Deppression And Teens

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be depression. For a long time, people who were feeling depressed were told to "snap out of it." According to a study done by National Institute of Mental Health, half of all Americans still view depression as a personal weakness or character flaw. Depression, however, is considered a medical disorder and can affect thoughts, feelings, physical health, and behaviors. It interferes with daily life such as school, friends, and family. "Clinical depression is the most incapacitating of all chronic conditions in terms of social functioning." (Salmans 11-12) Teenagers have always been vulnerable to depression for a variety of reasons. It's a confusing time of life because a teen's body is changing along with their relationships. "Teenagers constantly vacillate between strivings for independence from family and regressions to childish dependence on it." (Elkind 89) But today's teens face an additional challenge: They're growing up in a world quite different from that of their parent's ...

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mix of social, psychological, physical, and environmental factors. Teens with depressed parents are two to three times more likely to develop major depression. Genetic factors play a substantial but not overwhelming role in causing depression. (Dowling 37) Some type of significant loss can be a factor in triggering teenage depression. Loss can be due to death, divorce, separation, or loss of a family member, important friend or romantic interest. Loss can also be more subtle such as the loss of childhood, of a familiar way of being, of goals through achievement, or of boundaries and guidelines. (McCoy 46-48) Gender differences are becoming apparent, with girls having more difficulty with ...

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