How Depression Affects Teenagers
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Introduction
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Teenage depression is becoming more prevalent. According to Psychology Information Online, "Approximately 4 out of 100 teenagers get seriously depressed each year." With depression, a teenager feels hopeless, overwhelmed and lethargic. This mental illness affects all areas of a teen's life. Depression can make life very difficult for a teenager because he is already dealing with puberty and the pressures of school, friends and home life. As a mental disorder, the symptoms of depression manifest as behavioral and emotional changes that can lead to serious issues like self-medicating or suicide attempts.
The Emotions
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According to the "Teen Depression" guide, "Depression can destroy the very essence of a teenager's personality, causing an overwhelming sense of sadness, despair or anger." Being a teen is very stressful. Many teens lack self-confidence and they may feel guilty about events -- parents' divorce, death in the family -- that were not their fault. Feeling disillusioned with life and believing that life is meaningless is a part of a depressed teen's daily life. Depressed teens feel alone, so they isolate themselves. They lose interest in friends, hobbies, sports and school clubs. In school, a teenager's mind wanders frequently, so she finds it hard to concentrate on schoolwork. For many depressed teens, grades start to drop because the teen feels that doing homework is pointless. For many depressed teens, they are often frustrated and irritable and usually for no apparent reason. The symptoms of depression can last for several weeks to years. If left undiagnosed, depression becomes worse and the teen may have frequent thoughts of death or suicide.
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The Behaviors
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A teen's behavior changes when she is depressed. Crying jags, self-medicating and changes in eating and sleeping habits are possible. A teen may cry for no reason. Some teens turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with feeling sad or isolated, thinking it will make them feel better. In reality, substance abuse only exacerbates the symptoms. Sleeping too much but still being very tired is a symptom of depression. But with other teens, insomnia is the problem. With depression, a person can either eat too much comfort foods or not enough food for proper body functioning. As for school, a depressed teen may start cutting classes, become truant or drop out of school entirely, thinking there is no point to getting an education because the future seems bleak. If a teen feels that no one understands her, she may run away from home to where she is at more risk for drugs or alcohol abuse. The guide "Teen Depression" also states that, in severe cases, a teen may turn to suicide or even homicide.
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