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**Teen Depression** Background

Depression was seen in adults for hundreds of years, but it was officially showing in teens in 1980. Nowadays children are becoming genetically predisposed to depression or have an imbalance in their brain chemistry. In many cases, one if not both parents suffer from depression. “Each of us has a certain vulnerability to depression that is inherited,” says Glasser. “Children of mothers on Prozac often come in at 5 and 6 years old and are depressed.” If one of the parents is depressed, there is going to be a 25% chance for the child to be depressed too. If both of the parents are depressed, there is a 75% that the child will become depressed. Genetics isn’t the only way to become depressed. Teens that have experienced abused or witnessed violence in their homes, or have a parent that abuses some kind of substance all could increase the chances of depression. Teens should be informed about the risks of being depressed and how it could be treated (Koch 12-13).

Signs and Symptoms of Teen Depression media type="youtube" key="CHynDpYv1Gw" height="217" width="326" align="right" Depression can look very different for teens when compared to adults. Teenagers have to deal with all different kinds of things. Teens may sad, hopeless, or even suicidal feelings. Teens might start experiencing behaviors the involve abusing drugs, stealing or lieing, running away from home, and fail academically. Females may begin to have anorexia or bulimia or cut themselves. Males are more likely to use drugs and alcohol to show their depression. They are less likely than females to go search for help when being depressed (Koch 13).

Mental health professionals explain that depression is increasing among teens because of life being more toxic to them and more stressful. There are less and less adults in kids’ lives and isolation makes greater chances of depression. The youth are becoming less interactive with their neighborhood and they community (Koch 13-14). Also, kids today experience more violence in their lives. Studies show that violence and stress show permanent and chemical changes to the brain for children. “Family violence is a significant contributing factor in child and adolescent depression,” says Glasser. “Some of the conditions that are thought to be depression come from a phenomenon of demoralization, such as when a child is caught in a family setting with tremendous domestic violence. These children become extremely distraught and sometimes commit suicide (Koch 14).”

Suicide Warnings in Teenagers "In increasing amounts, teenagers have been attempting and succeeding in suicide. "Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people at the age from 15-24 years old said by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" (CDC). Depressed teens have the greatest risk of suicide when they abuse alcohol or drugs (“Depression Puts Teens at Risk” 2). These signs shown under should be watched for:

"1. Talking or joking about committing suicide.

2. Saying things like, “I’d be better off dead,””I wish I could disappear forever,” or “there’s no way out.” 3. Speaking positively about death or romanticizing dying (“If I died, people might love me more”).

4. Writing stories and poems about death, dying, or suicide.

5. Engaging in reckless behavior or having a lot of accidents resulting in injury.

6. Giving away prized possessions.

7. Saying goodbye to friends and family as if for good.

8. Seeking out weapons, pills, or other ways to kill themselves" (“Depression Puts Teens at Risk” 2).

Helping and Supporting a Depressed Teenager ​

If someone ever suspects a teenager suffering from depression, then he or she should take immediate action. Depression could be very damaging if not treated and it probably won’t work if someone waits for the symptoms or signs to just disappear. If the person is unsure if the symptoms are signs of depression or the problem isn’t depression, they should still take care of the problem. When someone sees a depressed teenager, they should share their concerns for the teenager in a non-judgmental way. Explain to the person of what signs of depression were seen from him. Then try to get the child to say what he or she is going through. Also, there should be an immediate appointment made to the doctor for depression screening. Be prepared to tell the doctor specific signs seen from the child, including how long the signs have been going on for and how it is affecting the child’s life (“Depression Puts Teens at Risk” 3). When a teenager is going through treatment, it is a critical time to listen and support the teen. Here is a list of what you should do: "1. // Be understanding // . Living with a depressed teenager can be difficult and draining. At times, you may experience exhaustion, rejection, despair, aggravation, or any other number of negative emotions. During this trying time, it's important to remember that your child is not being difficult on purpose. Your teen  is suffering, so do your best to be patient and understanding.  2. // Encourage physical activity // . Encourage your teenager to stay active. Exercise can go a long way toward relieving the symptoms of  depression , so find ways to incorporate it into your teenager's day. Something as simple as walking the dog or going on a bike ride can be beneficial.  3. // Encourage social activity // . Isolation only m  akes  depression  worse, so encourage your teenager to see friends and praise efforts to socialize. Offer to take your  teen  out with friends or suggest social activities that might be of interest, such as sports, after-school clubs, or an art class.

4. // Stay involved in treatment //. Make sure your teenager is following all treatment instructions and going to therapy. It's especially important that your child takes any prescribed medication as instructed. Track changes in your teen  's condition, and call the doctor if  depression  symptoms seem to be getting worse. 5. // Learn about // depression. Just like you would if your child had a disease you knew very little about, read up on depression  so that you can be your own "exper  t." The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to help your depressed teen. Encourage your teenager to learn more about depression  as well. Reading up on their condition can help depressed teens realize that they're not alone and give them a better understanding of what they're going through" (“Depression Puts Teens at Risk” 5).

Antidepressants Antidepressant medication may be helpful, but it shouldn’t be the only strategy to use. There are risks and effects for taking different kinds of medication. Studies show that suicides in 20 year olds and younger in 2003-2004 rose 18% and decreased about 5% in 2004-2005. The U.S Food and Drug Administration made public warnings that antidepressants could trigger suicide thoughts and behaviors to teens (Docksai 1). Antidepressants were made and tested particularly on adults. For teens, it isn't yet understood because their brain is still developing. The highest risks is the first couple months of taking antidepressants. Teens with bipolar disorder, or a history of previous suicide attempts are in even greater risk when taking antidepressants. Teenagers should be monitored at all times when taking antidepressants to see if their depression is getting worse. When the teen is showing unusual signs or worse symptoms like irritability, anger, or agitation then the teen should quickly go to a doctor and talk to him about it ("Depression Puts Teens at Risk" 4).

The FDA's guidelines for teens that take antidepressants is to see a doctor:

1. Once a week for four weeks 2. Every 2 weeks for the next month 3. At the end of their 12th week of taking the drug 4. More often if problems or questions arise

Other Links

If you want to learn more about depression, click on the link under. []

If you want to find out more about how depression develops and what types of depression there is, go to the link under. []

If you are a parent and worried if your child has depression, click on the link under. [|http://www.suescheff.org]

If you want more information on teeen depression, click here. []

If you want to find out about depression and how to get treatment for a teen, click here. []

**__ Works Cited __**

Docksai, Rick. "Youth Depression and Suicide." Jan/Feb 2009: 16-17. //SIRS Researcher.// Web. 27 January 2010. H:\SIRS Knowledge Source Search Results.mht "Depression Puts Teens at Risk." //Opposing Viewpoints: Teens at Risk//. Ed. Christine Watkins. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Web. 27 Jan. 2010. Koch, K. Childhood depression. // CQ Researcher // , // 9 // , 593-616 from CQ Researcher Online, Web. January 29, 2010. []