“Depression is like a black filter over your mind. It swallows you up and never lets you go.” –Rebecca Grant, Junior at Woodland Regional.

When it comes to depression, there are a million different definitions. The medical definition of depression is “a serious  condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and is often unable to live in a normal way.”

People who are depressed often feel sadness that takes control over their mind and body. It’s a persistent stage of sadness or irritability. Depression is also capable of making someone feel so sad they don’t care about the things they used to be interested in, such as their daily activities.

Sometimes, with depression comes weight gain or loss, anxiety, or sometimes even self-harm or suicidal thoughts.

“When people are depressed, they tend to not have enough energy, and keep either overeating or don’t eat enough,” explained Woodland guidance counselor, Mrs. Murdy, and school social worker, Mrs. Burns.

Depression knows no limits, it can be found in teens and adults. However, according to the school guidance counselor ,Mrs. Murdy, teens are more commonly found to have suicidal thoughts than that of an adult. Teens are faced with stressful situations such as dealing with school, sports, and the right group of friends to hang out with. Unlike adults, teenagers are living in a world where they are trying to find themselves. That process can become difficult while faced with constant stress and a negative state of mind.

Depression can be caused by social pressures, relationship struggles, school pressure, family problems, or even just pressure to make future plans. You must not let these thoughts get your mind set that everything in the world is bad or never going to be positive. When faced with this, people should find someone to get help out of this stage. They should talk to someone who is trustworthy and who they can openly talk to without having to hold back emotions. But also remember, even if you are not the one depressed but instead a bystander watching in the crowds, maybe change that. Sometimes, the negative things students say about people that are thought to be nothing can be just the little push that sends someone over the edge. Try to be understanding, and a person they can confide in. Lead them to the resources offered in the school like our guidance counselors, or lead them to a teacher they trust.

When asking Mr. Ogren what advice he could give the students to look at the positives in the future, he gave a quote his father told him, “When something happens, sometimes think, will it matter in five minutes, five hours, five days, five weeks, or how about in five years?”