Understanding Adolescent Depression
Mood swings among teenagers are a common observation and are generally considered part of the ‘normal' developmental process. However, studies in developmental psychology suggest that many teenagers experiencing the blues are actually suffering from adolescent depression.
While the exact prevalence of adolescent depression is open to question, some studies show that 5% of all adolescents suffer from depressive disorders. Another alarming finding has been the close connection between depression in adolescent years and major depression in adult life. Depressed adolescents are highly prone to depression in later life. Further, depression in adolescent years usually recurs within a couple of years.
Signs and Symptoms of Adolescent Depression
A main difference that distinguishes adolescent depression from depression in adults is the higher degree and more frequent occurrence of social and interpersonal difficulties, resulting in the low self-esteem that characterizes teenage depression. Also, adolescents are more vulnerable to suicidal thoughts in response to their feelings of helplessness.
Isolating themselves socially is also more prevalent among teenagers suffering from depression. Other signs and symptoms of depression in adolescents include: excessive boredom, persisting loss of interest in life activities, poor concentration, anger, irritability, sadness and/or crying, obsession with morbid themes in art, intolerance to even mild criticism or rejection, eating and digestive problems, headaches, and difficulty in sleeping.
Causes of Adolescent Depression
A single factor, or just a few factors, can't be confidently regarded as responsible for causing depression in adolescents. Instead, a combination of genetic (biological), psychological, and environmental/social factors act together to induce depressive symptoms in teenagers. Adolescents born in families with a history of depression are more likely to suffer from the disorder.
Depression in adolescents has also been associated with the lack or poor development of social skills. Another contributing factor to adolescent depression is failure or suppressed expression of sexuality; homosexuals being more prone to depression on this account. Similarly, participation in sports has been found to significantly lower the risk of depression among adolescent individuals. Most important, perhaps, is an adolescent's level of adjustment with his/her parents. Teenagers having difficulty in establishing individual identity due to a problematic relationship with parents are more likely to experience depression.
Intervention for Defusing Adolescent Depression
Since depression in adolescence invokes a high risk of suicide by the patient, it is necessary to seek the services of a mental health professional as soon as the symptoms of adolescent depression are noticed. Paying attention and caring for the depressed individual provides great support and so the family and friends of depressed adolescents should become sympathetic listeners to them.
Many schools now include coping strategies with depression as part of awareness against mental illness and its dangers. In any case, it is always helpful to seek the services of a licensed professional counselor (LPC) for dealing with depression in adolescents.
