Young people's views of communicating their depression

Abstract

This study examines young people's views of communicating their depression. The study is based on Finnish young people's accounts collected via the Internet. The data consist of 61 written narratives, messages sent during two online group discussions with 20 participants and online individual interviews with four young people. The data were analysed from the frame analytic perspective with the aim of identifying the frames young people use to explain their decisions about communicating their depression. Three different frames were found. Within the frame of support, communicating meant seeking support but was also seen as burdening. Within the frame of connection, young people characterised communicating either as succeeding or failing in forming a connection. When they explained communicating depression through the frame of handling, communication was seen to enable handling distress but could also mean sinking into distress.