Depression In Teens
The teenage years are often full of awkwardness, confusion, pushing boundaries, testing limits, and an increased desire for independence. It’s a period of intense growth physically, emotionally, and intellectually, so it’s understandable that it can be a time of confusion and upheaval for teens and their families. Sometimes, teens undergoing these changes also develop emotional signs that mimic the signs and symptoms of depression. It’s important to understand and recognize teen depression so that you can get help for your children when they need it.
What is teen depression?
Teen depression is a serious mental health condition that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how a teenager thinks, feels, and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional, and physical problems. Although symptoms of depression can occur at any time in life, certain symptoms may be more common among teens than adults.
Teens often face issues such as peer pressure, stress from social media, academic expectations, hormonal fluctuations, and changing bodies, which can create emotional ups and downs. Signs of depression in teenagers should not be overlooked. Depression is a major mental health issue that influences how a person thinks, feels, or conducts themselves.
For some teens, negative emotions are more than just temporary feelings. It should be noted that symptoms of depression in a teen aren’t a weakness or something that simply can be overcome with willpower – depression might require long-term treatment.
Frequency by gender and demographic
While teen depression is more common in girls than their male counterparts, they are also more likely to receive treatment by seeing a professional or taking medication. Among teen girls who had recent major depressive episodes, 45% received treatment for depression over the past year. By comparison, just 33% of teen boys with recent depressive episodes received treatment.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Teen depression signs and symptoms often include a change from the teenager’s previous attitude and behavior that can cause significant distress and problems at school, at home, in social activities, or in other areas of life. Teen depression symptoms can vary in severity but paying attention to how emotions and behaviors change are common indicators that something may be wrong. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, symptoms of depression in a teenager may include the following:
Emotional changes
- Feelings of sadness, which can include crying spells for no apparent reason
- Frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters
- Feeling hopeless or empty
- Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
- Loss of interest in, or conflict with, family and friends
- Low self-esteem
- Irritable or annoyed mood
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Fixation on past failures or exaggerated self-blame or self-criticism
- Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, and the need for excessive reassurance
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions, or recalling memories
- Ongoing sense that life and the future are grim and bleak
- Frequent thoughts of death, dying, or suicide
Behavioral changes
- Exhaustion and loss of energy
- Insomnia or sleeping too much
- The sudden abandonment of once-beloved activities
- Spending the majority of their time alone
- Changes in appetite and eating habits – decreased appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Substance use, including alcohol abuse
- Agitation or restlessness – for example, pacing, hand-wringing, or an inability to sit still
- Slowed thinking, speech, or body movements
- Complaining about various aches and pains without an apparent medical cause
- Social isolation
- Poor school performance or frequent absences from school
- Paying less attention to personal hygiene or appearance
- Angry outbursts, disruptive or risky behavior, or other instances of acting out
- Self-harm – for example, cutting, burning, or excessive piercing or tattooing
- Making a suicide plan or a suicide attempt
Why is it so prominent?
There are multiple reasons why a teenager might become depressed. Teens can develop feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy related to their school performance, social status with peers, sexual orientation, or family life. Sometimes, depression symptoms in a teen may result from environmental stress. Whatever the cause, when friends, family, or activities the teen usually enjoys don’t help to alleviate their sadness or sense of isolation, there’s a chance that they are struggling with depression.
Depression statistics
- Teen depression affects about 20% of adolescents.
- Teen depression does not come with one single definitive cause, but rather several psychological, biological, and environmental risk factors.
- General teen depression symptoms include having an irritable or depressed mood for more than two weeks and demonstrating at least five of the aforementioned clinical symptoms and signs.
- Depression can lead to an increased risk of suicide, which is the third leading cause of death in youth 10-24 years of age in the United States. The number one killer of teenagers is car accidents.
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are the two major approaches commonly used to treat teen depression, though family therapy sessions can also be helpful.
- Teen depression is a risk factor for developing a number of other mental health symptoms and disorders, including anxiety and substance abuse.
- In the U.S., depression is the leading cause of disability for people over 5 years of age.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
Where do I get help?
Medication
Various medications are available for depression, most of which are prescription antidepressants. Antidepressants can present with varying effects on everyone, so a teen with depression may have to try several before finding one that works effectively for them. Consult with a therapist or doctor to find out if medication is an option and to find the most suitable medication for your teenager.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can often be very helpful and effective for a variety of mental illnesses, including anxiety and depression. As with medication, one can pursue multiple different types of psychotherapy. Some of the more common examples are:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on changing negative thought patterns and teaching the individual to recognize and cope with such thoughts.
- Interpersonal therapy: Interpersonal therapy focuses on teaching individuals how to evaluate their interactions with others to improve how they relate to others.
- Psychodynamic therapy: Psychodynamic therapy focuses on an individual’s unconscious processes and on how to understand feelings stemming from past experiences.
Other treatment options
Some other treatment options include:
- Lifestyle changes: Some teens might find that exercise or healthful eating may relieve depression symptoms. For most, a healthy community and a nonjudgmental support group can help. These lifestyle changes might depend on how one is already living, and what changes will improve their mental health.
- Family counseling: Family counseling can help the family more effectively support the teen, and can also identify any family dynamics that may be contributing to the teen’s depression.
- Brain stimulation: Brain stimulation is a category of treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, that stimulate the brain in an attempt to “reset” it. Doctors usually only recommend this approach when several other treatments have failed.
- Psychoeducation: This form of education about mental health and mental illness works most powerfully when the entire family learns together, and parents and caregivers commit to learning about a teen’s mental health needs. The more knowledge a family has about teen depression, often a family then learns how to help with the teen's symptom management.
- Complementary medicine: Some teens experience positive results from yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, or massage. It is safer to use these options in conjunction with traditional depression therapies, rather than as a substitute.
Online therapy with BetterHelp
If you suspect your teen might be depressed or if you have questions about related mental health conditions, the licensed professionals at BetterHelp can assist you. Being a parent can be an exciting yet difficult journey, and you may not always know how to help your child most effectively. Parenting can also fill up your schedule, making the days very busy. As a result, you may not have enough time to drive to a therapy appointment. However, online therapy allows you to receive therapeutic support from the comfort of your home. You can connect with a therapist according to your schedule and address any concerns or mental health topics that may be weighing on you.
The effectiveness of online therapy
Online therapy can be helpful for people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Teens who are depressed may need counseling to work through the problems they’re experiencing, but parents can also benefit from speaking with a professional. One study assessed the efficacy of a web-based intervention on parental psychological flexibility and emotion control. Results showed that participants experienced improved emotional control, decreased parental stress, and greater acceptance skills. Additionally, multiple parents “had a functional improvement in rewards of parenting.”
Takeaway
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What percentage of teens have depression?
According to teen depression statistics from Pew Research, 20% of all teenage girls and 7% of all teenage boys had at least one depressive episode last year. However, 45% of teen girls received treatment, while only 33% of teenage boys got mental health services for these episodes. Learning how to close this gap and ways to get treatment can be essential in helping lower the rate of teens with depression.
Research from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 17.0 percent of adolescents had depressive episodes and 12.0 percent had a bout with severe impairment in the last year.
What percentage of high schoolers have depression?
According to a CDC report on children's health, 15.1% of adolescents had a major depressive disorder in the last year. The teens' ages were 12-17, and they were reporting in 2018-2019. Along with major depression, these teens experienced warning signs of depression, including:
- 7% had feelings of hopelessness and sadness persistently.
- 1% during this time had a substance use disorder.
- 6% had alcohol abuse.
- 8% had suicidal ideations.
- 7% had made a plan to attempt suicide.
- 9% actually did make a suicide attempt.
- 5% attempted suicide that required medical care.
- 2% had an illicit drug use disorder.
What age group has the highest rate of depression?
By far, among children, the prevalence of depression is highest among 12-17-year-olds, with 6% of kids in those ages having depression, less than 2% of children in the 6-11 age group, and nearly 0% of children in the 3-5 age group.
By contrast, over 10% of children 12-17 had anxiety, over 6% of children 6-12 had anxiety, and over 1% of children 3-5 had it. So, anxiety is somewhat more common among these two mental disorders.
How many youths are affected by depression?
Figures from 2020 by the National Institutes of Health show how about 2.9 million teens had at least one major depressive episode.
The National Institute mental health numbers are based on a definition of the disorder as a depressed mood or loss of interest in daily activities along with other depressive symptoms, like sleep and eating changes, poor concentration, lack of energy, and low self-esteem.
Other health sources show the impact on specific groups. For example, a spectrumnews.org article states that people with autism spectrum disorder are four times as likely to be depressed at some time in their lives than those who don't have that disorder.
Why do teenagers feel depressed?
Various factors can contribute to teenagers having depressed feelings. However, it's important to remember that there's a difference between having a sad day and having a mental disorder like depressive disorder.
Teens may feel down because they didn't do well on a test, didn't get their ideal date to an event, were corrected by their parents, or were criticized by a friend. In these cases, once the small event blows over, the teen is typically back to their usual self.
However, depressive episodes last at least two weeks. These mental disorders include not just sadness but other symptoms as well. If you're unsure of the difference and how to detect depression symptoms, you can find an explanation of depressive symptoms vs. feeling down at the Health and Human Services website, at HHS.gov. The Health and Human Services site also offers downloads that explain in more detail what depression is, how it affects youth, and what you can do about it.
Another set of resources for adults seeking to address disorders in their children might have come from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. You can sign up for their free bi-weekly newsletter to learn more about what it means to be depressed, have anxiety, or experience other mental health conditions.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) contains information psychiatrists use to determine what disorders a teen might be living with. The current statistical manual includes information about the differences between disorders in teens versus adults. This guides the doctors to tailor their diagnoses to children as they truly are and not just miniature adults.
That said, there are even more factors that create these feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness for those who do live with mental health disorders. The problem could be related to heredity, their school or home environment, substance use, growing up in dysfunctional families, stress, or nearly any part of their lives that doesn't lead to good mental well-being.
Some parents can pay too little attention to their teens until the teenager starts to show signs their mental health isn't good. That's why it's also important to recognize when something is different with your teen. For example, you might see that something isn't quite right when young adults who are usually extremely social and outgoing are suddenly quiet and start self-isolating. Every person is different, and to really understand how they are doing, you need to recognize when they suddenly start acting in a way that's not typical for them.
Substance use problems can also contribute to mental disorders such as depressive episodes. Some young people use an illicit drug or alcohol when they get the opportunity, whether to fit in with their peers because it seems like an adventure, or for any of a number of reasons. However, when children get involved in substance use, they can quickly start having signs of a depressive episode or other mental disorder. Any substance that affects the brain has the potential to cause problems with mental health. Not only could your teen develop an alcohol use disorder, but they could also start using any substance, from street drugs to prescription drugs.
If you suspect your teen's well-being is in jeopardy because of common mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder, it may help to connect them with mental health services as soon as possible. Also, if you notice signs that your teen is using a substance that could lead to substance use disorder, reach out for professional help.
You can seek treatment in your community or try online counseling for yourself and your teen. If children agree to therapy, they may thank you. Best of all, the children will often gain more tools needed to reach adulthood with better coping skills, less anxiety, and decreased depressive symptoms.
Services to improve your children's health are essential when facing disorders like depressive disorders or anxiety disorders. Adults need to pave the way for teens by suggesting and explaining these services. Sometimes it helps if the person encouraging the teen to seek help is experienced in the health system and knows what therapy entails. This may relieve any anxiety the teen feels about starting something new with services they've never used before.
No matter where you and your teen decide they should go for services, the important thing is that you support them through the process as they improve their mental health.
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