Twenty two year old Daniel Endriss was pursuing a career to become a clinical counselor or licensed psychologist to help young-adults and teenagers struggling with depression.
According to a report released in 2018 by BlueCross BlueShield, of more than nine-million commercially insured Americans diagnosed with depression, major depression diagnoses are increasing fastest among Millenials and teens than any other age group.
Daniel was one of them. However before the Chula Vista native could see his plans come to fruition, he died in late July. As of press time his cause of death had not been determined.
Daniel’s parents, Marc Endriss and Debra Endriss, described Daniel as a big lovable teddy bear who loved hard, with an affinity for music and a passion for martial arts. When Daniel told them about his struggle with depression about two years ago, Marc and Debra said they were shocked.
“When you’re talking about depression it’s not something that you looked at Daniel and saw,” Debra Endriss said.
Moving forward, Daniel’s parents want his dream of helping at-risk youth to live on. They’ve created a scholarship fund on Facebook, which has raised more than $6,000 so far. They plan to meet with the principal of Eastlake High School to figure out how to administer the money and grant it to a student going into the psychology field.
According to Daniel’s girlfriend, Bianca Wilson, 22, Daniel had struggled with his mental health since he was young and “wanted to be there to help youth find the light he had managed to find.”
Wilson and Daniel first met when they were 10-years-old, dated throughout middle school and reconnected in high school.
“Daniel was incredibly smart, contemplative, and creative, and he had a knack for finding the beauty in things despite how bleak the world could feel,” Wilson said. “I would like people to remember his fierce spirit, his playful and teasing sarcasm, his goofy smile and sense of humor, and for his dedication and loyalty.”
According to Eastlake High School Counselor Kristen Ereno, listening is the most important thing when supporting someone with depression. If you see the signs of depression developing in one of your loved ones, Ereno advises doing your research about depression beforehand and offers the following conversation starters to approach them: “Recently, I have noticed some differences in you and wondered how you are doing” and “I wanted to check in with you because you seemed pretty down lately.”
Symptoms of major depression include a decrease or increase in appetite, insomnia or hypersomnia, constant fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or excessive and inappropriate guilt, recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal ideation and diminished ability to think, concentrate and make decisions.
Major depression is characterized by at least five symptoms of which at least one is an overwhelming feeling of sadness or a loss of interest and pleasure in most usual activities, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Ereno said signs that a teenager or young adult is dealing with depression could include withdrawing or isolating themselves from others, trouble concentrating or remembering, signs of irritability or anger that is out of the norm for youth and physical symptoms, such as stomach problems.
When approaching someone with depression, Ereno said you can ask how to best support them and how long they’ve been feeling this way.
Marc added that he encourages parents to listen to their kids without prejudice, even if they think that depression is not something their kids could possibly suffer from.
Founder of Alliance Eastlake Jiu Jitsu Foundation and jiu jitzu instructor Elias Gallegos was Daniel’s main training partner. Gallegos said throughout his own battle with depression, jiu jitsu has been a powerful outlet as a form of exercise that is not just physical, but emotional and spiritual.
Gallegos has created the Daniel Endriss Scholarship, in an effort to make sure Daniel’s legacy lives on. The scholarship will be offered to a young adult or teenager suffering from depression, and consists of a lifetime membership to Alliance Jiu Jitsu in Eastlake.
Gallegos is also organizing an open-mat fundraiser at Alliance Jiu Jitsu on Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. He said you don’t have to have experience or gear to attend, and they are asking for $10 donations. The proceeds will go to Daniel’s family.
In a Facebook video announcing the scholarship Gallegos fought back tears and urged everyone to reach out to their loved ones and be proactive about actually caring for people.
“Just imagine if everybody did their part, how much this world would change,” Gallegos said.
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry in January found evidence that enhancing physical activity may be an effective prevention strategy for depression, and that people who exercised had greater depressive symptom reduction than those who did not.
Another recent study from JAMA Psychiatry published July 15 showed an increase in depressive symptoms for every hour adolescents spent on social media or watching television.
Wilson stressed that engaging children, neighbors, family members and friends with compassion is necessary to “melt away the shame and discomfort that currently comes with addressing these lethal problems.” She added that advocating for mental health has to go further than sharing posts on social media.
“If we are going to be individuals who can honestly say we are champions for those we are losing everyday, we need to be playing the part beyond our keyboards,” Wilson said.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, people can work to destigmatize mental illness by seeking education about mental health, openly talking about it and being conscious of the language that is being used when talking about it.
The Chula Vista Family Health Center offers mental health services including individual counseling and psychiatry. According to their website, no patient will be turned away for an inability to pay.
Through their counseling and psychological services web page, SDSU offers free, anonymous online screenings for depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, bipolar disorder, disordered eating, substance use, alcohol use and gambling. After answering questions for the screening, you can access informational materials about what to do to help yourself.
It’s Up to Us is a local campaign that aims to empower San Diegans to openly talk about mental illness, recognize symptoms, utilize local resources and seek help. Through their website, anyone can live chat with crisis chat specialists Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Anyone can call the Crisis Line at (888)-724-7240 to speak with experienced counselors 24/7.
“We really feel like he was on the cusp of doing something very special and unfortunately he is not going to have the chance to do that now,” Marc Endriss said. “Hopefully we will find the right individual or individuals that will help to continue that career path.”
Donations to the Endriss family scholarship fund can be made by searching “Daniel Endriss Memorial Scholarship Fund” on Facebook. To receive more information about the jiu jitsu scholarship email info@alliancebjjeastlake.com.
