I believe if I had some kind of emotional support at school, I would have handled my situation better. A support group at school, where we spend most of our time, would definitely help. Getting help The South African Depression and Anxiety Support Group says untreated depression can create severe emotional and developmental setbacks. A depressed child is less likely to make friends, do well in school, join clubs, participate in sports, or get involved in other activities that help develop a healthy self-esteem and important life skills. The Group is running programmes for teachers on how to deal with and identify potentially suicidal children.
Depression can affect people at any age, of any race, ethnic or economic group.
People who claim to be depressed are weak and just need to pull themselves together. There's nothing anyone else can do to help. Anyone who is depressed needs professional treatment. A trained therapist or counsellor can help them learn more positive ways to think about themselves, change behaviour, cope with problems, or handle relationships. A physician can prescribe medication to help relieve the symptoms of depression.