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Teenage Depression Affects as Many as One in Every Thirty-three Adolescents
It is estimated that four to five percent of adolescents in America suffer from teen depression. Ideally, parents, teachers, or school counselors will become alerted to the behavior or disposition factors that indicate the possible existence of teen depression because the adolescents will not seek treatment on their own. Without treatment depression can last for weeks or months and have an impact on all areas of the youths life. Every year there are 500,000 young people who attempt suicide. Every year 5,000 young people succeed in taking their own lives. Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death in young people ages 15 to 25. Young men succeed in taking their own lives twice as often as any other age group. Without outside intervention 80% of those who attempt to commit suicide will try again. Teen depression almost always includes thoughts of suicide. Difficulty coping with anger Problems in school Problems in getting along with peers Alcohol or drug use Lifestyle changes Bodily changes such as losing or gaining weight A growing fear of violence A growing fear of losing a parent Difficulty coping with age-related problems Depression in youths can be described as a painful emotion, negative mood, and complaints such as hopelessness, worthlessness, suicidal wishes, and lethargy. According to the Center for Mental Health Services (1996), as many as one in every 33 young people are depressed. Up to 8.3% of adolescents suffer from teenage depression and up to 2.5% of children suffer from depression, according to the statistics of the National Institute for Mental Health (1999). Once a young person suffers a bout with teen depression and that depression is diagnosed as an episode of Major Depression, it is likely that he or she will experience another episode within a five year period. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children who experience loss, are under stress, or have attention, conduct, or learning disorders are at higher risk for teen depression. Depressed mood or irritable mood most of the day Diminished interest in all, or almost all activities most of the day Significant weight loss or weight gain Insomnia or hypersomnia Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt Diminished ability to think or concentrate Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day Missed school or poor school performance Problems with authority Poor self-esteem or guild Over reaction to criticism Frequent physical complaints such as stomach aches and headaches Anger and rage Drug and/or alcohol abuse Running away Thoughts of death (not just fear of death), or suicidal thinking with or without a plan In younger children, excessive clinging to parents. Depreciation or rejection of the child by a caretaker Genetic vulnerability Hospitalization, especially for a chronic illness (Childrens Mental Health-Children and Depression (2003). Boys who lose their fathers to death before the age of 13 ReferencesAgenet, Inc. Depression In the Elderly (2003). Retrieved July 18, 2003 from AgeNet.Com: www.AgeNet.Com.American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: "The Depressed Child". Facts For Families Fact Sheet Series (1999). Retrieved July 6, 2003 from the National Mental Health Association Web Site: www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/index.cfm#children. Center For Mental Health Services, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (1996). Retrieved July 7, 2003 from the National Mental Health Association Web Site: www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/index.cfm#children. Conwell Y. , Brent D. Suicide and Aging. 1: patterns of psychiatric diagnosis. International Psychogeriatrics (1995). Retrieved July 10, 2003 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Web Site: www.nimh.nih.gov. Conwell Y., Brent D. Suicide In Later Life: a review and recommendation for prevention. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior (2001). Retrieved July 10, 2003 from the National Institute of Mental Health Web Site: www.nimh.nih.gov. DePaulo, J. Raymond Jr. , Horvitz, Leslie Alan (2002). Understanding Depression - What We Know and What You Can Do About It. NY: Wiley & Sons. Depression Guideline Panel. Depression in primary care: volume 1: Detection and diagnosis. Clinical practice guideline, number 5. A HCPR Publication No: 93-0550. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care, Policy and Research (1993). Retrieved July 10, 2003 from the National Institute of Mental Health Web Site: www.nimh.nih.gov>. Depression - Information and Treatment (1999-2002). Retrieved July 8, 2003 from the Psychology Information Online Web Site: www.psychologyinfo.com/depression. Reference with Encarta (1995-2003). Encyclopedia Article: Depression (Psychology). Retrieved July10, 2003 from MSN Learning and Research Web Site: www.Encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761578989>. Wolpert, Lewis (1999). The Malignant Sadness - The Anatomy Of Depression. NY: Simon & Schuster.
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