Are you sad?

Do you think you're sad or depressed? Some may think those two words are the same...but they aren't. Everyone gets sad. Yes, everyone you've ever met. Some people have sad feelings just once in a while, and others may have sad feelings pretty often. More than half of teenagers go through a sad period at least once a month and plenty of younger kids do, too.

When you’re in a sad mood, it may feel like it will last forever, but usually feelings of sadness do not last very long. A deeper, more intense kind of sadness that lasts a lot longer is called depression. Sadness is a feeling, it is one of the many normal human emotions, or moods, we all have. Sadness is a feeling; it is one of the many human emotions or moods everyone has. Sadness is the emotion people feel when they’ve lost something important, or when they’ve been disappointed about something, or when something sad has happened to them or to someone else.

When you’re sad, the world may seem dark and unfriendly. You might feel like you have nothing to look forward to. The hurt deep inside may crush your usually good mood. Sadness makes you feel like crying, and sometimes the tears are hard to stop. Crying often makes you feel better.

Sometimes when your mood is sad, you just feel like being alone for a while, or you might want someone to comfort you or just keep you company while you go through the feelings you are experiencing. Talking about what has made you sad usually helps the sad feeling melt away.

KBHC -- Hopeline

The Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC) is website that gives you a raw, personal glimpse into depression, and how it affects those around you. In addition, you will find the only clear, step-by-step path for you to follow out of the darkness.

Click here to enter the site or Hopeline.com

According to...

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "There are several forms of depressive disorders. The most common are major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder.

Major depressive disorder, also called major depression, is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once–pleasurable activities. Major depression is disabling and prevents a person from functioning normally. An episode of major depression may occur only once in a person's lifetime, but more often, it recurs throughout a person's life.

Dysthymic disorder, also called dysthymia, is characterized by long–term (two years or longer) but less severe symptoms that may not disable a person but can prevent one from functioning normally or feeling well. People with dysthymia may also experience one or more episodes of major depression during their lifetimes.

Some forms of depressive disorder exhibit slightly different characteristics than those described above, or they may develop under unique circumstances. However, not all scientists agree on how to characterize and define these forms of depression. They include:

Psychotic depression, which occurs when a severe depressive illness is accompanied by some form of psychosis, such as a break with reality, hallucinations, and delusions.

Postpartum depression, which is diagnosed if a new mother develops a major depressive episode within one month after delivery. It is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of women experience postpartum depression after giving birth.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is characterized by the onset of a depressive illness during the winter months, when there is less natural sunlight. The depression generally lifts during spring and summer. SAD may be effectively treated with light therapy, but nearly half of those with SAD do not respond to light therapy alone. Antidepressant medication and psychotherapy can reduce SAD symptoms, either alone or in combination with light therapy.

Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is not as common as major depression or dysthymia. Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes-from extreme highs (e.g., mania) to extreme lows (e.g., depression). Visit the NIMH website for more information about bipolar disorder."

Take Action Tour

In 1999 Hopeless Records founded Sub City with the mission to make a positive impact that goes beyond music. With over 30 charity releases and counting to go along with the annual Take Action Tour, Hopeless/Sub City Records has recently passed over one million dollars donated to charity.

Take Action was founded by Hopeless & Sub City Records with the mission to create a better world, one voice and one action at a time. Take Action strives to educate people about the positive difference that can be made by each of us in our community through activism and charitable work. To date over $450,000 has been raised through the efforts of Take Action.

Southern California based independent record label Hopeless/Sub City Records will once again organize the annual Take Action Tour, which focuses on raising funds and awareness for non-profit organizations.

The 7th incarnation of the tour will kick off in February, 2008 featuring Every Time I Die, From First to Last, The Bled, August Burns Red and The Human Abstract for what is sure to be the most intense Take Action Tour line-up in recent years.

Previous Take Action Tour artists include: Avenged Sevenfold, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Jimmy Eat World, Thrice, Chiodos, Silverstein, Poison The Well, Sugarcult, Matchbook Romance, The Early November and many more.

Take Action 2008 benefits non-profit organization,
Do Something. Do Something distributes weekly $500 grants to young peoples with an idea about how to make a difference in their community. In 2007 alone, the site issued over $240,000 to young people who are making change in communities across the globe. Last year Do Something reached over 10 million young people, age 25 and under, and helped them take action.

If you are interested in attending this event...here is a list of SHOWS

Facebook Fights Against Suicide

I logged on to Facebook this morning, looking for groups who recognized suicide in various ways. I found over 500 groups.

Four guys, One destination, One mission: Suicide Prevention

Alive Campaign

"On November 4th 2007 at 8:20 PM in Waco Texas we made this vow. Now that we have had 250,000 people join this group Justin Brown, Kyle Ferguson, Nathan Lloyd, Andi Nakasone and Brent Gattis will bicycle to Anchorage Alaska from Baylor University in Waco Texas. Let us break the silence and become a voice! Let's change the world, by changing one life at a time!"

-- within their group application, this group of individuals listed this link -- http://www.halfofus.com/ -- which directs users to halfofus.com which has various celebs and non-celebs discussing their issues.

For more groups...please visit Facebook.com

South Wales: linked to suicide craze

Recently, South Wales has been linked to a suicide craze sweeping a social networking site, Bebo. British detectives believed many of the suicide victims had their own web pages on Bebo and could have been driven to kill themselves as a way of gaining prestige among their friends. There have been a further 13 suspected suicides in the Bridgend county in the past 12 months. 

On February 22, the death toll in a small town hit by a spate of suicides rose to 16 yesterday when two young cousins were found hanged. They died hours apart, leaving the South Wales community of Bridgend reeling from the continuing string of tragedies.

Nathaniel Pritchard, 15, was still alive when he was discovered in an attic room at the family home on Wednesday but died yesterday morning when his life-support machine was turned off.

His cousin Kelly Stephenson, 20, had been told of Nathaniel's suicide bid while she was on holiday in Folkestone, Kent, and warned there was little hope he would survive.

Kelly, who knew two of the young men who died last year - was found dead shortly after midnight yesterday by a relative.

South Wales police and Bridgend coroner Philip Walters said they did not believe the apparent suicides were linked and played down any connection with internet sites.

A task force involving police, social services, health and education officials has been set up to investigate the series of tragedies and discussions have taken place at government level over the spate of young deaths - all by hanging - which started in January 2007.

Suicide in the U.S.: Statistics and Prevention

Studies showed that a type of psychotherapy called cognitive therapy reduced the rate of repeated suicide attempts by 50 percent during a year of follow-up. A previous suicide attempt is among the strongest predictors of subsequent suicide, and cognitive therapy helps suicide attempters consider alternative actions when thoughts of self-harm arise.

Specific kinds of psychotherapy may be helpful for specific groups of people. For example, a recent study showed that a treatment called dialectical behavior therapy reduced suicide attempts by half, compared with other kinds of therapy, in people with borderline personality disorder (a serious disorder of emotion regulation).

The medication clozapine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for suicide prevention in people with schizophrenia. Other promising medications and psychosocial treatments for suicidal people are being tested.

Since research shows that older adults and women who die by suicide are likely to have seen a primary care provider in the year before death, improving primary-care providers' ability to recognize and treat risk factors may help prevent suicide among these groups. Improving outreach to men at risk is a major challenge in need of investigation.

What should I do if I think someone is suicidal?

If you think someone is suicidal, do not leave him or her alone. Try to get the person to seek immediate help from his or her doctor or the nearest hospital emergency room, or call 911. Eliminate access to firearms or other potential tools for suicide, including unsupervised access to medications.