• YOU ARE NOT ALONE
• HELP IS WAITING FOR YOU

TALK IT OUT: Find someone you trust and someone who will “Listen” to you. In everyone’s life there is some caring person willing to give a helping hand or a shoulder to lean on. Maybe it’s a friend, teacher, family member, neighbor, religious leader, etc. Be strong enough and smart enough to: keep looking until you find someone to talk to; know that everyone needs somebody else’s help at some time or another.

WALK IT OFF: Get out of the house and get a move on. Jog, run, walk, shoot hoops, swim, EXERCISE. Exercise sets in motion not only your legs and your arms but also the protective chemicals in your brain. They are called endorphins. When your brain releases endorphins, you feel less pain and anxiety.

PITCH IN: Helping other people is a good way to forget your own sadness or suffering for awhile. Get involved! Do something for someone in your family, neighborhood, school, church group, or at your job, etc. Take the time to read to a younger brother or sister who is having trouble reading. Volunteer to do errands or visit a person who may not have the strong legs, arms, and mind that you have and who is lonely for company. Being needed by someone will make you a believer…a believer in just how important and valuable YOU ARE.

FIND A PROBLEM SOLVER: Sometimes people who are depressed need MORE than just TALKING IT OUT, WALKING IT OFF, or PITCHING IN. They need a trained problem solver who has had a lot of experience helping people who feel helpless or hopeless, sad and in pain. These trained problem solvers, or therapists, may be professional counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists. Often the medical doctor to whom you may go for check-ups or when you aren’t feeling well can serve as the problem solver. Sometimes depression is treated with medicines; sometimes it is treated with sharing feelings and fears with a therapist (professional listener). Whatever therapist is chosen to help, and whatever method of treatment is used:

THE SOONER IT IS STARTED, THE SOONER THE SAD, MAD or BAD FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION ARE LIKELY TO GO AWAY.

ADVICE:

• GETTING HELP FROM SOMEBODY ELSE ISN’T A SIGN OF WEAKNESS IT’S A SIGN OF STRENGTH.

• DON’T THINK OF THE ADVICE AS AN INSULT BUT AS AN INSTRUCTION.

• GO TAKE A WALK!!!

• BLOWING OFF SOME STEAM OR CLEARING YOUR HEAD CAN BE HELPFUL AND PROVIDE RELIEF.

• WHEN YOU’RE FEELING “LOW”…GET A “HIGH” BY HELPING SOMEBODY ELSE WITH WHAT MAY BE BOTHERING HIM.