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May 11, 2008 11:41 pm US/Eastern
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Health: Teenage Depression
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
When you look at the home
video, Jordan Burnham looks like a happy teenager goofing around with his
friends. It was only a year ago when Jordan seemed to be on top of the
world.
Now he can barely
walk. His body is ravaged with devastating injuries. His
story is one of torment and triumph and many miracles.
He was a star at Upper Merion
High School. He was
popular and a gifted athlete.
"To to everyone it looked like I was the happiest
kid alive, but I just had a lot of things internally that were just eating me
alive," said Jordan Burnham.
His
despair eventually became overwhelming. In September the young man
who seemed to have everything to live for jumped out of his 9th
floor bedroom window.
"It
was devastating. As I ran over there my only thought was, if I could grab
his body parts and hold them and have them because they're be nothing left of
him," said Jordan's
father Earl Burnham.
Somehow
even after falling 90 feet and hitting the ground at 50 miles an hour, Jordan was
still alive. His body was badly mangled. Doctors at Hospital of
University of Pennsylvania told Jordan's
parents to prepare for the worst.
"When
you have your child going thru something like this it's just horrific it's
painful in all ways," said his mother Georgette Burnham.
What
caused Jordan
to attempt suicide isn't entirely clear. In additional to the
stresses of being a teenager he had been diagnosed with depression and
for a year had been treated with medication. But the
family was managing. The Burnham's working hard to understand.
"The
pressures that young people are under with school, getting ready to go to
college trying to make decisions about who you're dating your grades," said
Earl.
"I
think a lot of teenagers do go thru what I went through," said Jordan.
Teenage
depression is widespread, striking one in 20.
As
many as one million attempt suicide every year.
Even
though Jordan
was being treated there were still dark days. He only shared
them occasionally with his therapist and parents.
"It
was tough and no one knew because I hid it very well. But you know I
suffered with depression and just everyday lifestyle things that would get me
down," said Jordan.
But
he says he never planned to kill himself. Something snapped that night.
"That
wasn't me who went out that window," said Jordan.
"I
wouldn't do it and so it's difficult even to think about and its scary to think
about," said Jordan.
So
is his recovery. After surviving the initial massive internal
bleeding, his broken bones are slowly healing.
His
life now revolves around trips to Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital
as he hopes to be able to walk again someday. The
grueling therapy triggers physical and emotional pain.
"I
cry and I let it out and I do look out the window and I say why, why would
I do this," said Jordan.
The
family has come to realize how powerful, but hidden the depression was and how
it can happen to anyone.
"It's
not always about the kid. It's about the disease. Depression is
something that has no respect to person society or color of a person," said
Earl.
Jordan still
struggles with depression but says his journey has a
purpose, helping other people understand darkness, and
consequences and ultimately the healing power of love and prayer.
"It's
a life lesson, a life lesson that everyone can learn from," said Jordan.
Suicide
information from the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/suicide/
Suicide Crisis Hotline
Information- http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help/default.aspx
Suicide Warning Signs- http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help/warning_signs.aspx
Suicide Prevention Information- http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/suicideprevention/,
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/suicide.html,
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml
Depression
Information- http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html
Depression Screening Test- http://www.depression-screening.org/screeningtest/screeningtest.htm
Find a Mental Health
Expert- http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/getting-help-locate-services/index.shtml
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)