by Katie Weller

Created on: May 17, 2008

Two years ago, I began to have multiple suicide thoughts, and attempted to kill myself twice. I would refuse to eat, pretend that I did eat, or throw up what I did eat. I had multiple of the teenage problems, but I refused to believe that I was depressed. Now don't go on saying that I was in denial, I wasn't. I simply felt sorry for myself.

I got counseling from a Christian counselor who never blamed my problems on myself, or any one else. She helped me realize why I was feeling this way, and what I could do about it. We went through all my emotional scars, and past hurts. Never used any anti- depressants, or pills. I did not need these, and personally, I don't believe many people that get them do. If I would have gone to a therapist, or anything else for that matter, I believe that they would have persuaded my parents to put me on these. This is all part of a theory that if you give a teenager pills, it will calm them down- Wrong.

You can't put a person on pills and expect them to be fine. You have to take them down the long, hard journey of healing. Which in the end, is worth it.

The new age theory is "Bi- Polar disorder" Don't get me wrong, I believe that this is a very real illness, I just don't have it.

So many parents place their children in three columns: Mentally ill, Depressed, or good kid. You cannot do that. That makes a teen feel neglected, and victimized.

Another subject is a parent. A teenager having multiple problems really hurts a parent. I know my mother struggled for a long time. The feel they were mistaken in raising a child, or that they were wrong in so many cases. Most of the time, none of this is true. A teenagers feelings are generally based on their peers, their mistakes, and the world telling them they are lower than dirt scum. A teenager then begins to feel sorry for themselves and go into a "depression mode" Parents, it's not your fault, please don't feel like it is.

My counselor, Linda Johnson, has written many books on this issue, and with a lot of research, her theories were all proved correct.

After my final session of counseling, I never looked back.

So next time you want to place your kid in a column, remember this. A kid can't help what they feel, it's human nature. And for all of you doctors and therapists, don't you dare call me bi- polar or depressed, and next time you want to call a kid depressed, maybe you should take a walk in their shoes and try swallowing some pills yourself!

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