Literature Review On Teenage Depression

Depression is a prominent illness in the adolescent community, and we need to find a way to help and treat sufferers of

It is not uncommon to hear stories about a teenager experiencing mood swings and rebelling against those in authority. Nor is it uncommon to experience general sadness or anxiety in high school and college. However, it is often difficult to tell the difference between normal teenage angst and clinical depression. It is not commonly known that there has recently been a staggering rise of depression in adolescents. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in twelve adolescents in the United States suffer from depression, which is 8.3 % of the teenage population. In order to combat the problem of adolescent depression, it is essential that parents take an active role in their adolescent’s life by both acknowledging and

Many teens experience depression at a young age because of various things. One main factor is the lack of sleep. A study by a group of pediatrics found that much of teen depression is caused by school and activities such as sports. The teen depression rate for 2015 showed that an estimated three million adolescents age twelve to seventeen in the United States has had a majority of two mental depression breakdowns in the past year. This number would decrease with the schedule change. The reason for this is because kids would be better rested and well prepared for school the next day. Being that the depression rate is so high, I am glad that the school system is taking into account that kids need more sleep

People constantly overlook the severity of depression, more importantly, major teen depression, which presents a legitimate obstacle in society. The intensity of teen depression results from society’s general lack of acknowledgement of the rising affair. In 2012, “28.5% of teens were depressed” and 15.8% of teens contemplated the option of suicide (Vidourek 1 par. 1), due to their major depression going unnoticed or untreated for. Even teenagers themselves often ignore their depression or remain in denial because neither them nor anyone else recognizes the signs. “A sudden change in behavior is a main sign of someone being depressed, which could lead to having suicidal thoughts,” stated Pam Farkas, a clinical social worker in California

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”).

DeLucia, V., Kelsberg, G., Safranek, S., & Neher, J. (2016). Q/Which SSRIs most effectively treat depression in adolescents?. Journal Of Family Practice, 65(9), 632-634.

“According to Mental Health America, one in every five teens has clinical depression” (“Safe Teens”). Do you know someone who suffers from teenage depression, or maybe a friend or family member? Or maybe you, yourself, may suffer from teenage depression. Well you are not alone. Many teens in America, as well as the rest of the world, are affected by teenage depression. Depression is an effect for many teens, with many causes. As a result, there are three major causes for teenage depression such as: Genetics, Environment, and Unhealthy Habits. In this essay, I will go in depth the many causes for teen depression.

Depression has become a daunting problem around the world, with the World Health Organization listing it as the leading cause of disability.1 As well, in 2030 it is anticipated to be second on a list of fifteen major disease burdens.2 In the United States, depression is a large, but often overlooked epidemic. It is estimated that 6.7% of the U.S. population suffer from depression yearly, with a lifetime diagnosis rate of approximately 16%.3,4 Additionally, it is estimated that 4-5% of adolescents are suffering from depression each year, with a lifetime prevalence rate of 11.7% in youth aged 13 to 18.5,6 Although 60-90% of adolescent episodes last one year or less, 50-70% percent are expected to relapse within 5 years.5

Kaplan and Sadock (as cited in Brollier, Hamrick & Jacobson, 1994) stated that depression, during the teen years, has become an increasing area of concern in psychiatry (Kaplan & Sadock, 1991. Kashani, Carlson, Beck, Hoeper, Corcoran, McAllister, Fallahi, Rosenberg and Reid (as cited in Brollier, Hamrick ,& Jacobson, 1994) studied the prevalence of depression in adolescents and reported that approximately 8% of adolescents experienced depressive disorders. Kaplan and Sadock (as cited in Brollier et al., 1994) suggested that new forms of treatment are needed when dealing with adolescents because adolescents often do not respond well to medications,

There are about 350 million people in the world that have depression. Teenagers get depression and most of the time it carries on into their adult lives. In 2012 16 million adults have had at least one depressive episode. That is about 6.9 percent of the total population. Most of these adults had depression when they were teens. Teenage depression is one of the most common forms of depression. Having depression can result in you not really doing anything in you adult life, because it can effect you just as much as it did in your teenage

There are many issues that are currently trending in the field of human growth and development. One of the most common issues is depression. A depressive disorder can best be defined as an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. This particular disorder can interfere with daily life and normal functioning. Depression has become an issue for millions of Americans. While studying about this topic, I found an article that really gave insight to what this issue really is. The article itself is centered on depression in teens, rather than other ages.

A whopping twenty percent of teens have depression before they reach adulthood; about ten to fifteen percent suffer from depression at any given time. These statistics may seem frightening to you, but it gets even worse: only thirty percent of teens are treated for depression. Even with all the glorious medical institutions in America, there is still a lack of a clearly defined treatment for depression. The typical process of diagnosis is as follows: the teenager is taken to a psychiatrist, the teenager is diagnosed with clinical depression, the teenager is prescribed antidepressants, and the teenager begins psychotherapy. Ideally, the first battery of drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tends to help the very severe cases of clinical depression, but it does not have an effect on milder cases. If the first battery of

The record amounts of anxiety, stress, and depression rates are rising rapidly but no one is taking notice. It’s been found that almost 14 million children in the United States have diagnosable mental disorder

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

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.