Reasons for Hope, Reasons to Live

Gr 9 Up—In this extremely sensitive and well-done video, four teens share their stories of depression; they are poised, honest, and excellent speakers. There's no over-the-top emotionality, just frank sharing about what happened to each of them as a result of their depression. Jordan came very close to dying and still has physical issues from his suicide attempt. He reveals how he got to that point and what he's done since to maintain his recovery, including the importance of music and giving back as a speaker about depression and recovery. He stresses that a big roadblock earlier for him was his fear of humiliation if peers learned he was depressed. Maggie never got to the point of taking her life, but she describes how her belief that she had to be "perfect" made her feel trapped and isolated. Her realization that she was a lesbian and that she didn't know how to deal with it further isolated her. She credits seeking counseling in college for turning her life around. David was lucky because his school counselor realized he was in trouble and involved his dad in the intervention, while Max used his own experience with depression to save a suicidal friend. This would be an excellent choice for any school/library and anyone concerned about the threat of suicide associated with depression in adolescents. While geared for high schools, it would be appropriate for middle schools as well. In addition to exercises that will engage students, the PDF worksheets have both a print bibliography and a list of very good online resources.—John R. Clark, Hartland Public Library, ME