MBOMBELA – Last week matriculants across the country began writing their final exams. This marks a very stressful period for both learners and their parents.

Many feel anxious or depressed and end up suffering from exam stress. According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), stress can be good or bad. It is good when it motivates learners to wake up early, study, concentrate and stay motivated.

Stress is bad when it causes them to feel anxious, switch between tasks without getting much done or worse, struggle to concentrate. Bad stress, if not addressed, can lead to depression.

What is depression?

Depression is a whole-body illness involving body, mood and thought. It affects the way you eat and sleep, how you feel about yourself, and your thoughts. It is not the same as a temporary blue mood, nor is a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away.

People with depression cannot merely “pull themselves together” and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months or years. However, appropriate treatment can help. Operations director at Sadag, Cassey Chambers, says there is no cure for depression, but there is treatment.

“Through a combination of medication if necessary, prescribed by a GP or psychiatrist, therapy or counselling with psychologists, joining a support group and learning as much as possible about depression can really help you cope every day.”
Chambers also says that depression doesn’t discriminate, it can affect any age, race and gender.

Symptoms
• Decreased energy, fatigue and feeling run-down
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs, may be associated but not a criteria for diagnosis
• Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts
• Restlessness, irritability, hostility
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain.

Dr Erika Coertzen adds that calls to helplines usually spike during the school, college and university exam period when learners feel overwhelmed and don’t know who to talk to.
She says this toll on learners and the trauma they experience may impact negatively on future stressful situations.
“We know that distress calls from learners at all levels generally spike over the exam period when teens and young adults seek help for coping with exam stress and for depression, anxiety and trauma.

“Unless they learn to cope at this young age, they may battle with stressful situations as adults. They worry about how to study, about failing, about letting their family down and how they are going to cope on the day of the exam,” she says.
Coertzen adds that parents and family members should be vigilant during exam times and have an open line of communication.
She says over-the-counter and homeopathic remedies may assist by providing symptomatic support for stress and anxiety.

Where to get help
Chambers says if parents notice these symptoms of depression in their children, they should get help as soon as possible.
“If you are not sure where to go or who to speak to, you can contact a counsellor at Sadag who can help you with resources and referrals in your area. Sadag provides free telephonic counselling, referrals and information.”
Sadag can be contacted on 0800-70-80-90 or SMS 31393.