2020-2021学年度第39期总第831期
Learning to cope (P2)
江苏省华罗庚中学 时艺力
Lead-in 
 hopelessness & emptiness
 loss of interest & pleasure
 angry outbursts
 insomnia (失眠) & oversleeping 
If experiencing the situations above, what would you do to cope with them? 
Read to confirm 
 

In an interview with Xinhua, Wang Yanan sounded no different than any other energetic freshman in college. But what’s on the surface doesn’t always tell the whole story. In a calm tone, she spoke about her experience with depression (抑郁症). 
Just after gaokao last year, Wang tried to commit suicide (自杀). “It’s not because of my grades, I just felt my life was meaningless,” she told Xinhua. “I thought I had nothing to do with the rest of the world.”
Wang’s struggle with mental health is not rare among people her age. A report by the China Youth & Children Research Center showed that about 30 million people under the age of 17 in China are dealing with emotional or behavioral disorders (失调).

Knowledge transfer
If you are experiencing these challenges, don’t hesitate to seek help as these are typical symptoms of depression.
Tips for relieving depression
In addition to getting help from a doctor, here are some tips.
1. Exercise. Take a 15-to 30-minute brisk (快步的) walk every day – or dance, jog, or bike if you prefer. Being active can help improve your mood. 
2. Try to identify any situations that have contributed to your depression. When you know what’s got you feeling blue and why, talk about it with a caring friend.
3. Try to notice good things. Depression affects a person’s thoughts, making everything seem negative and hopeless. So make an effort to notice the good things in life. 
Homework
    Suppose you were an editor from 21st century, and you just received a letter from Li Hua, a student from Shanghai. He is seeking help for his mental problems. In his letter, he mentioned that he is worthless and no one cared about him. He was wondering, “What's the point of living when everyone hates me?” He has even wanted to commit suicide. Can you write back and give him some suggestions?