Depression is an illness involving the body, mood and thoughts that affect the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. Depression is a serious mental illness and thousands of people suffer from it daily. It is a serious problem that impacts every aspect of teen’s life. Only 20% of teenagers ever receive help for teen depression (“Teen Depression”). Left untreated, teen depression can lead to problems at home and school, drug abuse, self- loathing and can sometimes lead to thoughts of suicide. People need to recognize the signs of depression and help control the disease before it goes too far. Many teens across the United States suffer with Teen Depression. Scientists do not know the specific cause or causes of teen depression. They do believe that onset of depression is often caused by a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors (“Causes of Teen Depression”). There are many misconceptions about teen depression as there are about teenagers in general.

A dysfunctional home and being stressed from school can lead to teenage depression. Stress from school can be one of the major causes of teen depression. A teen receiving a bad grade in a certain subject may put a lot of pressure on a child (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). Parents often expect their child to do well in school and put a lot of pressure on their child about grades because they want them to excel in school. Having high expectations for their child is fine however, a child may be doing their best in school and still finds school to be difficult (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). Parents need to be aware of difficulties faced by children. If a teen doesn’t like being at school or in a certain class the student should talk to his/hers parent or counselor because that student could be getting bullied by another student and that could cause the student depression. Peer pressure in school along with dealing with difficulties at home might bring on cases of unwarranted sadness or lack of contact with the world (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). School should be comfortable for all teachers because it is somewhere that children are forced to be each day. School is an important factor in most teenagers lives and by it being so important a teenager can become depressed very easily at school or because of school. Teenagers can also become depressed due to a dysfunctional home. Teenagers are sometimes forced to be in an uncomfortable place that they have to call home and sometimes that can hurt someone. Sometimes parents are so occupied with their own lives that they don’t see the symptoms of this illness by their children (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). Teenagers don’t like to see their parents constantly argue about things some teenagers hate to hear it and it could really hurt a teenager causing them to be depressed. If a teenager is being verbally abused at home by their siblings then they could become depressed by that. A home should be a place where a teen should love to be and should always feel loved and wanted. If a teen is not comfortable at his/hers home then that can lead to depression.

Further, being sick or the death or lost of an important person can also cause depression. Some signs of teen depression might include anger, changes in appetite, drop in grades at school, fatigue, feelings of despair, insomnia, spending more time alone, using drugs and alcohol, and sleeping more (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). Having an illness can lead to hopelessness or stress also. When a teen is sick everything becomes boring or dull to them, especially if the illness is serious (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). When a teen is sick there should always be someone there to help them and keep them company. Many people feel useless when sick causing them to feel depressed. If a teen has a serious disease such as cancer a teen can become very depressed and start think of thoughts of death and begin to feel alone. It’s always good to have a friend or sibling around to keep them company when sick. Bipolar disorder or maniac depressive disorder could both be manifestations of depression. Symptoms of bipolar disorder include dramatic mood swings. These mood swings are usually extreme highs and lows. Increased energy and restlessness along with extreme irritability may also be exhibited by a youth that has bipolar disorder or maniac depression disorder. It must be diagnosed through symptoms and family history. It can be inherited (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). Losing a family member, friend, someone close or a breakup of a close relationship might contribute to causes of teenage stress, or physiological illness such as bipolar disorder or maniac depression (“Causes of Teen Depression 2”). A death in the family may also bring about symptoms of teenage stress and uncontrollable sadness. Missing the deceased so much can sometimes cause thoughts of anger, being irrationally upset and extremely lonely (“Causes of Teen Depression”). Losing a family member or friend can be very hard on a teenager especially if they were close to that person making the teenager feel extremely sad which can direct to the teen becoming depressed.

Furthermore, communication and social status is a very important factor in a teenagers life. A teen should always have a friend or parent to communicate with on any subject of that teen’s life. Communicating gives the teen a way for them to express themselves and let everything that is bothering them out of their system. Parents should always find a way to talk to their child no matter how busy life gets. Parents are sometimes so preoccupied with their own lives that they often forget to talk to their children. Sometimes a teen can become depressed because they have no one to talk to causing them to feel lonely. If a teen is depressed let them know your there for them fully and unconditionally. Hold back from asking them questions, but make it clear that you’re ready and willing to help them (“Teen Depression”). Communicating with parents is very important, it’s a way for parents to know what’s occurring in their child’s life. If the parents are aware of what’s going on in their child’s life they will know if their child is showing signs of depression. If a teenager attends school and has no one to talk to at school that will probably let the teen feel lonely or make them feel like they are out of place because no one will talk to them. It’s always good to have a friend to communicate with because there are some things that teens don’t want to talk to their parents about. Social status with friends is also very important. Many teens like to have people they can communicate with other than their family. Teenagers should have a friend or two to communicate with. Teen depression can have negative effects on a teenager’s life. Everyone should be able to identify the difference between sadness and true depression. Some outcomes or vivid signs of depression are irritable or angry, sensitive to criticism, withdrawal from friends, etc (“Negative”). These are all examples of teen depression if a teenager is going through these things then they are depressed. Teenagers usually rely on parents, teachers, or other caregivers to recognize their suffering and get them the treatment they need (“Teen Depression”). Having a friend to talk to is always good, they can always depend on getting a laugh from a friend. Having a friend to talk to about problems in general is a good idea especially in school teens may feel excluded if they don’t have anyone to talk to or have any friends. Being alone can build up a lot of stress and that can lead to depression.

Therefore, talking about the problem and offering support can go a long way toward getting a teenager back on track. Some of the examples above and others such as, frequent crying, loss of interest in activities, restlessness, agitation, lack of enthusiasm, puberty, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death or suicide, etc. can all be symptoms of depression (“Teen Depression”). The negative effects of teenage depression go far beyond a sad mood. Untreated depression can lead to problems at school, running way, the use of drugs, low self-esteem, eating disorder, internet addiction, self-injury, reckless behavior, violence, and suicide. Teen depression can affect a teen regardless of gender, social background, income level, race, or school or other achievements (“Teenage Depression Statistics”). If someone is trying to communicate with to a depressed teen they should offer support, be gentle but persistent, listen without lecturing, and validate feelings. Teen depression can affect a teen regardless of social background, income level, gender, school, race, or any other achievements, though teenage girls report suffering from depression more often than teenage boys Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the United States among teens and adults, and can have a serious impact on the lives of the many teens who suffer from depression (“Teenage Depression Statistics”).

There are as many misconceptions about teen depression as there are about teenagers in general. People can learn that not all people that are sad are truly depressed and that there is a difference between a depressed individual and a sad individual. People should take precaution to the signs of a depressed person and try to help them in any way possible. Depressed people are not all crazy as many people may think you never know what happened to that person before they started to act out on depression for example started doing drugs or going off on loved ones so there is no need to judge them. It makes a person look no better when they do judge a person who has flaws. If a person is depressed they should seek help from someone such as a friend, parent, counselor, or teacher. It’s a good idea to talk about the problem rather than hold it in. Everyone has a story, it just takes one person to listen.