ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION

Despite the rise in teen depression the study which analyzed data from the national surveys on drug use and health reported that there really isn’t mental health treatment for adolescents and young adults but there is a growing number of young people who go un-treated or under-treated and for those who did get help, treatment tended to be really intense often involving specialized care or prescribed medication. According to the department of health and human resources more than 3 million adolescents aged 12-17 reported at least one major depressive episode in the past year and more than two million reported to have severe depression that messed up their daily functioning or in other words it affected their schedules.

Even though the discussion about mental health has become more common, teenage mental health is often left neglected. 37 percent of students 14 and older drop out of school because of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and the number continues to grow (“Mental Health by the Numbers”). Untreated mental illness in teens can be particularly debilitating because of the added stress from family life, school, work, and the pressure of adolescence. Teenage brains are still learning and developing, yet some are suffering so much that they commit suicide, the third most common cause of death in young adults (“Suicide”).

Children display risky behaviors. The characters in these shows or movies seem to recover from violent attacks or dangerous behaviors.

“In some cases, depression can be a medical condition in which the patient should be carefully observed as much as possible. Symptoms of attempting suicide are similar to those of depression. Some of the more rampant symptoms include a change in eating and sleeping habits, a marked personality change and a lost of interest in pleasurable activities. They physically appear sad and weighted down, and can sleep a great deal, even talking in soft, tired voices” (Child health). On the other hand while depression and suicide are similar in many respects, one will not necessarily result in another. It is possible for someone depressed to never think about suicide at all (Galas 42). Depression can lead anyone to suicide, but teenagers are especially at risk because they often feel like their feeling of hopelessness will never go away. There is a cycle in which teens can fall into; depression, isolation, sadness, and more depression. The longer this cycle continues, the more likely they are to try and end their own life

The rate of adolescents with clinical depression, particularly among young teen girls and young women, has increased over the decade ending in 2014. Major depressive episodes, also known as clinical depression, occur when someone develops a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities along with other depressive symptoms consistently for at least two weeks.

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines depression as, “A mood disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration.” this is something everyone relates to especially teenagers. In the article, “Hearing That Things Can Change Helps Teens Dodge Depression” Maanvi Singh, a writer for NPR, describes how depression acts within a teenager. The topic at hand, depression is quite intricate, it is hard to understand or deal with it, and usually can only be dealt with by the victim, but Singh introduces a study by David Yeager, a professor majoring in psychology, which shows how teenagers believe that things won't get better, how intervention at a young age may combat, or dodge depression in the future, and how

Depression; for not solely a temporary change in mood or a sign of weakness. However, it is a real medical condition with many emotional, physical, behavioral and cognitive symptoms that can affect an individual's ability to think, feel, construct, or even; live. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems such as: Nausea, muscle weakness, insomnia, a change in appetite, dry mouth, and irritation. Moreover, studies have shown that depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year; in like manner, only 20 percent of teens will experience depression before reaching adulthood or of age maturity. Thus, making the predicament more common in young adolescences, rather than fully grown, mature adults.

In depressed teens their life can become a very upside down playground, their mentality is not wanting to do anything ,laziness they feel like they can't do live life normally like any other teenager would .Depression can take several forms, including bipolar disorder (formerly called

Going through adolescence can be a very unsettling time for most teens. During this time, many physical, emotional, psychological, and social changes occur. Often time’s teens face unrealistic academic, social, or family expectations. These expectations can create a big sense of rejection, which can lead to disappointment. Teens overreact to most things that do not seem to go their way. To make things more difficult, teens are constantly being faced with messages from their friends, parents, or society. The article states that ‘teens need adult guidance more than ever to understand all of the emotional and physical changes they are experiencing’. When these adolescence moods disrupt their ability to function on a daily basis, it may indicate that the individual suffers from depression. This depression rate is increasing at a shocking rate. There have been recent studies that have shown that as many as 1 in 5 teens have clinical depression. Research has found out that there are various factors that contribute to depression, one being too much or too little brain chemicals. Family history with depression can also contribute to an individual’s chances of getting depression (Mental Health America).

There are many significant public health issues affecting our youth in today’s society. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 3.2 million adolescents are at risk for developing depression. The World Health Organization has predicted that by the year 2020, one of the largest disease burdens will be depression. Depression is an epidemic that is widespread among teens. It has an extraordinary impact on quality of life. Therefore, more research is necessary to determine what factors can reduce teen depressive rates. (Mammen and Falkner, 2013). Depression is a misunderstood disease. It is more than just sadness. The American Psychological Association describes people with depression as being disinterested and losing the pleasure they used to find in daily activities. Often times they will experience significant

People with a mental illness called major depressive disorder (or MDD) feel this way every day. What is troubling is that people with depression might nor receive the treatment they need; in fact, teenage depression is very often over looked. Why? Because their actions are written off as being typical for their age. This casual dismissal of an obvious problem is causing a significant problem in mental health. Teenagers are arguably the most misunderstood arg group. As a generation they are treated like children, being told that what they think and feel is wrong, and yet they are expected to act like fully developed adults. Because of this the reported numbers of teens with depression is rising. According to clinical-depression.co.uk MDD is the leading psychological disorder in the western world and is estimated to be the 2nd most disabling condition in the world by 2020, behind heart disease. Nobody should have to experience this type of suffering. Depression does not just make one feel sad, but depressing thoughts can

Thousands and thousands of teenagers all around the world suffer from depression. It’s a very common mental disorder that teens have come to terms with. However, people fail to realize that depression can come in a variety of ways and can attack anyone. Many aren’t even aware of the effects that can result from depression. The effects of depression can vary from person to person but the main symptoms of depression in teens are behavioral problems, significant changes in overall character, and possible thoughts of taking one’s life.

It has been researched that media images and video games can be harmful and damaging to children’s minds. Most children watch 21-23 hours of television per week (Media Violence 1). Within the 21-23

Depression a word we’re familiar with especially when it comes to adults, we know adults get depress and we understand the reasons, with the high demands in life it’s not uncommon to get lost in the shuffle. Depression in adult is something we have known for many years, but what has surprised many of us is that adolescents also get depressed. I myself still don’t fully understand the reasons why or how this happens. I see it very often adolescent coming in to the ER because they are depressed and want to hurt themselves, and each and every single time I’m shock. What could be so bad in their lives that would make them think they have no way out? This is the reason why I choice this topic, I want to learn more of how this disease affects so many children and teens and what we can do to stop it.

Today’s teenagers are faced with the ever changing world around them and the biological changes of their bodies. Many teens are also faced with depression. Approximately half of teenagers with untreated depression may attempt suicide, which remains the third leading cause of death in this age group. (Bostic). This depression affects their school, family lives, and robs them of their self image. Depression affects many teens and often goes by unnoticed and untreated.