Discussion:Adolescence – a Transitional Stage

Adolescence is a transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. It involves physical changes, psychological changes and development. On the other hand, depression is where a person feels low in mood and repulsion to activities which affect someone’s sense of well-being, feelings, thoughts and behaviour. There are many signs and symptoms contributing to adolescence depression. They include; change of behaviour and attitude. This is evident from problems emerging from school going children. There is also evidence from social activities and home or other sectors of life. You find that these teenagers tend to change their usual behaviour which eventually cause significant distress and problems. Most of these behavioural changes are; poor school performance and absenteeism from school. There is also tiredness, loss of energy, socially disturbed such that they tend to isolate themselves from people, there is regular complaints of headaches and other body aches leading to regular visits to nurse, they develop dangerous and disruptive behaviour, others start using drugs, there is also changes in appetite such that others loose appetite and finally, there is increased cravings for certain food leading to weight loose or weight gain.

Discussion:Adolescence – a Transitional Stage

Discussion:Adolescence – a Transitional Stage

Discussion:Adolescence – a Transitional Stage

In addition there are also emotional signs which include; loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities, there is low self-esteem, there is increased sensitivity to failure and rejection, there is the feeling of hopeless, feeling sad causing them to cry for no reason, there is thoughts of death, others think of committing suicide and feeling worthless and guilt. There are many methods of preventing teenage depression. They are divided into three categories that is; primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention. These methods are discussed n the following three paragraphs.

Primary prevention

basically is practised at home. Normally administered by parents or guardians. The prevention involves parents or guardians talking and listening to their children. They should encourage the children to get involved in activities and programs that shape and build their behaviour and coping with their stress. Parents and guardians should get involved in the same activities as this will build the bond and reduce the emotions to teenagers. Moreover, the children will open up their problems, sharing them with their parents hence, making the parents and guardians their role models and partners in their time of need and help.

Secondary prevention aims at reducing the effects and impacts of already existing behaviours. It is basically practised by treating the behaviour and practices on the teenagers as soon as possible so as to stop the damage and mend the already ruined behaviour. This is done to prevent the long term or the eminent threat that may occur to the teenager for example; the imminent suicide, addiction of drugs and bad behaviour.

Tertiary prevention involves hospitalization of the extreme bad behaviour, these includes psychological and medical therapy to the child or teenager (Bridge, Kolko & Brent, 2003). The affected person may also be taken to a rehabilitation centre to reduce the setback and reoccurrence the behaviour. This prevention includes modifying the risk factors so that it can accommodate room for recovery. The main aim for this prevention is to enable and give back the person his/ her ability to see that life is worth living

Dealing with adolescence depression has been sensitised such that there are available resources to educate the affected teenagers. It is provided in education curriculum and is being taught on how to get involved in activities that reduce the depression. Given an example; parents and community are being advised to get more involved and work together in order to promote the well-being and health of students in the school. This encourage family and community to promote the good behaviours and healthy family relations. The community will be able to follow the progress of all the students and pupils on their academics and changes in their behaviours recommending solutions for every issue arising. There are also resources available on the internet regarding the stages on every child’s growth and how to deal with certain behaviours arising along the way. These gives guidelines and steps taken by each guardian and parent to take the necessary step in any arising behaviour amongst their children. The nursing intervention that can be used in order to assist an adolescent that is depressed is offering the victim with psychosocial treatments.

References

Bridge, J. A., Kolko, D. J., & Brent, D. A. (2003). for Adolescent Depression. depression (editorial), 33, 959-967.

Birmaher, B., Ryan, N. D., Williamson, D. E., Brent, D. A., Kaufman, J., Dahl, R. E., … & Nelson, B. (2006). Childhood and adolescent depression: a review of the

past 10 years. Part I. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(11), 1427-1439.

 

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