Depression Affects Children And Teenagers In The United States

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.

Teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, and pressure to succeed while growing up. These are fears that teens face every day and suicide may seem like the solution to their problems. There are many signs for parents to watch for in teenagers: changes in eating and sleeping habits, drug or alcohol abuse, violent actions, rebellious behavior, frequent complaints, and withdrawal from family and friends. Many of these signs and symptoms can be similar to depression. It is important for parents, teachers, and physicians to be aware of these symptoms in adolescents. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, October 2013).

For future direction I would love to see the way it can affect young children below the ages of seven years old. Even though the studies would have to be altered. It would be nice to see just how the younger children below the age of seven would see themselves. Maybe the way they could go about it talking to children and getting their feedback. Or it can be on older age children above the ages of 12 and beyond. That way to get a better sample of younger and older ages of people. Or it could be another more detailed topic than depression or a deeper meaning of depression.

According to Maureen and Kayla (78), “adolescent depression is a serious problem affecting 10.7% of all teens and 29.9% of high school students” whereby, 17% of the latter are supposed to have contemplated suicide in general. Notably, this statistic conveys the seriousness with which the issue needs to be addressed with because, ostensibly, most of the depression cases, which ultimately lead to suicide incidences among teens, are still going unrecognized. Moreover, as American Psychological Association asserts, the primary cause of suicidal distress include social, environmental, and psychological factors (par. 2). Additionally, the former also notes that suicide risk factors vary with certain aspects including age, ethnic group, stressful life events, family dynamics, and gender among other factors. In precision, it is admissible that despite the many aspects that are supposed to be the main cause of suicide cases among teens, failure to recognize and treat, or rather, address the causative agents of suicidal conditions could be the primary reason for the rampancy regarding the issue. Therefore, if, for instance, medical practitioners and parents among other involved individuals seek to curb teen suicide, it first necessitates their understanding of the problem including reasons that might lead a teenager to develop suicidal thoughts.

Everyone feels depressed at some time in their lives, whether the cause may result from illness, the loss of a family member, a decrease in grades and so on. These tribulations and many more are natural causes of feelings of sadness and lamentation. It is normal to feel distressed about a loss or failure. However, for a number of people, that feeling of dejection repeats for months, years, or, if left untreated, even a lifetime. An estimated 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Of these affected, one in eight teens suffer from this disease (World Health Organization, para. 1). Depression is an attenuating disease, affecting teens at an increasing rate, and it is essential for one to know what teenage depression is, how depression affects teenagers and what can be done to prevent it.

The subject of my research is Depression, which is an illness that affect most of the teens in the United States and worldwide. Although I have family members who have been experiencing depression including me, I did not know that this horrible feeling can catch adolescents specifically that period called puberty. Puberty is the most critical period where the child has a transition into adolescent and it is characterized for a mixture of changes in behaviors, moodiest. One of the most dangerous is Depression. My 12 years old daughter was diagnosed with Severe Depression.

By explaining the youth and society of the causes and symptoms of depression, we can inform students the consequences that can occur from the highly common mental disorder. What is depression? Depression is a brain disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life (Mayo Clinic). Depression can happen to anyone. Just to show, one in five teens suffers from a clinical depression (Mayo Clinic.) Depression is severe and, if left untreated, can worsen to the point of being life threatening. Evidence shows that with such a low self-esteem, instead of seeking help, “young people resort to suicide and other forms of dangerous acts. Many of these long-standing problems are caused by bullying,” (Mental Health America.) Because of this, we implement more programs so people are more aware of how depression can lead to dangerous consequences if left untreated. Studies show that suicide attempts among young people may be based on long-standing problems triggered by a specific event. To explain, adolescents that are suicidal may view a temporary situation as a permanent condition. Feelings of anger and resentment combined with exaggerated guilt can lead to impulsive, self-destructive acts. Many schools use programs after school such as bullying campaigns. According to the

Teen depression is a major mental health issue that affects every one in five teens. It controls how a teen behaves overall, and causes consistent sorrow in the teen. It is not an issue that you can just “get-over”, it takes treatment and outside help to truly fight this mental illness. Not only does it emotionally and physically exhaust the person it affects, but it also greatly impacts the lives of an everyday teenager.

Throughout the world, people are struggling daily with one, if not multiple, mental illness. Some of these individuals have been diagnosed as a result of symptoms they exhibit, while others struggle in silence. For those that have received help, life slowly looks brighter for them, while loved ones work to help in any way possible. One of the serious mental illnesses that teens struggle with is depression. There are various aspects as to why an adolescent may develop depression including social, academic, or family problems, as well as stress or past issues; however, if others recognize the warning signs, complications can be avoided and treatment obtained to overcome depression.

Depression is a severe mood disorder and it is the most frequently diagnosed psychiatric disorder amongst adolescents. Depression is a state that adolescents can fall easily into. Teenagers spend more time with their friends than they do with their families which can result is possible rejection of peers. Individuals feel the need to have approval of self-worth by their peers. If they get disapproval, this can lead to brutal symptoms. (Platts, Kadosh, Lau 6). The symptoms can vary from self-worthlessness, anxiety, or a

Research indicates teen’s depression and health professionals say it’s important to get help as soon as a problem is present. Diagnostic criteria are the same for adolescence and adults, with the exception that adolescence may express irritability rather than sad or depressed mood. Major depressive disorder in adolescents is a common condition that affects physical, emotional, and social development for which are more likely to experience anhedonia, boredom, hopelessness, hypersomnia, weight change, alcohol or drug use, and suicide attempts. (MacPhee, 2006) Another major difference between adult and adolescent depression is that depression in adolescence usually involves more social and interpersonal difficulties which directly leads to self-esteem problems. (Seth J. Schwartz, 2012) Correlational studies have consistently shown a significant negative relationship between self-esteem and depression. (Seth J. Schwartz, 2012) People with low self-esteem are typically unhappy. Their sense of fulfillment and pleasure with life is usually resulting from how they feel about themselves. For some people, low self-esteem may contribute to depression and even the inability to function in life. School related stress plays a role in triggering predisposed conditions; the potential for conflict and for psychological stress is high in schools for students because of pressure that comes with adolescences. Ignoring

Depression is a common mental health issue in adolescents worldwide. However, a variety of different symptoms, risk factors, and treatment methods have a roll on how the child copes and recovers from their depressive disorder. Nonetheless, Adolescent depression is a disorder that affects teenagers. This disorder can lead to several negative feelings such as disappointment, sadness, and a loss of self-worth. However, when do parents know the difference between their child facing challenges that may result in experiencing “the blues” rather than consequences that could lead to much more severe risks such as suicide. Throughout my research, I will discover such differences in relation to warning signs and symptoms, causes of depression, how a

Depression is a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal, sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason (“Depression”). Depression brings the thought of suicide to mind. Depression affects a person’s thoughts in such a way that the person does not see when a problem can be overcome. It is as if the depression puts a filter on the person’s thinking that distorts things. That is why depressed people do not realize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem in the same way that other people do. Like most other people who become suicidal, adolescents really do not want to kill themselves; they just want to escape from the pain they are experiencing and they don’t see a way out (Joan Page 46). A teen with depression may feel like there is no other way out of problems, no other escape from emotional pain, or no other way to communicate a desperate unhappiness (“Teen Suicide”). Parents and teachers should not take

Depression is a psychological disorder that not only gravely affects the state of mind of a person but also the physical body. It is characterised by behavioural changes such as differing intensities of sadness, feelings of hopelessness, low self-worth and loss of interests (“A Definition of Depression”, 2007, para. 1). Depression is a major problem among youths and the number of occurrences has been growing in recent years. Kuabara, Van Voorhees, Gollan and Alexander (2007) support this claim by citing that youths have the “highest incidence and cumulative prevalence of depression” and further reiterate that “the risk of depression in this age group [youths] has increased significantly in the last half century” (para. 1). This is based on

Some studies indicate that today’s youth are ten times more likely than fifty years ago (Wickramaratne, 1989). Many credit the increase in depression statistics to greater understanding and awareness of depressions itself, moreover, there are concerns that although over the last five decades, virtually every aspect of American life has improved (Seilgman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, & Linkins, 2009). Americans have greater purchasing power, larger homes, more cars, better careers, less effect racism, women’s rights, more entertainment, less pollutants, dynamic music and better education, yet depression is on the rise. Is it possible that the lack of positivity education is at the root of this depression increase? Positive psychology was formally introduced by Martin E.P. Seligman to the American Psychological Association (APA) in his 1998 Presidential address (Seilgman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, & Linkins, 2009). However, there is irrefutable evidence that peripheral ideations can be found dating back to American philosopher and psychologist William James studies, citing one’s ability to alter their attitude can alter their outcome (Froh, 2004 pg. 18).