HCPC explores relationship between depression, drugs and alcohol
On the outside, Michigan teen Bryce Mackie seemed to have it all; good grades, a beautiful girlfriend, an accomplished tennis game for a high school teen.
However, on the inside, his life was meaningless, he looked forward to nothing, and thoughts of escaping this life tormented him.
Mackie was suffering from depression, although he had no idea he was, nor did he have any idea where to turn, other than to drugs.
“I’d wake up in the morning and be disappointed that I woke up,” said Mackie in his film. “No one ever informed me about depression. Nobody told me how bad it is. No one told me what kids need to know about killing themselves. I was lost.”
However, Mackie was one of the fortunate ones. He found an answer, and now he is part of the solution. Mackie travels to schools around the nation talking to youth about alternatives to depression that don’t include drugs, alcohol and at worst, suicide.
“Sometimes you can’t tell on the outside if someone is truly happy or not,” said Mackie. “And meds, those are for kids who are weak, right? That isn’t the truth. If that medication helps, take it, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Depression is not a weakness, it is an illness. All I want to do now is to help tell kids about depression and how they can beat it.”
Mackie spoke about how important communication between parents and youth is. He also talks about how running away from problems by using drugs and alcohol gets nowhere, but only adds to the depression. He suggests talking to someone, anyone, from friends to parents, clergy, teachers... anyone who will listen as a friend who will help find an answer.
His story, sadly, is not an uncommon one. Annually in the U.S., nearly 13 million to 14 million people experience a depressive disorder and, of those, only 20 percent will receive adequate treatment.
With statistics like that in mind, members of the Holmes County Prevention Coalition met on Thursday, March 24, and watched Mackie’s short film on depression before talking in-depth about how the disease and drugs and alcohol are intertwined.
“Our mission is focused on reducing the use of alcohol and drug abuse in the county, and those two things play a tremendous role in the end result of depression,” said Midge Roberts, coalition director. “As a coalition, what is our responsibility, and what can we do to help? What do we need to do so that we are providing information to help combat depression in our fight against drugs and alcohol?”
Joy Stitzlein, of the Your Human Resource Counseling Center in Millersburg, said that there is no doubt that drugs and alcohol play an integral role in the lives of those suffering from depression. She has seen her fair share of teen depression, and offers local health classes that deal directly with the illness. The center also offers teen depression screenings and a checklist. For those who score high, their parents are called and the teens are referred for further evaluation. She also added that there is a suicide coalition in the county for those considering that as an option to end their pain and anguish.
“It’s hard for people to admit that their children are suffering from depression,” said Stitzlein, “and that they aren’t simply going through some normal teenage tendency.”
Stitzlein said that depression can occur for no apparent reason, and onset can come from anything from genetics to outside influences from the environment.
Mark Leinbach, a clinician at Your Human Resource Center, said that while depression can step into someone’s life in a heartbeat, getting rid of it is not nearly as easy. Much of that is because those suffering from the illness tend to try to keep it a secret, fearing embarrassment and becoming an outcast in society. Parents and loved ones of those suffering from depression who may be aware of it are often afraid of what others might think, and also are oftentimes unaware of where they can turn to for help.
“Depression will often be seen as a weakness rather than the illness that it is,” said Leinbach. “This is stereotypically a hard-working community where people keep a lot to themselves, and that is detrimental to letting other people know about depression issues. One thing parents need to understand is that depression and anxiety disorders aren’t just an adolescent phase. It needs to be talked about and brought out in the open in order to begin getting it under control.”
Stitzlein said that it is comforting to know that there are things being done on the local level to deal with depression and anxiety issues. She said that when parents are contacted about their children’s depression tendencies, the majority of them do take action in seeking treatment.
She also said that in addition to working closely with the families, they also keep school guidance counselors informed so they can stay on top of the situation as well. Students must get permission to be screened, but Stitzlein said that the majority do so, sometimes as high as 80 percent. She said that the follow-up is just as important as the initial diagnosis, because those suffering from depression need to know they have support.
“It’s important for those suffering from depression to know that they are not alone,” said Stitzlein.
Although alcohol and drug abuse, as well as prescription drug abuse and marijuana use have been the focal point for the coalition members, they are now extending beyond, and delving into some of the issues related to those drug and alcohol use issues.
“Bryce was very clear on his film that drugs and alcohol played a very important part in trying to change his life,” said Roberts. “And they didn’t work. So I throw this out to the coalition: What can we do? We may not have an answer now, but it is something worth exploring. We need to process this and figure out how we can make a positive impact in this area, especially with our teens.”
However, on the inside, his life was meaningless, he looked forward to nothing, and thoughts of escaping this life tormented him.
Mackie was suffering from depression, although he had no idea he was, nor did he have any idea where to turn, other than to drugs.
“I’d wake up in the morning and be disappointed that I woke up,” said Mackie in his film. “No one ever informed me about depression. Nobody told me how bad it is. No one told me what kids need to know about killing themselves. I was lost.”
However, Mackie was one of the fortunate ones. He found an answer, and now he is part of the solution. Mackie travels to schools around the nation talking to youth about alternatives to depression that don’t include drugs, alcohol and at worst, suicide.
“Sometimes you can’t tell on the outside if someone is truly happy or not,” said Mackie. “And meds, those are for kids who are weak, right? That isn’t the truth. If that medication helps, take it, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Depression is not a weakness, it is an illness. All I want to do now is to help tell kids about depression and how they can beat it.”
Mackie spoke about how important communication between parents and youth is. He also talks about how running away from problems by using drugs and alcohol gets nowhere, but only adds to the depression. He suggests talking to someone, anyone, from friends to parents, clergy, teachers... anyone who will listen as a friend who will help find an answer.
His story, sadly, is not an uncommon one. Annually in the U.S., nearly 13 million to 14 million people experience a depressive disorder and, of those, only 20 percent will receive adequate treatment.
With statistics like that in mind, members of the Holmes County Prevention Coalition met on Thursday, March 24, and watched Mackie’s short film on depression before talking in-depth about how the disease and drugs and alcohol are intertwined.
“Our mission is focused on reducing the use of alcohol and drug abuse in the county, and those two things play a tremendous role in the end result of depression,” said Midge Roberts, coalition director. “As a coalition, what is our responsibility, and what can we do to help? What do we need to do so that we are providing information to help combat depression in our fight against drugs and alcohol?”
Joy Stitzlein, of the Your Human Resource Counseling Center in Millersburg, said that there is no doubt that drugs and alcohol play an integral role in the lives of those suffering from depression. She has seen her fair share of teen depression, and offers local health classes that deal directly with the illness. The center also offers teen depression screenings and a checklist. For those who score high, their parents are called and the teens are referred for further evaluation. She also added that there is a suicide coalition in the county for those considering that as an option to end their pain and anguish.
“It’s hard for people to admit that their children are suffering from depression,” said Stitzlein, “and that they aren’t simply going through some normal teenage tendency.”
Stitzlein said that depression can occur for no apparent reason, and onset can come from anything from genetics to outside influences from the environment.
Mark Leinbach, a clinician at Your Human Resource Center, said that while depression can step into someone’s life in a heartbeat, getting rid of it is not nearly as easy. Much of that is because those suffering from the illness tend to try to keep it a secret, fearing embarrassment and becoming an outcast in society. Parents and loved ones of those suffering from depression who may be aware of it are often afraid of what others might think, and also are oftentimes unaware of where they can turn to for help.
“Depression will often be seen as a weakness rather than the illness that it is,” said Leinbach. “This is stereotypically a hard-working community where people keep a lot to themselves, and that is detrimental to letting other people know about depression issues. One thing parents need to understand is that depression and anxiety disorders aren’t just an adolescent phase. It needs to be talked about and brought out in the open in order to begin getting it under control.”
Stitzlein said that it is comforting to know that there are things being done on the local level to deal with depression and anxiety issues. She said that when parents are contacted about their children’s depression tendencies, the majority of them do take action in seeking treatment.
She also said that in addition to working closely with the families, they also keep school guidance counselors informed so they can stay on top of the situation as well. Students must get permission to be screened, but Stitzlein said that the majority do so, sometimes as high as 80 percent. She said that the follow-up is just as important as the initial diagnosis, because those suffering from depression need to know they have support.
“It’s important for those suffering from depression to know that they are not alone,” said Stitzlein.
Although alcohol and drug abuse, as well as prescription drug abuse and marijuana use have been the focal point for the coalition members, they are now extending beyond, and delving into some of the issues related to those drug and alcohol use issues.
“Bryce was very clear on his film that drugs and alcohol played a very important part in trying to change his life,” said Roberts. “And they didn’t work. So I throw this out to the coalition: What can we do? We may not have an answer now, but it is something worth exploring. We need to process this and figure out how we can make a positive impact in this area, especially with our teens.”
Published: April 1, 2011
