• Feelings of excessive sadness

• Frequent crying

• Trouble sleeping

• Loss of pleasure in things that used to be of interest

• Feelings of loneliness

• Lack of motivation

• Withdrawing from social events/situations

• Feelings of ongoing worthlessness or hopelessness

• Avoiding important things, such as paying bills or finishing schoolwork

• Overwhelming feelings

 If symptoms progressively become worse, it could lead to long term effects such as MDD, anxiety, and possibly substance abuse issues (“Adjustment Disorders”). Situational depression and MDD are tricky to distinguish due to the similarity in symptoms, but according to Andrews, locating the symptoms and identifying when those symptoms become present is the first step in separating situational depression and MDD. In order to consider MDD, a total of 9 different symptoms of depression must be present. If symptoms occurred during a specific event and there seems to be a pattern of when those feelings are felt, situational depression can make its way into the picture. If the depressive feelings tend to last all day every day, MDD can be present, however, if it is just when one goes to work or hangs out with certain friends, situational depression can certainly be an issue. 

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Why Is It a Problem?

I want to bring awareness to this particular mental issue because I don’t hear it often in the media, contrary to depression, anxiety, and bipolar. Despite the lack of attention that this receives, it is equally important to talk about. The unawareness of situational depression is a problem because due to the lack of attention, people, specifically teens, aren't educated properly on how to cope with this mental issue. If it is not dealt with effectively, it can lead to more frequent and severe episodes.

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Who Does It Impact?

This type of depression can certainly affect anyone who is undergoing large amounts of stress at one time or has just experienced a traumatic or life altering event. Within Andrews’s experience, she has seen children around the ages of 6-8 develop symptoms of situational depression, though the common age group where the greatest struggle takes place is the 12-14 range, which is a horribly sad truth. Although anyone can be affected, my research is focused around teenagers going through situational depression, the resources I will provide will not be solely guided towards teenagers; anyone is any age is welcome to use them!

 

How Long Has It Existed?

There is a good chance that this problem has existed since teenagers have been roaming the earth. In the last 10-12 years though, there has been a steady rise in incidents of depression (Platson).

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What Makes It Hard to Solve?

Situational depression does not simply disappear once someone does something about it. The most difficult thing about dealing with this problem is that coping mechanisms and their effectiveness all depend on the person and what they have experienced, as well as what triggered the depression in the first place. What works for one person might not work for someone else. The coping skills cannot necessarily be generalized throughout a population of teens, and it is very difficult to come up with one single way to deal with this problem. This mental issue is also something that has to be managed rather than cured. One cannot simply go to a therapy session or two and be “cured” per say, rather, they figure out how to effectively manage and work through their feelings. 

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What Are the Things That Contribute to This Problem?

There are many different problems that contribute to the presence of situational depression. Some stressful events that go hand-in-hand with situational depression are:

• Marital/relationship problems

• Drastic changes in a life situation (retirement, having a baby, etc)

• Grief

• Problems at school/work

• Life-threatening experiences

• Pre-existing mental issue

Your past life experiences can also influence depressive feelings that come with situational depression. For example, if you experienced significant amounts of stress as a child, you could be more prone to this kind of depression (Mayo; Schimelpfening). 

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What Has Been Done in the Past to Try and Solve This Problem?

Andrews, a counselor for the therapy service TEAM in Roseville, MN, says that there have been many times where there have been things she has tried that simply haven’t worked. This ties back into the idea that certain coping mechanisms don’t necessarily work for everyone. Meditation might significantly help someone, but might not prove effective for someone else. This can be said about any coping skill. It is important to find a coping strategy that works best for you. If you’re having trouble doing so, don’t be afraid to ask a professional for help!

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What Are Some Things I Could Try to Manage My Feelings?

 As mentioned before, there is not one single solution that helps anyone and everyone, however, there is a mechanism that has proven helpful for many individuals called progressive muscle relaxation, or PMR. PMR works on tightening certain muscle groups and holding that tension for 3-5 seconds before releasing. 

 

“Some examples of PMR include:

• Pick up two lemons and squeeze them, tightening your biceps, triceps, and pectoral chest muscles

• Suck in your stomach as hard as you can, hold it, then let it go

• Sit in a chair that comes to your mid-back. Hold your arms straight out in front of you. Now raise them up and lean backward as far as your chair can comfortably allow. Just hang there for a few seconds, looking at the wall behind you, upside down. Then come up” (“Situational Symptoms”).

 

Another mechanism that can prove effective is breathing exercises. It is important to remember when you deep breathe to let your lungs take in as much air as possible. It helps to bring your shoulders back to achieve full lung capacity. The inhale through the nose should be anywhere between 3-4 seconds and the exhale out of the mouth should be 6-8 seconds long (“Situational Symptoms”). Andrews mentioned that she strongly believes in a technique called “opposite action.” Opposite action is a mental exercise that can help improve the mindset of struggling teens by enforcing an opposite positive action to their negative, instinctual action. For example, if a teen struggling with situational depression wants to just lay in bed all day and do nothing, the opposite action would be to get up and go do something. Therefore, they must participate in that opposite activity. It is important to remember that opposite action gives the person the power to fight a negative action and turn it into a positive one. According to Platson, a counselor out of Amery, WI, opposite action can be difficult for some people as it takes a lot of mental strength and motivation, however, if done diligently, a positive view on life is not far off. Platson also says that dialectical behavior therapy is another approach that psychologists use to help fight situational depression. “DBT is a very structured form of therapy based on a synthesis of self-acceptance and change” (Shannon). A four stage process is essential to participate in DBT.

• “Stage 1 lays the foundation for your journey to recovery by helping you gain control over life-threatening behaviors, behaviors that interfere with you getting treatment, and behaviors that interfere with your daily life.

• Stage 2 is all about showing you how to express what you are feeling in a healthy way. Your therapist will help you identify, experience, and better express your emotions.

• Stage 3 focuses on problem-solving. This stage will increase your ability to tackle issues that arise in everyday life in a more positive way.

• Stage 4 brings all the lessons and skills of the preceding stages together to help you connect with the outside world” (Shannon). 

There are many different ways to go about managing your situational depression, however, choosing a method that’s best for you is a useful step in the right direction. Contact a therapist near you using the link below if you would like support.

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