Expert gives key symptoms that may signal a problem

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EXPERT GIVES KEY SYMPTOMS THAT MAY SIGNAL A PROBLEM

August 6, 2000

There are many critical times in a child's life. At age 1, most children learn to walk. By age 6, most have started school. By 7, most are learning to read.

According to Dr. Barbara Herman, age 15 also is critical. But unlike other ages, which come with happy milestones, age 15 "is the killer" -- it's when teens are most likely to seek help from a mental health professional.

Herman is a psychologist who specializes in child and adolescent psychology. Clinical depression, she said, is when someone is really, really sad about life. Most of the time, it is triggered by a loss in that person's life. It could be a boyfriend or girlfriend, a family member or even a pet. The severity of the situation often corresponds with the severity of the depression.

How can you tell if someone you know is suffering?

Symptoms include sadness, anxiety, restlessness, eating and sleeping problems, lack of energy, or aches and pains that do not respond to treatment, Herman said. Others hide their sadness by being irritable, aggressive, hyperactive or disruptive.

Other signs to look for in teens, according to Herman, include:

Dropping grades.

Intense sadness lasting more than two weeks.

Complete loss of parental control.

Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed.

Desire to be alone most of the time.

Use of alcohol or drugs.

What should people do if they believe a friend is suffering from depression? Herman says the first step is to identify the problem. Denial is common with depression, because the victim does not want to be looked down upon or thought to be crazy.

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Briana Hansen, 14; Melissa Tuckman, 14.

REPORTER: Katie Lootens, 12

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