Have you been asked a question like “how are you feeling now”? And it would be no surprise that only a handful of people would say “I’m feeling so good” with a bright grin put across their faces as most of us are studying under stress. To the extreme, the stress would bring about depression and, miserably, the phenomenon is on a rising trend. What are the causes of it? And most importantly, what can we do to address the problem — bring back the happy faces?
To begin with, depression can be attributed to the undue amount of stress given by teachers, parents or even teenagers themselves. Living in a society which puts emphasis on academic results, teenagers in general have to strive hard to be the elite of society so that theirs prospects can be assured and guaranteed. On the grounds of that, teachers and parents urge them to play less and study hard to achieve academic success as they are so concerned about their dearest students and sons and daughters. Besides, in most cases, it is the students themselves who exert extra burden on their own shoulders. Being expected by everyone and hoping to seek recognition, an undue amount of stress is accumulated. To be honest, not everyone is suitable to fit into this kind of society and they may not excel that easily. Being in a pressure-cooker, they may explode one day, and the explosion is depression. The feeling of being a failure may permeate further, forming a vicious cycle.
Apart from being suffocated by the pressure, that teenagers are too afraid of or avoid expressing worries to others can also lead to depression. I was once like that before as I had low self-esteem. I always thought that a small potato like me should not worry anyone, making them sad or anything else as everyone was facing the same situation. This idea is so wrong in fact. Other than that, some teenagers would reckon or believe that they can handle all the struggles or problems on their own, and therefore swallow them all, keeping them as personal secrets. However, having this practice would just make them more obsessed with the stress, leaving no rounds to turn. Shutting the door to other people can eventually lead to depression as no immediate help can be received at the time of a crisis.
Teenage depression should not and cannot be taken so lightly as it can put one on the verge of death. Yet, in what ways can we address the problems?
First of all, teenagers should realize that academic results are never their first priority in their valuable, precious and miraculous lives. Some people believe that exams are not just about how many efforts you have put into it, but also luck. Furthermore, can a grade or a mark represent all the hard work, or a true self? Of course not! Not saying that studying attaches no importance to our lives, I am just pointing out that a balance between life and study should be maintained. Achieving academic excellence at the expense of enjoying life, having entertainment or even health is not worthy. With the change in the mind sets, students would not keep giving themselves unnecessary burdens.
Students need to help themselves of course, but what can the people around them offer to lift the vulnerable from the risks of depression? Indeed, the people around should be more observant and approach them before it is too late. As just mentioned, the poor ones may lock their hearts and rely on their sole yet powerless ability to tackle their stress. What if we can act as a key to unlocking the locked hearts and a pair of scissors to unseal their sealed lips? Sometimes, they just need a companion rather than pragmatic solutions. They just need someone who can listen to their troubles, sharing and pouring out a bit of their concerns. We can all be good Samaritans.
Our education system and society can hardly be changed in just a few years’ time, but we can be more active, observant and sympathetic. Only through love and collective efforts can the issue of teenage depression be alleviated. Let’s take the first step now and care for the ones sitting next to us.
Carlos Cheung Chun
5C 2017-2018