CST Recommendation: Film, "Depression: Out of the Shadows"

During my time working at an inpatient treatment facility for substance-using teens, I spent a lot of time looking for videos to show them. One particular day, I found this film at a local library, "Depression: Out of the Shadows" and I was so happy I did! It's a very informative film, but despite its educational format, most of the teens were glued to the screen.

 

The subjects in the video show a detailed account of the ups and downs parents experience when they have a child going through depression, as well as providing information for loved ones on how to recognize the more obvious signs of depression vs. those that are more hidden. It reviews ways in which people who suffer from depression can turn to self-harm, drugs, or violence to cover up the darkness they feel.

Following the video, I allowed for a short discussion time and many of the teens shared on a section of the film that showed the emotional struggles young people go through and the decisions they make as a result of them. One part in particular reviewed one young man's depression and how it led it to join a neighborhood gang. For most of the teens, this was the first time those two things had been linked - feeling depressed and unloved and choosing a lifestyle that is an overt expression of underlying suicidal thoughts. Exposure to severe violence and placing yourself in harm's way on a daily basis made sense as an expression of depressive thoughts/feelings, once the discussion got under way.

I highly recommend families watch this film and see what discussion it opens up at home! It's great for anyone who has ever experienced depression and is so relatable that it will most definitely allow for your loved one (child, partner, friend, etc) to open up on at least one of the topics raised.

-written by Nakya Reeves, LMFT. I am a therapist and owner of a private practice where my main focus is working with families on communication issues, especially the parent-teen relationship. I also utilize PhotoTherapy techniques in my practice, which integrates bringing in photos that the client has taken or collected as a part of the therapy process. To find out more about my therapy practice, visit www.csolutionstherapy.com. I can be contacted any time at csolutionstherapy@gmail.com