

several questions about self harm and suicidal thoughts, asking if she would be safe, which my sister

answered with, I dont know what will happen in the future. This immediately alarmed the therapist as

my sister's response sounded like she could hurt herself. Ultimately, a policeman drove her up to a

hospital where she was guarded for one night, they would have taken her to a psychology center if she

had not convinced them that she would be safe. After a few months, the sadness she always carried

seemed to weaken, but if she had not spoken out, then perhaps nobody else would notice. I would stand as

the only barrier from my sister and maybe suicide, or self harm. Would I even be enough? Depression is

feelings of immense sadness that can potentially result in different scenarios. Teens struggle with

depression on a daily basis and deal with their emotions in a variety of ways. It affects teenagers life

immensely, in school and out of it. They can reach a point where suicide becomes an option and there

isnt just loss of a face of the future, but also a daughter, a son, a friend. It not only affects that single

individual, but the family and people around them. Even though the topic of depression is globally

known, there has been no drastic action in order to uncover the conversation of suicide and depression,

educate society on the threatening issue, and directly help teens with their emotional struggle.

At first glance, many adults would recommend leaving the topic of depression alone because it

could result in an increase of depressed teens. There are some who argue that if the conversation of
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depression became so normalized, and suicides were publicated on the media, it can result in a higher

percentage rate of teens depressed. For example, this is supported by many who are working to prevent

suicides that say that news media should resist stories on individual suicides (Hesman). As depression

could ultimately turn into some sort of trend, reported suicides could then possibly result in copycat

suicides. This controversial issue became highly discussed and popular recently with the emergence of the

Netflix original show Thirteen Reasons Why that deals with depression and suicide. The series depicts

suicide as a reasonable response to a set of challenges that anybody might experience, and lays it at the

feet of other people, argues The Guardian columnist Zoe Williams , Its wrong from so many angles

that its almost as if it were devised as a training manual for how not to use suicide as a plot point(qtd. in

Williams). Overall, some believe the issue must remain inclosed in order to protect children from

anything that could spark a suicidal or depressive thought. It is true that there is great uncertainty on

whether the action of releasing suicide stories should occur or if the topic should even be discussed at all.

However, there must be more action taken upon for depressed teenagers: help directly, bring awareness,

and educate society.

The supporters of leaving and changing the state of depression both want to better the life of the

depressed youth. Indeed, leaving alone the topic of depression may help those who are depressed;

however, the simple act of bringing awareness can save lives rather than just leaving the illness alone.

There are so many suicides each day, so many students sit in desks with tormenting thoughts and no one

knows. For instance, in Tacoma, a 13-year-old girl killed herself last year by jumping off a bridge onto

Interstate 5 and across the U.S., 1 in 9 adolescents ages 12 to 17 had at least one major depressive episode

in the last year (Hotakainen). A girl only thirteen years old took her own life. This would come as a shock

to society, except there have been younger kids who have killed themselves but the media does not

publicate it. These two important realities are ignored, there is not enough awareness when there could be,

especially on the internet that today holds an exceptional power. Actor of Thirteen Reasons Why Brandon

Flynn discloses, People are talking about it because it's something that isn't talked about. Suicide is a

taboo subject, especially suicide among youth. Everyone thinks that their kid lives these quaint and
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normal lives in school(qtd. in Porreca). Awareness is key and the show Thirteen Reasons Why, good or

bad, has brought the conversation of suicide and depression to parents. If such a simple act can be

undertaken, society must react now.

Nevertheless, to be able to understand depression, society first will have to be educated on the

facts concerning the subject. To illustrate, many depressed teens struggle with suffering that can lead to

poorer physical health, school failure, social difficulties and, for some, suicide; and from 2005 to 2014,

the prevalence of depression increased significantly among 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States

(Chung). This depicts the effects on a depressed teen that many are unaware of. In order for a person to

help someone who is struggling, there must be a clear understanding of the subject firstfacts. The

numbers of depressed teens is increasing, skyrocketing. It reveals that there is not enough being done

because depression is known about, but not understood. Also, suicide is the second leading cause of death

in adolescents 15 to 19, second only to accidents, but that rate, as opposed to the incidence of depression,

has actually been decreasing since the 1990s (Klass). Instead of the number decreasing over time, from

the very first time it was known that is was becoming an issue, the numbers keep increasing nonstop.

Parents are grieving, friends are crying, over the death of someone so young, so innocent that maybe,

perhaps could have been saved. Clearly, all of this information is not known by teachers, families, or

other unaffected or affected teens; however, if these facts and more were learned, then there could be a

greater chance to make a difference in the lives of those in pain. Therefore, society as a whole needs this

change, educationknowledge to prevent and support depression.

Regardless, when helping kids directly, it will demonstrate that simply ignoring depression will

not suffice. In particular, both antidepressant medication and cognitive-behavior therapy have enabled

many teenagers to focus on school and resume their lives (Wingert). There is also much controversy about

antidepressants for teenagers, but in the end they are created to help teens. If that is not fitting, therapy is

a start, somewhere where the depressed childrens parents can lead them. A simple conversation could

help. Additionally, even adults who make a career of working with kidsteachers, coaches and

pediatricianscan misread symptoms (Wingert). While parents and all these adult authorities are aware
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of depression, they can miss any signs and leave these kids in the dark. They should know in order for

them to be able to help them directly, and understand why these students are acting a certain way.

Students will be lectured or pressured to focus and work harder when in reality they can be dealing with

serious issues that teachers, counselors, and coaches do not know about. Feeling cared about by family, at

school, and by peers and generally feeling socially accepted by others is associated with lower rates of

depression among youth (King). If there is anything that society can do as a whole, it is to comfort these

students, children, grandchildren, friends. A simple hello, how are you doing? Or just a smile, a

compliment that can make them feel welcomed, just a moment, for them to realize that there is light at the

end of the tunnel. Therefore, if this type of action can occur, then some teenagers can live a more content

life without any suicidal thoughts or simply feel a little more happy in order for them to keep living.

Bringing depression to light, learning facts about depression, and aiding someone who is

suffering in person, are massive changes that are not occurring with the widely known subject of

depression and suicide. These are topics that can not be sugar coated, they are real, happening now. To the

girl next door, to the popular guy, or to the quiet kid sitting at the back of the class. It is a strong subject,

but just because it is scary or upsetting does not mean it should be ignored. Avoiding depression could

entrap the faces of the future in a dark emotional struggle, while also taking away the power of change

within society. If any of these changes, even a small fraction of one, were attained, then perhaps the life of

a once innocent child could be freed from the dark, self-destroying thoughts of depression.
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Works Cited

Chung, Richard J., and Allen Frances. &quot;Should all Teens be Screened for Depression?&quot;<i>

Wall Street Journal</i>, 11 Apr, 2016, pp. R.5<i>, SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a

href="https://sks.sirs.com" target="_blank">https://sks.sirs.com</a>.

Hesman, Tina, and Matthew Franck. &quot;Mysteries of the Teen Brain: What's Normal

Behavior..&quot;<i> St.Louis Post-Dispatch (St.Louis, MO)</i>, 11 Dec, 2005, pp.

A1+<i>, SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="https://sks.sirs.com"

target="_blank">https://sks.sirs.com</a>.

Hotakainen, Rob. &quot;Washington State Grapples with Teenage Suicides.&quot;<i> McClatchy

Washington DC News Bureau</i>, 04 Aug, 2016<i>, SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a

href="https://sks.sirs.com" target="_blank">https://sks.sirs.com</a>.

King, Keith A., and Rebecca A. Vidourek. &quot;Teen Depression and Suicide: Effective Prevention

and Intervention..&quot;<i> Prevention Researcher</i>, 2012, pp. 15-17<i>, SIRS

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Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="https://sks.sirs.com"

target="_blank">https://sks.sirs.com</a>.

Klass, Perri. &quot;Is a Teen Moody? Or Depressed?&quot;<i> New York Times</i>, 14 Feb, 2017,

pp. D.4<i>, SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="https://sks.sirs.com"

target="_blank">https://sks.sirs.com</a>.

Porreca, Brian. "'13 Reasons Why' Actor: The Netflix Drama Doesn't Glorify Suicide." The Hollywood

Reporter. N.p., 27 Apr. 2017. Web. 04 May 2017.

Williams, Zoe. "Netflix's 13 Reasons Why and the trouble with dramatising suicide." The Guardian.

Guardian News and Media, 26 Apr. 2017. Web. 04 May 2017.

Wingert, Pat, and Barbara Kantrowitz. &quot;Young and Depressed.&quot;<i> Newsweek</i>, Oct,

2002, pp. 52+<i>, SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="https://sks.sirs.com"

target="_blank">https://sks.sirs.com</a>.