After a long and cold winter complete with several snow days, students collectively breathe a sigh of relief, glad to have some sunshine back in their lives. However, the winter months caused some others to fall into depression. This could lead to serious repercussions if the students are not treated.
The Central Times applauds the administration for its announcements, as well as the different student groups on campus that help students cope with their depression. We believe that raising awareness about depression and its symptoms through health classes and also through various teachers is a positive step in helping students overcome their depression. We also encourage the administration to follow up on these messages to emphasize that depression doesn’t just last for one day but that it can last for weeks and even years. Although all teenagers go through depressive streaks, some students become so regularly depressed that it profoundly affects other areas of their lives.
We believe that it is admirable for the school to address this issue on a school-wide basis and is handling the different situations extremely well. However, we would suggest that the administration use more serious and direct language than has been previously used. We feel that this would be more effective in conveying the severity of the problem and also the prevalence of depression.
We encourage students to seek help and support from friends, parents and staff members, whether it be a teacher or a social worker. The Central Times commends the work of the counselors and the social workers, and we think that the staff at Naperville Central is an important resource that students can freely utilize.
We commend the administration for sending out the Talk203 email message to all parents. We believe that it is important to make parents be aware that teenage depression is not just a “stage” but could be a serious medical condition that needs treatment. We also encourage students to be open with their parents and parents to be aware of the different resources that are available to help.
Even though there are resources available, the Central Times believes that it is up to the individual to seek help. Depression is difficult to detect because it is an emotional disorder, so the individual must seek help in order to recover if their depression is serious. We remind students that although teenagers are learning to become more independent through high school, it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help. There are support groups at school that help students deal with emotional issues. It is often helpful for students to see that they are not the only ones struggling, but that there are others and that there is a community that struggles together to overcome depression.
We implore students not to wait for someone else to ask them if they are depressed, but to take the initiative to tell someone. We believe that it is the students’ responsibility to help themselves, whether on their own, within their support circles or with the assistance of a professional.
The Central Times believes that a student’s mental well-being is important to lead a happy life. Although a high GPA and good grades are temporarily satisfying, we encourage students to look past the short-term benefits and to take care of themselves in all aspects, including their mental health. Just like a doctor is important to the process of physical healing, we believe that parents, friends, and the staff are also important to the process of mental healing. We remind students that there are methods to overcome these difficulties. It is never too late to seek help.