Mood Disorders in Middle School - Stepahanie Ballard

Mood Disorders in Middle School
By Stephanie Ballard

Middle School
Middle schools contain teenagers going through a unique life transition. Cliques of students who share strong similarities begin to form. These groups help to form identities and bonds between students and make this transition time more bearable. However, middle school can also be an uncomfortable time of rejection, harsh realizations and life changes. Though this happens throughout life, the emotional time of the teenage years makes it more intense. Teenagers see everything as intense and personal and if a student has a mood disorder, you can count on the feelings being even more intense and more personal.
Mood Disorders
Mood disorders have many factors. Some can be a chemical imbalance in the brain. Major changes in one’s life can cause a mood disorder. Mood disorders are also paired with anxiety disorders. In teenagers, mood disorders are a little harder to diagnose because teenage hormones cause mood changes in a young person. One has to be very careful and very discerning when diagnosing a teenager with a mood disorder.
Depression
There is not one type of depression or one certain way to handle the depression. Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, and Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood are just a few that stem from many causes and have many ways to be dealt with. Most depression cases have to be dealt with on a person-to-person basis.
Depression can be onset by a chemical imbalance in the brain, or maybe rejection from peers, or possible a family death or divorce. It could be caused by low self-confidence that could have any number of its own stems.
Suicide
Though suicide and depression are related, depression is not the only factor that leads to suicide. There is often more than one problem, issue, or situation that can be a deciding factor for one to commit suicide. Suicide is most common among people ages 15-24. Adolescent years are filled with questions, searching, and self-discovery. Some are tormented with fears of inadequacy, some experience major life changes (death, divorce, moving), and some just want to know who they are. The adolescent environment can be a cruel environment that adds to insecurities, creates depression, and then there can be a triggering event to push a teen to a place where they do not see their world getting better. The teenage reasoning that can hinder them from seeing the big picture, suicide looks like the easy way out of their horrible problems.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder has two stages: manic and depression. Manic is experienced by very good moods; some almost like a person is untouchable and very idyllic. The manic state can last up to ten months. Depression is experienced by sadness and loss of interest in what is happening in life. The depression state can last up to three months. With a rollercoaster of emotions as a normal teenager, imagine what it is like a teenager with a Bipolar disorder. Though not much is known about this disorder in teenagers, it does exist.
A controlled environment is good for adolescents who have Bipolar disorder. Some people with Bipolar disorder do seek medication to help, but often it is something like lithium that leaves them feeling disoriented and out of control.
The Role of the Teacher
As a middle school teacher, it is one’s job to create an environment for all students, even those who suffer from mood disorders. The best environment is a consistent schedule and relaxed classroom. The instruction must have a good relationship with the students so that on bad days, the student will be comfortable enough to talk to the teacher and work through problems. The teacher should try to be aware of major events that occur in a child’s life, like a death or divorce, to look for signs of depression. Another ally in this situation is the school counselor who has more knowledge and tips about helping the child. Never isolate or ignore the depressed teenager because this could increase the feelings of sadness and loneliness. The best teacher for an adolescent to have is a positive teacher. A teacher must serve as an encourager through good and bad times to give hope and love to students.

Reference:
Wicks-Nelson, R. & Israel A. C. (2003) Behavior Disorders of Childhood. New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall. Chapter 7: Mood Disorders.