As we approach the anniversary of September 11th many Americans will
re-live and experience a wave of powerful emotions: anxiety,
sadness, anger and grief. In any given year, for a number of young
people, the return to school can trigger anxiety and depression. The
combination of the anniversary of the attacks with the
back-to-school emotional challenges could heighten the frequency of
depression in the student population. Consider the following facts:
More than 70% of Americans felt symptoms of depression in the weeks
following September 11.
Six months after the attacks, 26.5% of New York City public school
children experienced mental health problems severe enough to impair
their normal functioning. The study conducted by the New York City
Board of Education, revealed the following dramatic increases from
pre-September 11th levels:
Post-traumatic stress disorder: from 2% to 10.5%
Agoraphobia: from 5% to 15%
Separation Anxiety: from 6% to 12.3%
Conduct Disorder: from 4% to 10.9%
Alcohol Abuse: from 3% to 5.1% (grades 9-12 only)
Parents, teachers, and other caregivers of young people should be on
the alert for symptoms of depression and be prepared to seek
appropriate treatment. The following are a few of the attitudes and
behaviors to look out for:
Observable changes in mood, appetite, socialization, sleep, and
grades. Other symptoms include an increase in delinquency, inability
to have fun, and a healthy child complaining of sickness. Most
important of all, listen to the child and take what he or she says
seriously. Delay of treatment can only make things worse. Seek
appropriate medical help as soon as possible.
Look in the yellow pages to contact the local community mental
health center or visit the Alabama Department of Mental Health and
Mental Retardation website @ www.mh.state.al.us for a listing of all
community mental health centers statewide. (Click on “related
sites,” then click on “contract community service provider
directory”).
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