Depression among young people

Unlike passing sadness, depression is a state of profound distress that lasts a number of weeks. It is therefore critical to properly distinguish sadness, which is a normal reaction to certain events in life, and depression, which is a real illness that requires specific attention and proper treatment. (To find out more about depression, go to the “Depression” section, under the “Mental illnesses” tab.)

A major depression that is caught in time can be treated, both in teens and in adults. However, symptoms in teens can differ from those in adults. Furthermore, the symptoms of depression among teens are often confused with teen angst. As a result, many teens who suffer from depression are not referred to the right resources for the help and treatment they need. There is a great deal of demystification to be done to differentiate teenage depression from teenage angst to effectively detect the illness.


Useful links

Tel-jeunes
Intervention service by phone or on-line for teens.
The Tel-jeunes site offers information, answers questions, listens and offers advice to young people. You can find resources for yourself or a friend 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Phone number in Montreal: 514.288.2266
514.288.2266
Phone number outside Montreal: 1.800.263.2266
www.tel-jeunes.com

Jeunesse J'écoute
Free, confidential service. Every day, the professionals at Jeunesse, J’écoute answer calls and e-mails from young people across the country. No matter what the problem or concern, representatives are there to provide information, support and referrals to young people in a timely and caring manner. The Jeunesse, J’écoute Web site paints a precise picture of the different problems facing young people and has very helpful information about mental illness in terms of the risk factors, symptoms and treatments.
Phone number in Montreal: (514) 273-7007
(514) 273-7007
Phone number outside Montreal: 1 800 668-6868
www.jeunesse.sympatico.ca

REVIVRE
REVIVRE’s Youth Program is a group of services geared toward supporting teens and young adults from 14 to 25 who are suffering from depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders. It offers a wide variety of services: a helpline, support groups, individual counselling as well as brochures (“Depressive Disorders in Young People,” “Young People and Bipolar Disorders”), books and videos.
The Youth Program, supervised by qualified workers, also provides information to parents of children who suffer from one of these illnesses. 

Youth Program hotline: (514) 529-3081, extension 3
E-mail: programmejeunesse@revivre.org
Phone number in Montreal: (514) 738-4873
(514) 738-4873
Phone number outside Montreal: 1 866 738-4873
www.revivre.org