The importance of treating teenage depression might be driven home by one fact: depression that is not treated is the number one reason teens kill themselves. This sobering fact should be a call to action in a country where only 33% of teenagers suffering from depression actually get help.
Teens face special challenges compared to adults who suffer from depression. Academic worries, peer pressure, and changes in hormone levels and body perception all increase the likelihood that a teenager will be unable to deal with his depression on his own.
Symptoms of Depression In Teens
- Loss of interest (in peers, school, outside activities)
- Marked appetite changes (including anorexia or binge eating)
- Unexplained physical symptoms (head and back aches, upset stomach)
- Extreme irritability
- Talk of suicide
Depression and Substance Abuse
30% of teenagers who suffer from depression will begin to abuse alcohol or drugs. Drug and alcohol abuse creates a vicious cycle that most teens are unable to break themselves. They begin abusing substances as a way to self-medicate, which leads to intensified feelings of depression, which makes them abuse substances even more.
Substance abuse can also lead to criminal activity. If a teen is caught and jailed, the chances of him getting the help he truly needs markedly decreases.
Important Risk Factors To Know
- Being a victim of violence or abuse, in or outside the home
- Having strained relationships with parents or guardians
- Having any biological relative with depression
- Being a child of divorce
- Having few friends
The exact cause of depression is not yet known. However, science has established risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a teenager suffering from depression.
What You Can Do
If you suspect a teen is suffering from depression, do not be afraid to act. Provide a safe and neutral place for the teen and encourage him to talk. Most often teens need support from loved ones or mentors.
Make an appointment with the teen’s doctor. It is vital that a medical doctor be involved, if only to make referrals.
Therapy has been shown to help teens who suffer from depression, and medication might not be necessary. But support from family and other people in the teenager’s life can not be underestimated. Currently, the FDA has only approved two antidepressants for use in teens: Prozac and Lexapro.
If you think a teenager might harm himself, call 911. Do not leave him alone. If you think the threat level is diminished but still there, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
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