STUDENT VIEWPOINT: Open your eyes, open your arms

By Logan Strong

Many children in the world today are going through depression, which can lead to a lack of communication with friends and family, or instances of self harm.
In order to help children tackle depression, parents and school officials need to take a closer look at our children, and communicate what’s happening in school and at home.
Depression is a worldwide issue that more and more people are going through. People feel sad, angry, and scared on new levels. They get extremely anxious at times and sometimes, it’s hard to deal with when you are a parent, or a friend. When people are depressed, it’s hard to find, or even ask for help. Yet surprisingly, a lot of teens go through it.
My solution is to have parents and friends look closer at what’s going on in their child’s or friend’s life. It’s important to ask how their day was, and to make sure that you get more than just a, “It was okay.” Just talking and listening to your child or friend can save his or her life.
Furthermore, “Children growing up today often experience stress and this stress may cause depression” (Lisa Kraft, “You, your kids and school: Depression in children: When to seek help,” April 8, 2018).
Depression is a problem that many people face, all over the globe. But mainly, children 11-14 face depression in today’s society. It can start off as stress, but can lead into something more severe like anxiety or depression.
Additionally, according to pediatric psychologist Kimberly Burkhart, “Childhood depression can happen because of external factors, such as stress, bullying, or a traumatic event. Or, depression or anxiety may run in your family. If that’s the case, stay alert to your child’s moods” (“Pediatric psychologist shares 11 warning signs of childhood depression,” March 23, 2018).
In reference to my solution statement, we need to look out for signs of depression in our loved ones. If we know what to look out for, then we can help children through this difficult state. We can keep them happy and safe from self-harm. “There’s nothing more natural or routine than grief” (“On Feeling Depressed,” April 10, 2017).
A lot of people suffer from a feeling of sadness. Some of the people who are experiencing this feel like abandoning their lives, but there are so many people depending on them, and they have too much of a purpose to do this. If you are experiencing this, then you’re not alone. If my idea is put into action, then there will be many people willing to help you through this stage of your life.
Some depression researchers might argue that certain types of therapy or medications would be a better way to deal with depression.
However, they are failing to remember that they won’t know who to give these therapy sessions or medications to if they don’t recognize who actually needs the most help. Adults are not the only ones who can look for signs of depression, children can do it as well.
Look out for your friends see how they’re feeling, and if they’re not feeling well, then tell someone. Nowadays, there are hundreds of kids who are experiencing depression, so I say we put my solution into action. Depression can happen to the happiest of people; think about that when you go to school or work tomorrow.
Seventh grade ELA students in Allie Dennis’ class at SMS wrote proposal articles in the form of opinion editorials. They conducted research on topics of their choice.

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