Review: Depression: Insights and Tips for Teenagers

Depression: Insights and Tips for Teenagers

by Dr. Cognevich

 

Depressed teenagers are often misjudged as being dramatic, sensitive, moody or attention seeking. Some teens ignore their symptoms thinking these feelings will pass.  Many adults ignore signs of teen depression believing such signs are normal growing pains. According to Depression: Insights and Tips for Teenagers, the second book in the “Empowering You” series, young adults have legitimate feelings that need to be addressed. Teens should not dismiss their feelings as insignificant, and adults should strive to understand what is happening before the pain of depression becomes more destructive. Author Dr. Cognevich writes a compelling blueprint both teens and supportive adults can follow in order to identify, understand, and manage depression.  The anecdotes of her own struggles and that of the many teens with which she works help the readers understand they are not alone. Her practical strategies are easily understood and will help these young adults better their own situations. With each chapter, the author reveals a new skill that should be added to their personal toolboxes.  From recognizing physical changes that act as triggers to stress inventories, teens are learning to cope with their depression one tool at a time.

 

This book is similar in format to Jean Rawitt’s book,  Volunteering: Insights and Tips for Teenagers (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020), which is the first book in the “Empowering You” series.  Both authors advise teens without condescension. Their narrative styles and use of actual teen stories will entice the targeted audience to read more. Where they differ is in their subject matter.  The focus of Volunteering is to show the readers how to live fulfilling lives by giving back to their communities; whereas Depression is about how to live fulfilling lives by recognizing and managing depression .  After reading Dr. Cognevich’s book, young adults will be well equipped with the stamina and tenacity needed to process their depression and navigate their way through any situation. This book is timely and full of practical resources for high school students.

 

Verdict:  Both high school and public libraries will have a better nonfiction collection with the purchase of this book, Depression: Insights and Tips for Teenagers.

The First 6 Weeks is Over? What Did I Do?

Wow!  Our first grading period ended on Friday, September 18, 2020.  There are a lot of procedures that changed due to COVID-19.  In the beginning, the changes seemed insurmountable.  Now, they are still unbelievable, but the staff is adjusting and going home exhausted every night.  For those of you not in education, you might ask, "What changed?"  Well, here you go.

Lesson plans, attendance, and grading practices have changed.  How students come into the building in the morning has changed.  How students leave the building has changed.  Then there is the addition of face masks to the student dress code, dealing with multiple seating charts, and sanitizing EVERY seat in between classes.  In addition, teachers are starting to get sick, and some have been asked to quarantine.  The substitute teachers are not coming.  So any free time teachers might have (where they could create lesson plans or grade papers) is now dedicated to watching another class.  So, yeah, education has changed.

While adjusting to these new changes, I still had to run a library . . . sort of.  Our district came up with some guidelines which make sense and keeps everyone safe.  Of course it means the library is a bit too quiet for me.  Since my library is being used as a place for the dual credit students, I realized pretty quickly that my usual students couldn't come in to check out books.  So I invested in 2 eBook platforms, Junior Library Guild and Teen Book Cloud.  Those usage statistics is what carried the book check out this first 6 weeks.  I just started letting students reserve books in Destiny Discover.  Then we pull their requests from the shelves and deliver them to the students.  So those statistics should show up during the next reporting period.

So, what did I do this first six weeks?  Here are my library usage statistics.  Hopefully they speak for themselves.  Enjoy!