Teen Depression

Depression in teenagers is a very serious medical problem that leads to long-lasting feelings of sadness along with a loss of interest in once enjoyed activities. Teen depression affects the way a teen thinks, feels, behaves, and can lead to significant emotional, functional, and physical problems. While depression and other mood disorders may occur at any time in life, the symptoms of depression experienced by teens may be different than those experienced by adults with depression. There are a lot of ups and downs involved in being an adolescent. Peer pressure, expectations of high academic achievement, or hormones associated with puberty will naturally bring about mood swings. However, teens who have clinical depression will feel the lows as more than temporary states. Having depression as an adolescent or teen isn’t a sign of weakness or something that can be overcome by toughing it out – teenage depression can lead to severe consequences and needs life-long treatment. While a teen experiencing depression may feel there’s no way out, the good news is that depression in teens is usually managed well with treatment including counseling, various therapies, and medication management. 

 Causes & risk factors for Teen Depression
Genetic: Depression tends to run in families. Teens who have a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, who has depression are more likely than their peers to develop this disorder. However, there are a number of adolescents who develop depression without a family history.
Physical: Neurotransmitters, naturally-occurring chemicals in the brain responsible for many actions and are likely to play a role in depression. When neurotransmitters are out of balance, it can lead to depressive symptoms. Additionally, changes in hormones may trigger depression.
Environmental: Teen depression may be linked to a feeling of learned helplessness; that these teens are helpless to find solutions to the challenges in life. This behavior may be learned though modeling by a parent or caregiver.
Also, some risk factors are :
  • Being female
  • Early childhood trauma
  • Bullying
  • Loss of a parent
  • Low self-esteem
  • Chronic medical illness
  • Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.

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