Importance of Teen Depression
According to Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., psychologist and managing editor of HelpGuide.org, identifying teen depression can be difficult. Teens have a natural tendency to be moody and pull away from parents. The difference between depression in teens and adults first lies in the causes, and then in the symptoms. Although teen depression is highly treatable, Dr. Segal states that only 20 percent of teens receive the help they need. For this reason, parents and teachers need to recognize these symptoms and causes for the teen to receive the treatment he needs.
Puberty
The transition between childhood and adulthood is often accompanied with many stresses that some teens find difficult to cope with. According to TeenDepression.org, depression can stem from the sex hormones causing changes in her body, conflicts with her parents as she tries to find her own personality and fights for independence or the struggle to fit in at school.
Traumatic Events
These include situations such as parental divorce, a breakup with a girlfriend and the death of a close friend or family member. If your teen fails in a particular school subject or sport, he may also suffer from depression. This cause often affects teens who either suffer from a low self-esteem or who are over-achievers and feel as if they have no control when a negative situation occurs.
Dysfunction at Home
According to Dan Williams, Ph.D. and psychologist, a majority of teen depression is caused by some type of home dysfunction. This can include unrealistic expectations set by the parents for the teen, lack of communication between parents and teen or some type of abuse, whether it be physical or sexual. Dr. Williams states that teens have not developed the coping mechanisms to deal with these problems; this results in an increased risk for depression and suicide attempts.
Recognize the Symptoms
Recognizing the symptoms of depression is imperative to get teens the help they need. The most common symptoms include irritability, anger and hostility, changes in eating and/or sleeping habits, withdrawing from certain people such as parents while maintaining friendships with a different crowd of kids, loss of interest in activities and feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
