Depression
& Low Self-Esteem
Souraya Al-Alaoui
American Community School
Mrs. Nada AbiSamra
English
9(1) Brevet
November 27, 2001
1.
Outline of Presentation 3
2.
Introduction 5
3.
Facts 6
- Failed Relationships
- Low self-esteem
- Depression
4.
Analysis 12
5.
Conclusion 14
6.
References 15
7.
Appendix 16
Written Presentation Outline
I. Depression and low self-esteem
A.
I chose this topic because
there are many failed relationships which cause many horrible outcomes, like
suicide, and I would like to acknowledge these problems and try to improve my
relationships with others so I can save them and myself from these attempts.
B.
1.
A large percent of people are
in good relationships, but sometimes something may go wrong, which damages the
relationship.
2.
There has been known to be a
large number of suicides caused by depression.
3.
The depression and low
self-esteem people feel is caused mostly by bad relationships.
4.
Over the years, people have under-estimated themselves and caused
themselves extreme unhappiness and depression, and a failed relationship could
have been a reason which led to this.
C. Facts
1.
Depression
a.
Causes of depression
b.
Teenage depression
c.
Suicide
d.
Alcohol and drug abuse
e.
Treatment
2.
Low self-esteem
a.
Causes of low self-esteem
b.
Effects
c. Treatment
3.
Failed Relationships
a.
Suicide for Love
b.
Bad relationships
c.
Divorce
D.
1.
Lebanon has very few suicidal
attempts
a.
People have good relationships
b.
They avoid causes of depression
c.
Don’t turn to alcohol and drugs
for treatment
2.
Retreating to suicide should
not be an option for a depressed person
a.
This would set an example for
children and adolescents
b.
They can join with other people
to pass through this phase, hence helping many others
c. The number of attempted and succeeded suicides
would decrease
3.
When depressed, people should
directly seek for help
a.
They would receive support and
help to put their life back together
b.
Help to cope with problems that
may cause further damage, and lead to extreme depression
c.
Resolve all issues that may
have cause this depression
E.
1. Depression is a very serious symptom
which is caused for many reasons, and one of them is failed relationships which
not only cause depression, but also cause low self-esteem.
1.
Depressed people may cause to
ruin a relationship
2.
Depression is dealt with the
wrong way
3.
People should not try to hold
it together and ignore all symptoms that may cause depression.
4.
There has been a number of
people who have been diagnosed and treated, and so they were healed.
Over
the years, people have developed great and meaningful relationships that may go
on for a long time. Those relationships fail, and there is no way to fix them.
These relationships cause a great deal of grief and pain. Most people try to
mend them, but when they fail, their grief builds up into depression.
Depression is a very serious issue, and if it is not treated it may lead to a
series of danger for that individual, like suicide. When people feel depressed,
and have low self-esteem, there is a large chance it might be from unsuccessful
relationships. Some people feel, that if a relationship goes wrong, then
everything else is wrong, and there is no reason for living, and there is no
solution for this grief. These people are wrong, it is never too late to be
treated, and healed. Although most may give up on themselves, they will have
people encouraging and supporting them, trying to get them through this
illness. Although keeping a good and healthy relationship takes a lot of time,
it is all worth it. People should not give up too quickly, they should give
each other, and the relationship they are building some time. When
relationships fail, it means that there is no trust or bond between both sides
of that relationship. People
have under-estimated themselves and caused themselves extreme unhappiness and
depression, and a failed relationship could have been a reason which led to
this.
Depression:
Causes
of Depression:
Sometimes
depression is caused after something very serious and traumatic like a divorce
in the family, death of someone special, financial problems, messed up home
life, or an end of a relationship with a boyfriend or girlfriend.Depression may
also be caused by illnesses, and for teens it is mostly caused by trouble, like
alcohol abuse, drug abuse, sex abuse, bad grades, or problems with family and
friends. There are many forms of depression like, sadness, disappointment,
loneliness, self-criticism, low self-concepts, guilt, shame, boredom,
tiredness, lack of interests, lack of meaning in life, etc…
Teenage
Depression
Depression
is popular among children and adolescents. There are about 5%of children and
teens suffering of depression. The children who have experienced a loss, or are
under stress, or have attentional learning conduct anxiety are most likely to
get depressed. Teenage girls are very vulnerable to depression, and so are
theyoung children. Now, depression became common among the young, and so did
suicide. They need to seek help when they are, always sad, and crying, or
hopeless, or loss of interest in enjoyable activities, or persistent boredom
and low energy, or extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, or more anger,
anxiety, and hostility, or having difficulties with relationships, or coping
with constant physical illness. These are a few of the symptoms that show if
the child needs help and treatments. Children need to be treated directly when
depression is noticeable.
Suicide:
Five
thousand American teenagers commit suicide every year. Everyday, about 18 kill
themselves, and every hour about 57 try to commit suicide. Teenage suicidal
behavior is mostly caused because of problems with self esteem, feelings of
failure, alienation, loneliness, lack of self-confidence, and low self-regard.
Another factor that arouses teen suicidal behavior is divorce. Many teen
suicidal are froma family of divorced parents, or are from homes with many
issues and problems.
Alcohol/Drug
Abuse:
Many
people are motivated and pressured into drinking, and the most pressuring is
the social behavior. The agent-host-environment model, stated that the specific
effects of alcohol, the characteristics ofthe drinker, and the nature of the
environment. Many environmental factors pressure people into drinking. Drinking
is very common in the media. It shows that if drinking, people become, popular,
sexually attractive, independent, strong, and courageous. Those are the
characteristics many of us would like to have, so they start drinking. It has
been shown that alcohol increases tension and anxiety. When people are
depressed, they sometimes deal with it by drinking, but this makes matters even
worse.
Treatments:
When people are depressed, they
need to get treatments. There are many ways of getting treated, like medicine
or psychotherapy. When treated by psychotherapy, the feelings are talked about
and a professional is there to change all that is contributing to the
depression. Doctors give antidepressant medications to also help treat the
person out of depression. After a few weeks, the person will feel much better,
and less depressed.
Causes
of Low self-esteem:
Self-esteem is based on the personal experiences of relationships that have built your life. When you have good healthy relationships, you are building your self-esteem, but when the relationship is bad, and you’ve had negative experiences with relationships, your self-esteem declines. All everyday experiences influence self-esteem. When you are being put down by your family, your self-esteem begins to drop. When being compared to others negatively by teachers, classmates, parents, friends, etc…will decrease self-esteem.
Effects:
When
a person has low self-esteem, and self-confidence, they become incapable of
doing anything, because they are convinced that they would not do it well.
Self-esteem builds character, but without self-esteem, people feel useless,
unconfident, and worthless. With low self-esteem, people get emotional, and
sensitive, because they have been put down and criticized too much to handle
any more, or, they will lack self-esteem.
Treatments:
To deal with and get over low self-esteem, the person should ignore what everyone else says about him, and focus about his own opinion and feelings about himself. Acknowledging the weaknesses and strengths, because everybody has both, so they should be accepted. When people believe in themselves, they begin setting goals which they hope to accomplish, and will be working toward achieving them. People need to take pride in themselves and what they so, even though it might not be a great deal. People always get influenced by others; so, to be more self-confident and have a higher level of self-esteem, people need to be surrounded by positive, supporting and happy people.
Failed
relationships:
Suicide
for Love:
Many couples are deeply in love, that they would risk anything just to stay together, they would even die together The famous Shakespearean story, “Romeo and Juliet” shows two people madly in love committing suicide to be with the other. Shockingly, “Romeo and Juliet” is not a story, many people have done what those two did, is it romance, I think not. Here is a Romeo and Juliet story. A 15-year-old girl, Angela James, and her boyfriend, a 14 year old, Gary Dean, had planned to commit suicide together. The couple made a suicide pact, and recorded it on a tape machine. The message went as follows, “Mom, Dad, I love you,” Angela said. “Don’t blame Gary for this, it wasn’t all his fault. Never forget my name or who I was.” After this message had been recorded, one of the couple picked up a .38-caliber pistol, and shot themselves. It is unknown what happened next, but police concluded that both died instantly from gunshot wounds to the head. Gary had been known to be a troubled boy, he was involved with white supremacist groups, and he flunked the 7th grade. Both Gary and Angela were worried that they might get separated because while he will still be in middle school, Angela would’ve graduated to high school. Angela had been trying to save Gary from his inner demons, she had known he was troubled when they met; that’s what she had told her mother, Robin Baldridge. Robin became worried that Angela would be involved in his problems, and what worried her more was that Angela has been caught cutting classes with him. Robin confronted Angela, and told her that she didn’t want her to get involved in his troubles, and Angela told her that she was trying to get him out of it. Angela had a conversation with her mother about Gary, and how she is worried about him. This conversation took place the night before, she had taken her life. The day of Angela’s suicide, before she left to school, she kissed her parents and said, “Goodbye, I love you.” That day, Angela and Gary cut classes, went to his house, recorded their good-bye message, and shot themselves. It is a surprise to everyone why Angela wanted to take her life away, she seemed like such a happy person, and nobody could think of a reason why she wanted to die.
Bad
Relationships:
Many people are involved in bad relationships, but they can never seem to get out of it, because they get addicted. A bad relationship, is when there is constant frustration, and disagreements. These relationships contain a lot of potential, but this potential is unreachable. The reason why people get addicted to these type of relationships, is because they would be in a relationship with someone who is unattainable. These relationships can demolish self-esteem and block the path to success of those who are improving in their careers or personal lives. When two people are in a bad relationship, they often have nothing in common, and they share little communication and enjoyment of each other. Physical harm and stress may be caused by remaining in a bad relationship. The tension and stress may lead to physical illness, and continuing this way will lead to the use of alcohol or drugs, or even an attempt of suicide. Although a lot of pain and misery comes out of these relationships, people find difficulties to get away from them, because they feel helpless.
Divorce:
Divorce is when
a married couple does not get along anymore, and they start having a bad
relationship, where they barley talk, and mainly argue, but never listen to
each other. They begin feeling unhappy around each other, and so, they both
agree to a divorce. Sometimes 
divorce
is a long process, to get agreed on everything, and getting the lawyers, and
waiting for a court date. Through the process of divorce, everyone profits, the
lawyers, judges, lawyers, counselors, child support enforcement employees, and
even the state government. Divorce may cause problems or depression to the
child of the now divorced couples. It may cause him confusion, and trouble, and
then he might go through depression. The parents should do everything to make
the child feel comfortable, and make it seem like everything is the same.
Lebanese
Situation:
In Lebanon, there is a very small number of suicides. Even though Lebanon is a small country, it still has its problems, but since everybody is on good terms with each other, there is rarely any major personal problems. Depression is avoided because there are a few factors found in the Lebanese way of living that may arouse depression. When people are depressed, or feeling down, they do not usually retreat to alcohol and drugs to solve their problems, they solve it the rational way.
Suicide is
not an option:
Suicide is not an answer to depression. It will cause many loved ones grief over the death, and may lead to more depressions. If no suicide was committed, then the depressed people can stick together and help each other out. When healed, they can help others get over their suicidal plans or attempts. This would set good examples for the young and teens to abide by, so they wouldn’t have to go through the same pain.
Clinical
Help:
When
depression appears, there should be direct seek for help, so the depression
wouldn’t grow and it would make it easier to recover. Treatments will help
shape their lives again, and put them back on track. They would feel good about
themselves and everything around them. They would be able to avoid all factors
that may cause them to become depressed, and so they can live a happy life.
Some may have trouble agreeing to seek for help because they may be determined
that it is not very serious. Sometimes, the problem may not be serious, but to
stay on the safe side, help would be best, because it is always better to be
cautious. A depressed individual who does not seek treatments, may cause his
depression to build up and lead to something more severe and dangerous. People
should always seek help when they are having problems, because if they don’t,
then they will have more to deal with.
Depression is a very
serious symptom which is caused for many reasons, and one of them is failed
relationships which not only cause depression, but also cause low
self-esteem. Depression is not
only caused by failed relationships, but may cause to ruin a relationship. Many
people have gone through depression and suicidal attempts, and many have been
able to hold it together and make it through this mental illness, and set good
examples for others. Some people deal with depression the wrong way. They think
they are taking the easy way out, but unfortunately for them, they are taking
the easy way in. Drinking and drugs increases depression and suicides, as well
as tension and anxiety. People should try to ignore everything they feel may
cause them depression, because they know that if depression is avoided, more
can be accomplished. People should understand to avoid alcohol, drugs and
smoking because they may lead to depression, or add to it, and to avoid
depression symptoms, which take time to be treated and healed. There was a
number of people who have been diagnosed and treated, and so they were cured.
Not everyone should be cheerful all the time, but it would help if they are
happier than they are sad.
Books:
-
Leder, Jane Merskey. “A Book
for Teenagers about Teenage Suicide.” Athenaeum: New York; 1987
-
Snyder, Slomon H. “The
Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs. Alcohol Teenage Drinking.” Chelsea
House Publishers: New York; 1985
-
-
NIMH. http://www.nimh.nih.gov . National
Institute of Mental Health: Bethesda, MD; 2001
-
Lebelle, Nick. “Teen
Depression” http://www.focusas.com/Depression.html . Focus Adolescent Services; 2000
-
Maleki, Meysa. “Low Self
Esteem” http://www.library.utoronto.ca/calss/lowselfesteem.htm. CALSS: Toronto; 2000
-
SUE. “Addictive
Relationships”. http://www.potsdam.edu/COUN/brochures/addict_rel.html. Suny Potsdam Counseling Center;2000
When
I first received this project, I didn’t think it would take so much work, but
when we were told to work on the rough draft of the outline, I thought I would
finish it quickly, but when I started, I couldn’t seem to finish, overtime I
would be done with something, there was still another thing to work on. I kept
reading the information that I had gotten from internet and books, and after a
while this subject became very interesting to me, I started learning and
reading about things that shocked me, it made me realize what really goes on in
our world.