by DR. ANDREA CORN

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DEFEATING DEPRESSION

LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE depressive symptoms and responding to your child's emotional needs.

~thOUgh children welcome the opportunity to partici­ pate on a youth sports team, some young athletes ave trouble mustering up excitement over team par­ ticipation. These youngsters can't help the way they feel; sad­ ness seems to penneate their daily existences and to them, playing sports is no longer fun. They find it hard to listen to instructions, their concentration wanes and feelings of isola­ tion and loneliness can exist.

According to the U.S. Center of Mental Health Services, as many as one in every 33 children and one in every eight a<;lo­ lescents suffer from depression. There are no known studies indicating how many depressed youngsters are involved in organized youth sports. One misconception is that child­ hood is a care-free period. Yet, childhood also has a set of demands. Besides genetic factors, here are some examples of environmental and interpersonal stressors:

- Stressful events that are beyond a child's control- The fol­ lowing can represent immense psychological pain and suf­ fering: parental separation or divorce; being a victim of some type of abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual); a family mem­ ber being diagnosed with a life- threatening illness; a parent's loss of employment or escalating family financial problems; witnessing a traumatic event; or the loss of a parent or grand­ parent.

Some young athletes may be spared from such events but still may experience other pressures or stressors, including:

- Unrealistic expectations from parents - Too much pres­ sure from parents can leave a child feeling hopeless, knowing it is impossible to live up to their standards.

- Feeling unaccepted and unworthy - This could occur due to unfavorable comparisons with siblings or peers that min­ imize the child's accomplishments.

These young athletes learn to expect criticism and they anticipate their athletic performances will be inferior, despite any contrary evidence. Sometimes, this leads to mis­ interpreting the coach's or teammates' comments, prompt­ ing spontaneous deflation. No matter how benign remarks may be, these children will distort them into proof of their unworthiness as athletes. Other young athletes try to hide their symptoms, unaware of how particular facial expres­ sions and body language (e.g., glum face, slumped shoulders, lethargic gait) can be revealing.

SIGNS OF DEPRESSION IN YOUNG ATHLETES

If an athlete acknowledges that five or more symptoms are intefering with his daily functioning for more than two

weeks, you may be advised to seek professional help. Not all the following symptoms carry the same weight, so there can be cases where considerably less than five symptoms are cause for concern: sad or flat affect, including tearfulness and crying; irritability; isolation from family and peers; decreased interest in previously enjoyed activities; changes in appetite, sleep patterns or behavior; extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure; low self-esteem, feelings of guilt; low energy level; a sense of hopelessness and worthlessness.

While it's important to recognize depressive symptoms, it's equally essential to be an empathic observer, listener, and responder to the child's emotional needs. Children who are not very good at sharing their feelings may need encourage­ ment from their inhibited and withdrawn state. But this behavior is a sign that bad feelings are taking their toll, and that is where the coach and/ or team parent could step in and offer reassurance. Other children release hurt feelings by act­ ing oppositionally and engaging in activities that disturb oth­ ers. The inability to maintain appropriate social interactions can lead to moodiness, irritability and aggressiveness. Some youngsters may even try to get the coach to dislike them, which reinforces the child's negative self- fulfulling belief that rejection is bound to occur again. Adults should provide unconditional support and encouragement, which could lessen the child's distress. More than anything else, depressed children need consistent and predictable figures in their lives.

Positive communication helps alleviate feelings of unwor­ thiness in young athletes. These children need to feel valued and important as teammates and individuals.

Dr. Andrea Corn is in private practice at Child and Family Psychologists in Plantation, Fla. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Florida Psychological Association and the National Association of Sports Psychologists.