Depression and Suicide Intervention Discussion
Current literature shows that suicide has been ranked third in the leading causes of death while depression is also becoming rampant among adolescents. A study conducted by Orri et al. (2018) shows a declining rate of life satisfaction, happiness, and an increase in hospital admissions for self-harm behaviors and depressive symptoms among adolescents in the United States. These mental health indicators are showing similar patterns with most cases indicating that poor mental health is more prevalent among girls than boys. In similar research, Twenge et al. (2018) articulate that the increase in suicidal behaviors and depression among adolescents has remained concurrent due to the increase of digital media use. Increased smartphone and digital media use have influenced adolescent’s mental health through mechanisms such as disruptions and displacement of in-person social interactions, cyberbullying, sleep interference, and online information concerning self-harm. Other factors such as child abuse, trauma, and abandonment have also led to an increase in depression and suicide rates (Holosko et al., 2013). With more adolescents engaging in suicide attempts and self-harm behavior and being diagnosed as having depression, it is critical to not only explore how to prevent their onset but also to treat those with symptoms.
An evidence-based intervention that will help address these issues is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Through CBT, a social worker can modify the thought patterns of a client to change his or her behaviors and moods (Holosko et al., 2013). This method can be applied to Brady who is facing major depressive symptoms that result from emotional and physical abuse from his father. The social worker can work with Brady using CBT to identify his negative behavioral responses and thought patterns to stressful and challenging situations. Some risk factors presented by Brady include increased negative behaviors, aggressive or impulsive tendencies, and his mother’s death.
To address these issues, Brady needs an effective treatment plan that involves therapy for himself and his father. Treatment will involve coming up with more constructive and balanced ways of responding to the stressors and eliminating the troubling behavior (Orri et al., 2018). Brady and his therapist will also use a journal to help in replacing the negative discernments or patterns with more positive ones. This can be achieved through learning to adjust and regulate distorted responses and judgements and learning to lengthily and correctly evaluate reactions and external circumstances. The same should be done by his father.
References
Holosko, M. J., Dulmus, C. N., Sowers, K. M., & Sowers, K. M. (2013). Social work practice with individuals and families: Evidence-informed assessments and interventions. ProQuest Ebook.
Orri, M., Galera, C., Turecki, G., Forte, A., Renaud, J., Boivin, M., … & Geoffroy, M. C. (2018). Association of childhood irritability and depressive/anxious mood profiles with adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(5), 465-473. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0174
Twenge, J. M., Joiner, T. E., Rogers, M. L., & Martin, G. N. (2018). Increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among US adolescents after 2010 and links to increased new media screen time. Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702617723376
