Depression is like being color blind; color-blind in a world that people are constantly reminding you how rich and beautiful colors are. They are always telling you that colors make the world heavenly. Depression is a mental health disorder that affects many teenagers. Depression is a mood issue that causes people to have long periods of time that cause them to feel sad. Yet, so many teenagers suffer from this mental health issue. Did you know that globally, mental health disorders account for 16% of the disease and injury in people aged 10-19 years? Or that half of all mental illness cases begin at the age of 14? Unfortunately, it is accurate information, however, so many adolescent cases with depression don’t get treated. Depression in adolescents is an issue that can have many unhealthy impacts. It is starting to get clear that many adolescents are facing these challenges. However, there is a social stigma and they tend to shy away from asking for help. This causes it to build up in them to have very dangerous outcomes and consequences since they are not getting treated in time.
The Dark, Dangerous Dog
Think of depression as a dark, dangerous dog that follows you wherever you go. Think of it like this dog can control your weather, your internal weather. When people feed your dog it gets bigger and worse, but when the environment is safe your dog gradually gets smaller.
The dark dangerous dog is in the man’s head and controlling his thoughts.
People tend to feed your dog pressure, including peer pressure, social pressure, and even academic pressures. The dog is also influenced by genes, brain chemistry, stress, health, the environment outside, and even hormones! Research shows that people can inherit depression from family genes. According to Richa Bhatia, MD, FAPA is a Child, Adolescent, and Adult psychiatrist, “Depression can affect anyone. However, children or teens who have immediate family members with a history of depression or other mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder) are more likely to suffer from depression, often due to a genetic predisposition.” In addition to this, Neurotransmitters can help send messages with nerve cells in the brain, and some neurotransmitters can determine the mood of a person. However, when a person is depressed, these neurotransmitters might be in low supply or not effective enough. And getting enough sleep and weekly exercise most likely will have a positive effect on your neurotransmitter activity and mood. Furthermore, something that can affect a person’s neurotransmitters could even be the seasons around a person. Daylight can affect how the brain produces something called melatonin and serotonin. When there is less daylight, the brain produces more melatonin. However, when there is more daylight, the brain makes more serotonin.
Anxiety V.S. Depression?
Venn Diagram showing the relationship between depression and anxiety.
Depression and Anxiety are similar in several ways. Both depression and anxiety can be found in teenagers and are both mental illnesses. Both can also cause symptoms including worrying excessively and agitation (as seen in the diagram above). On a different note, they also can differ, for example, anxiety causes teenagers to constantly feel nervous, be afraid, or feel worried. However, depression is when a person feels worthless or hopeless and feels more sad than nervous.
Depression and Gender
Teenage and adolescent girls are twice more prone to experiencing depression than other genders, Anxiety, and Depression in Adolescence states the statistics are 15.9% v.s. 7.7%. Scientists believe that there could be a reason in the brain. According to Anxiety and Depression in Adolescence, “the brain regions thought to be affected in depression have high concentrations of sex hormone receptors, which could explain why there is a gender disparity in depression.”
Photo credit: Anxiety and Depression in Adolescence
The visual percentages of adolescent girls V.S. adolescent boys with depression.
Do You Have Depression?
Do you feel you might be depressed?
Are you experiencing constantly having a negative mood?
Are you experiencing a loss of interest/concentration on things you would usually be good at?
Are you experiencing changes in your appetite?
Are you experiencing feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty?
Are you experiencing sleeping too much or too little?
Are you experiencing restlessness or slowness?
Are you experiencing an unusual loss of energy?
Are you experiencing recurrent thoughts of self-harm and/or suicide?
If you are experiencing at least 5 of them you might have depression and you should consult a doctor.
The Importance of Getting Treated for Depression
Adolescents with depression need to be treated, or they could have many problems in the future. This is very important because it could disrupt their lives with negative factors. Moreover, some of the outcomes of depression are bad habits that teens develop to numb the pain. For example, underage drinking or self-harm/suicide.
Heavy Underage Drinking
A behavior that can be caused by depression is underage drinking, which could impact their lives forever is underage drinking. According to the World Health Organization “Worldwide, the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents aged 15-19 years was 13.6% in 2016, with males most at risk” This means that adolescents are beginning to start drinking. Yet, the statistics show that they are already getting in large numbers. Moreover, underage drinking could have many consequences. For example, it can affect the development of organs and functions that are vital for teenager growth. This can include the brain, liver, bones, and hormones, which disrupt puberty. In addition to this, too much alcohol at once can cause very serious injuries or even death from alcohol poisoning. Additionally, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) states that: “
By age 15, about 29.8 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink.
By age 18, about 58.0 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink.
In 2018, 7.1 million young people ages 12–20 reported that they drank alcohol beyond “just a few sips” in the past month.”
Self-Harm and Suicide
Another behavior that is also caused by teen depression is suicide and self-harm. A study conducted in July 2018 by AJC.com: Atlanta News Now revealed that “Self-harm or self-injury, the act of hurting oneself on purpose, affects nearly 1 in 4 teenage girls in the United States.” This suggests that this is impacting so many people and is important, furthermore, this issue is getting severe.
Changes
Emotional Changes
Adolescent depression can cause many changes in teens. It can even cause emotional problems. For example:
Teens can feel frustration and anger over small problems or feeling annoyed and irritated.
Teens can also be feeling like they are in a hopeless situation, feeling lonely, and/or worthless/guilt.
They can feel an unusual loss of interest in things like activities and family/friends and low confidence and esteem.
They could have a fixation on the past, self-criticizing, sensitivity to rejection or failure, and an Unreasonable sense of horrible future
They could have trouble focusing, making decisions, and memory.
They can even have unsafe frequent thoughts of death and suicide
Behavioral Changes
Adolescent depression can cause many changes in teens. It can even cause behavioral problems. For example:
They could feel a loss of energy and an awkward sleep cycle
They sometimes have changes in appetite.
Use of overage things including alcohol and drugs
They experience agitation or restlessness
They have social isolation
They begin to get poor grades and academic results
They could start doing dangerous activity including self-harm and planning a suicide attempt
They sometimes have unusual aches all over the body
How to Cope with Depression
If you have found that you have depression or someone in your community has depression, it is very important to treat them. One of the many ways to try and cope with depression is to practice mindfulness and self-care. Sometimes your brain needs some time to take a break and relax. It also reduces stress when you have a human connection, therefore, it is good to talk to people when feeling unhealthy or in a negative state of mind. In addition to this, it is essential to track your diet and sleep. However, if this doesn’t work you should get professional advice. For example, on this site: Call these helplines if you need emotional or psychological support you could talk to someone professional and trustable. If you feel a stigma it is okay to break away from that. Being judged should be the least of your worries when having depression. Finally, if for some reason, neither of these options work you can take Transcranial magnetic stimulation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is when an electromagnet creates a pulse that’s magnetic, without pain, that makes the nerve cells in your brain more involved in mood control.
Depression is a crisis, a concern that if not treated can cause long-term consequences, including, decreasing academic performance, unhealthy behaviors, and suicide. Depression can be inherited or been created from many points. It can also change many things about a teenager with depression. Consequently, it is very important to know if you or someone you know has depression and treat them. “So what?” You may ask. Adolescent depression is harmful both physically and mentally to people who have it. It can change every single thing about a person. That is why you need to make a change. “When the world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” - Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani advocate for female rights for education and is the youngest Nobel Prize winner, globally. This quote means that we need to advocate and that every voice matters. Therefore, your voice matters; you can change the lives of many adolescents suffering from depression.
Glossary
Adolescents- People in the age range of 10-19/ teenagers.
(A transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood)
Social stigma- A discrimination or dishonor based on someone’s social characteristics. Most commonly referred to as race, culture, health, gender, and age.
Neurotransmitters- Neurotransmitters are often referred to as the body's chemical messengers. They can deliver the mood across the brain, too.
Melatonin- A hormone that controls your sleep and wake cycle.
Serotonin- A hormone that controls your mood, and the feeling of happiness.
Pronunciation Guide
Adolescence- A·duh·leh·snts
Stigma- Stig·muh
Neurotransmitters- Nur·ow·tranz·mi·trz
Melatonin- Meh·luh·tow·nuhn
Serotonin- seh·ruh·tow·nuhn
Bibliography
“Adolescent Mental Health.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.
“Anxiety and Depression in Children.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Mar. 2020, www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/depression.html.
“Teen Depression.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 16 Nov. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/teen-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20350985.
Steinberg, – Laurence. “Anxiety and Depression in Adolescence.” Child Mind Institute, 27 Sept. 2017, childmind.org/report/2017-childrens-mental-health-report
Bhatia, Richa, et al. “Childhood Depression.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/childhood-depression.