Teachers

Signs in the classroom: 

Major Depression   Bipolar Disorder    Dysthymia  Teaching Strategies

Educators have considerable experience observing a range of normal child and adolescent behaviours: consequently, they are in a favorable position to identify significant developmental and behavioural anomalies.  Schools must be able and willing to intervene in primary and secondary prevention of serious public health problems such as childhood depression.  Schools are ideal sites for assessment and treatment of children at risk for Depression.

Signs manifested in the classroom (and other places) that may be Associated with Major Depression:

• Missed school or poor school performance.
• Changes in eating habits (lunch time/break time/eating in class) -- often associated with anorexia/bulemia.
• Changes in sleeping habits (falling asleep in class/tired first thing in the morning or late afternoon).
• Frequent vague, non-specific physical complaints such as headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches or fatigue.
• Persistent sadness and hopelessness.
• Problems with authority.
• Indecision/lack of concentration/forgetfulness.
• Poor self-esteem/guilt which can be brought about by: being in a new environment (starting high school, changing schools, etc.); changes in family relations (parents getting divorced, the death of a family member); changes in social life (breaking up with a boyfriend/girlfriend); awareness of one's sexual identity and orientation; academic demands/standards/pressures.
• Over-reaction to criticism.
• Frequent physical complaints such as headaches and stomach aches.
• Anger and rage.
• Lack of enthusiasm/low energy/no motivation.
• Drug and/or alcohol abuse.
• Thoughts of death or suicide (morbid curiosity with elements of these things in the classroom).
• General boredom.
• Lack of interest in playing/hanging out with friends.
• Social isolation, poor communication skills.

Signs manifested in the classroom (and other places) that may be Associated with Bipolar Disorder:

One teacher description was "a depressed student who randomly exhibits ADHD symptoms."

• Symptoms associated with Major Depression.
• Overly inflated self-esteem.
• Increased energy.
• Increased talking.
• Distractibility.
• Physical agitation.
• Risky behaviours.
• Increased preoccupation with sex.

Signs manifested in the classroom (and other places) that may be Associated with Dysthymia:

• Dysthymic students are consistently melancholy.
• Exhibit the same type of behaviours as those covered under major depression, though less severely and for a longer period of time.

Teaching Strategies for Students with Depression

•      Observation, the recognition of risk signs, and a timely referral for a depressed student are the most important steps for a teacher to take when they suspect a student is depressed. Remember that nearly two-thirds of depressed individuals do not get proper treatment

•      Always take a student’s comment’s regarding self-hate, suicide and death very seriously. Attempt to address these negative comments with the student and arrange for meetings with school councilor and/or medical professionals.

•      Have patience with the student. This may mean radically changing the way you view deadlines, class attendance and student attentiveness. Students who are depressed are not being lazy, they genuinely require that teachers accommodate their particular situations by sending school work home, not penalizing the student for missed school time or disciplining for classroom inattentiveness.

•       As much as possible, teachers should also keep a close liaison with the parents of a depressed student. Also developing dialogue between the school guidance counselor and/or school nurse about the student’s condition. Team efforts between all of these individuals are needed to provide the support system required for a depressed student.

•      Create a comfortable classroom for the student in which he/she feels accepted and cared for. As one depressed student put it “A place where I didn’t have a time limit to cheer up.”

•      Don’t ignore depressed students. Attempt to involve them in class discussions and try other ways to keep them interested. Students who are ignored in the classroom quickly learn to ignore the teacher.

•      Let students know you are concerned but try not to get too personal. Help students by keeping them updated on missed class time, give them extra study time, send homework home, and accept late assignments.

•      Never give up on a student no matter how little an effort they appear to be displaying in class and in their schoolwork/homework. Remember the student is depressed and not intentionally avoiding school responsibility.

•      As much as possible ensure that students are taking medications and keeping medical appointments. Proper medical treatment is one of the most effective methods of dealing with depression.

•     Don't give quick advice.  Comments like "Put it out of your mind," or "Don't worry, everything will be OK" are not helpful

•     Give your student you whole attention and listen. It is hard for a depressed person to reveal his/her painful feelings and easy to feel rejected or dismissed.  Listen carefully and check occasionally that you really understand what the person is saying.  You don't have to have the right answers or fix the problem -- you can't -- you just have to be there with full attention.

•     Don't try to convince your student not to feel bad. A depressed person has lost control of his/her feelings and cannot be reasoned out of them.  When they are reminded about how smart and attractive they are, and how much they have going for them, depressed people will feel worse than ever, because it will seem that they have no reason for feeling the way they do.  So, take very seriously everything the student is telling you and don't try to speak like you "know how they feel" or compare them with someone in a "worse situation."

•     Ask the student what s/he feels would be helpful at this time.  This reassures the student that you are taking him/her seriously and it shows that you respect them.  It also helps to facilitate a sense of control to a person who feels like everything is very much out of control.

•     Don't promise to keep this information a secret.  This is one of those secrets that cannot be kept -- it may be a question of saving your student's life.

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