Depression, Teens, and Facebook

by Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC

There are recent reports concerning whether teen Facebook users experience an increase in depression. Researchers disagree whether this is a new type of depression or an extension of existing forms of depression. Teens with low self-esteem, school stress and family stress are vulnerable to depressions. The number of friends they have on Facebook, their status -- as well as the status of their friends, and the constantly updated photos may add to a teen feeling self critical and not "popular" enough. It can also add to feeling ostracized, bullied, or teased.

Social networks help teens feel more connected. Social networks have become the place teens "hang out." However, if that teen does not feel like they measure up to other teens, it can become a world of loneliness and a constant reminder of perceived shortcomings. In extreme cases, suicide notes have been posted on Facebook, which demonstrate the powerful connection teens feel toward their virtual and real friends. Social networks offer teens a skewed view of the real world and they don't have the brain development to understand this is not the real world.

If the teen's family is not engaged with the teen, the social network takes on a much more potent place in the teen's world. In fact, it may become the child's only world. Pediatricians are now encouraging parent's to talk with their kids about being online and how to recognize depression caused by social media, cyber bullying, sexting and other online risks.

Ten signs your teen may be depressed:

1. Loss of interest in activities, hobbies and other things they used to be very interested in.

2. More isolated -- never see them with their friends anymore.

3. Sleeping all the time or up in the middle of the night because they cannot sleep.

4. A loss or increase in appetite.

5. Notable weight loss or gain.

6. Lethargic or flat mood.

7. More irritable or easily frustrated.

8. A downward trend in grades.

9. Not wanting to go to school.

10. Weepy, labile moods.

If you see any of these signs with your teen and they last more than two weeks, it is time to talk to your teen and make an appointment with your pediatrician for an evaluation of depression. Depression is insidious and many times teens won't know they are depressed until the depression lifts. Depression can kill, but it is also curable.

About the Author;
 
Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist and co-author with Janine J. Sherman, of Start Talking: A Girl's Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex or Whatever. Read more about the book at http://www.starttalkingbook.com/ and more about Rapini at http://www.maryjorapini.com/.

10 Family-Friendly Humour Sites

Do you get burned out at work? Do you find yourself looking at the clock only to look again 3 seconds later thinking that surely it is 10 minutes later? Does your office job leave you drained? Perhaps you need to add a laugh break along with your daily coffee break. Studies show that a good deep belly laugh, where you laugh from way down inside, long and loud is as beneficial as sleep. Here are some fun sites where you can get your dose of laughter to make it through the day.

So sit back, relax and give yourself the gift of laughter. Best of all, these sites are family-friendly.

1)  http://m0smith.freeshell.org/blog-humor/blogger.html will give you jokes, video clips, anecdotes and all sorts of snippets to laugh at. Enjoy the variety you can find at this site for clean jokes.

2)  http://www.brianregan.com/ Follow his tour and find out what the well known family comedian, Brian Regan is up to lately. Looking for a specific joke or skit from this laugh master? Click on the “Find Brian Online You Tube” segment. You’re sure to have a laugh and a half.

3)  http://www.ahajokes.com/ lists scores of jokes by category for your enjoyment. Look jokes up by subject or subscribe to get the Joke of the Day, Funny Picture of the Day, Fun Download of the Day, Funny Audio of the Day and Funny Video of the Day.

4)  http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/ Check out their archives for all sorts of funnies. Enjoy bits by Red Skelton and others. Enjoy the good grins you will get all over your face as you read this good clean fun. Enjoy!

5)  http://www.allcleanhumor.com/ Find trivia, funny newspaper headlines, and a heap of fun pages for your and your family to laugh at each day. You’re sure to get a kick out of all you will find here.

6)  http://www.todaysseniors.com/pages/Clean_Jokes.html will point you to clean and funny cartoon pictures, trips down memory lane and words of wisdom. You will like knowing you will find family appropriate jokes on this site.

7)  http://www.clean-jokes-and-humor.com/ Gives you family-appropriate limericks, jokes, poems and laughs galore. Let a good laugh brighten your perspective and get you through the day.

8)  http://www.cleanjoke.com/ Find joke after joke after joke on this plentiful site. You can look up the humor by topic, newest, most viewed and overall best jokes.

9)  http://www.jokesclean.com/ has a plethora of tidbits to amuse you and your family. Click on their section of optical illusions, check out their free jigsaw puzzles, find car games for the next time you take a family trip, and so much more on this expansive site.

10)  http://www.funnycleanjokes.com/ will tickle your funny bone. Get jokes you can tell your kids, use their email smileys in your next email to a friend and enjoy their clean jokes and funny true stories.

Now that you've taken a dose of good, wholesome laughter, don’t you just feel better? Visit these sites when you feel down or blue and you’re sure to be cheered up in no time at all.

About the Author:

Margo Smith graduated with a B.S. degree from BYU. Working through college and being in the corporate world gives her a great deal to say about subjects as diverse as employee motivation to, online schooling, to kite making - Check out her web site at; http://www.classesandcareers.com/