Teenage Depression

Throughout America, the rate of teenage is increasing each year. About 20 percent of teens will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood. Teen depression can affect a teen regardless of gender, social background, income level, race, or school or other achievements, though teenage girls report suffering from depression more often than teenage boys. Teenage depression is a serious topic and it is important to understand what it is, the symptoms of teenage depression and how it can be solved. Teenage depression isn’t just bad moods and the occasional melancholy—it’s a serious problem that impacts every aspect of a teen’s life. Teen depression can lead to drug and alcohol abuse, self–loathing and self–mutilation, pregnancy, violence, and even suicide. Depression is more than occasionally feeling blue, sad, or down in the dumps. Depression is a strong mood involving sadness, discouragement, despair, or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even longer. Depression affects more than a person’s mood.

It drains the energy, motivation, and concentration a person needs for normal activities. It interferes with the ability to notice or enjoy the good things in life. Of course, most teens feel unhappy at times and when you add hormones and stress to the many other changes happening in a teen’s life, it’s easy to see why they have mood swings like crazy. Often, teens with depression will have a noticeable change in their thinking and behavior. They may have no motivation and even become withdrawn, closing their bedroom door after school and staying in their room for hours. Teens with depression may sleep excessively, have a change in eating habits, school trouble and may even exhibit criminal behaviors such as DUI or shoplifting. Those are only a few examples of symptoms that may arise when looking for depression in teenagers. Even though depression affects millions of teenagers, it is treatable.

Though, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for teenagers who are depressed. I would say that prevention is always better than cure. If we could prevent teen depression then there would be no need to cure a depressed teenager. As a parent or adult that recognizes the warning signs before they become severe then you may be able to help that teen prevent becoming depressed and seek help before the depression kicks in. If in fact the depression has already affected the child then it is very improtant to seek medical help as soon as possible before it becomes too late.

Depression is the world’s number one psychological disorder and suicide is the third leading cause of death amongst teenagers. It has been known for depressed teenagers to turn to suicide if they dont recieve the proper medical attention that is needed to treat depression.Some parents are even going to counseling with their children to create an open forum where a teenager feels like they can open up and share their feelings. Teenage depression is a serious issue, but it can be helped when you know the symptoms. Depression is a real and serious condition that can derail lives and put a child at risk. No one needs to be left alone to battle depression. Recognize the signs and symptoms and you may make a difference in somone’s life.