Young, gifted and depressed
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on Nov 02, 2008
In today’s competitive society there has been an increasing incidence of what is termed Existential Depression in school-children – something which can lead to thoughts of suicide.
Existential Depression is particularly common among gifted children. The most common reasons given for such children wanting to end their lives were: feelings of personal worthlessness, feelings of isolation and loneliness, pressure to achieve, and fear of failure. The most common time for teens to commit suicide is the 'after-school' period but many teens mask their feelings for fear of ridicule amongst their peers.
What depressive symptoms and disorders are linked to adolescent suicide?
A study reported in the April 2008 issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders examined the role of depressive symptoms and disorders as potential predictors of suicidal behaviour in adolescents. The authors used a representative sample of 2464 Norwegian school students (average age 13.7 years) who were initially tested (T1). These same subjects were followed up and reassessed a year later (T2). All subjects who scored significantly high on the depression questionnaire at the one year mark (T2) were matched with low- or middle-scoring respondents according to age and gender. A subset of 345 subjects were diagnostically assessed by face-to-face interviews (mean age=14.9 years) and then reassessed after five years (T3) using telephone interviews and questionnaires. There were 265 subjects tested with a participation rate of 76.9%. The results indicated that cognitive symptoms were predominant among suicide attempters, regardless of age. Among younger adolescents, suicidal thoughts and acts of self-harm without suicidal intent were associated with suicidal acts. Recurrent thoughts about death, hopelessness, disturbed concentration and waking up in the middle of the night and having difficulty going back to sleep were associated with suicidal acts among older adolescents.
Perceived worthlessness by the age of fifteen was a significant predictor of suicidal acts between 15 to 20 years. Major depression was significantly associated with suicidal acts among younger adolescents, while Dysthymia (a type of low-grade depression) by the age of 15 years remained a significant predictor of suicidal acts between 15 to 20 years, even when using controls for depressive symptoms.
The authors conclude that acts of self-harm without suicidal intent, middle insomnia, cognitive depressive symptoms and a formal psychiatric diagnosis of any depressive disorder should alert professionals in the risk assessment of suicidal adolescents.
It is clear from this research that far more needs to be done as far as risk-assessment of our youth. Self-harm without suicidal intent, middle insomnia, cognitive depressive symptoms and a formal psychiatric diagnosis of any depressive disorder should alert professionals to assess the risk of suicidal adolescents more actively.
For those of us outside the world of research, it is all too apparent that today’s children are increasingly pressured into being high-achievers, but this doesn’t come without a cost in terms of mental health and stability. Children are not allowed to be children for long enough. Increasing pressures from society at large, parents, the media, the advertising world and school peers add to burgeoning feelings of not coping amongst many of our children. Playing outside has long gone; in today’s cut and thrust world, middle-class children are chauffeured to ever-increasing extra-curricula pursuits – all in the name of modernity and success attainment. But, in extreme cases, this leads to childhood thoughts of suicide.
If there's a child you're worried about, and you have exhausted the usual school-based channels, don’t leave it too late to do something about it. Often a gifted child may feel more comfortable talking to a professional with special expertise in dealing with gifted social and emotional issues. Alternatively, your local mental health therapist will be able to give advice.
Above all, don’t ignore the warning signs in a troubled child.
