Depression in Teens: Everything You Need to Know
1, 8, 10%. They are all meaningless numbers. Just random statistics. Right? Wrong. As many as 1 in 8 adolescents will struggle with major depression. Surprised? Well there’s more. Only 10% of six million Americans struggling with depression will actually get treatment. Worldwide, less than half of the people struggling actually get treatment.
Did you know that depression is the number 1 most rampant psychiatric condition worldwide? “I’m feeling depressed today” is a common phrase that I’m sure all of us have said or heard someone say and in this video I’ll help you understand why that would actually be incorrect and help you understand what depression really is.
Depression is a serious issue, especially in teens. It is not something that comes and goes like sadness or a common cold, but more like an emotional state or mental health disorder, depending on the severity. Nearly 4,400 kids commit suicide every year due to depression. Every year, for each one of those 4,400 suicides, there are 100 suicide attempts. Did you know that nearly 1 in every 3 kids has depression? Alarming right? Well these statistics are constantly rising, now more than ever.
There are many symptoms of depression, but they may vary depending on the type.
They include getting too much/too little sleep, no motivation, trouble concentrating, gaining/losing weight, deep feelings of sadness, guilt, and/or worthlessness,, social withdrawal, irritability, loss of energy, anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure by doing your favorite activities), and most seriously, suicidal thoughts/attempts.
Depression can be caused by many factors, but more often than not, there are multiple factors all playing a role in a person’s depression. Just like food, water, shelter, and oxygen are needed for our physical well being, we also have psychological needs and lack of these may cause depression.
One of the partial factors of depression is genetics. If there is someone in your family that has depression, you are 3 times more likely to develop it in your lifetime while, if you have an identical twin that has depression, your chances of developing it increase by 80%
Another common cause are personal life events, such as having a broken family, a traumatic childhood, losing a job, and much more. Furthermore, drugs and medication, hormonal imbalances (such as low levels of serotonin), an overactive endocrine system (can lead to shrinkage of hippocampus), and lack of social support are all factors that can lead to developing this disorder.
There are many types of depression, but some of the more common types include: Major Depressive Disorder-Clinical Depression, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia), and Substance/Medication-Induced Depressive Disorder. Each of these types is characterized by a specific trait. For example, dysthymia is characterized by its trait of causing episodes of at least 2 years of length in adults and 1 year in children.
While these 4 types listed are the main types of depression, it is also important to remember that there are many other types that exist. There are many treatments that are available for recovering from or temporarily relieving depression. Some of the treatments and medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), medications, and drugs or antidepressants. Some of the more long term treatments include, social support from fellow patients, interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
There is lots of evidence to suggest that exposure to the natural world is a highly effective antidepressant as well. Drugs and other antidepressants may give relief for a while, however they will not effectively treat depression, but rather, suppress it.
In one scenario, a man’s leg was blown up during a war. He worked in rice fields and was soon after given an artificial leg. Soon after, he went into serious depression. The town leaders met with him to comfort him and to understand what was going on and why he was in such a severe state of depression. The man told them that it was very painful to have his artificial leg underwater when he was working, in addition to being very traumatic. The town leaders understood his problem and that his pain made sense. After thinking it through, the people of his community decided to give him a cow, the purpose of the gift being so that he could become a dairy farmer and he wouldn’t be in this painful situation. Within a couple of weeks, his depression had improved exponentially.
See, depression isn’t something that can only be helped by medications and drugs. There are other treatments that are available that have even more of an impact. These treatments include different types of therapies and/or being part of a support group. This social support can help a person realize that they are not alone and receive advice on how to deal with their depression. By educating ourselves about depression, we can prevent it from happening or help someone who is experiencing it.Knowing more about depression can help us recognize signs of depression not only in friends and family members, but even within ourselves.
Just remember, a person who has depression is not weak and should not be made to believe that they are. A person with depression is a person with unmet psychological needs.
So, next time, think twice before saying, “I’m feeling depressed today.”
