Depression in teens gets dismissed as behavioral issue: Anna Chandy

"We dismiss children when they tell us about sexual abuse because we as adults don't want to confront the issue," says Anna Chandy, matter-of-factly, while discussing child sexual abuse and how it affects one's mental state.

The author and therapist, who has helped many people fight depression and other mental disorders, was herself sexually abused as a child. "I have been married for 32 years and my book came out six months ago. My husband got to know of the abuse only after I wrote the book. Till then, I carried the secret with me," said Chandy, explaining why child sexual abuses don't get reported.

Chandy, who has also helped Deepika Padukone fight depression, says that depression and anxiety are twins. "You don't get one without the another." She said that perhaps the most ignored are adolescents who also show symptoms of anxiety and depression, but it often gets dismissed as behavioral issues.

"This is because some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety that adolescents display are often similar to behavioral issues one associates with teens during that age. We need to be on the lookout for signs that occur constantly. This includes sleeping in class, being constantly angry, edgy behaviour, etc," says Chandy.

She says, in India, the average age of depression being diagnosed is between 22 and 30 years. As a young country, it impacts the working life of our people and their careers.

To a question on whether incidences of depression are being reported more now than earlier, Chandy says it is a matter of awareness. "It is not that this generation is more depressed than the previous ones. They are just willing to confront it unlike earlier times when people dismissed such issues," says Chandy.

As to how to be on the lookout for such disorders, she says lookout for the red flags like extreme irritability, mood swings, etc. "Mild to moderate depression can be handled with the help of a therapist, but the severe form requires clinical support," says Chandy.

She says it is imperative to remove the stigma associated with mental illness. "You break a leg and the whole family surrounds you to support you. You tell them you feel depressed and they tell you to deal with it. So, I believe the biggest discrimination against mental illness begins at the family level itself," explains Chandy.

So, what causes depression and anxiety? "It is a very complex issue, involving a host of factors — including genes and environmental issues. When I say environmental issues, it covers a lot of ground, including social issues, family issues, etc," says Chandy.

MIND GAMES

• The author and therapist Anna Chandy  was herself sexually abused as a child. 


• Depression & anxiety are twins, says Chandy 
   
• She says that perhaps the most ignored are adolescents who also show symptoms of anxiety and depression.