Depression in Teens

p Teenage Depression

Depression is a common problem that mainly affects people of all ages but it is young adults suffering from depression

who are not taken seriously by the rest of society . What could teenagers possibly be depressed about ' This is a common

statement from adults who do not understand the workings of the young mind , but teenage depression is a serious problem and

can , in some cases lead to very tragic consequences For many teenagers , symptoms of depression are directly related to low self -esteem stemming from increased emphasis

on

peer popularity The common view of depression is that it is a personal weakness or character flaw . Depression , however , is considered as a medical dis and can affect thoughts , feelings , physical health , and behaviours . It interferes with daily life such as school friends , and family "Clinical depression is the most incapacitating of all chronic conditions in terms of social functioning (Miller , 1999 )As well as the feelings of depression , and the reasons why these may occur in young adults , some have to cope with more serious problems that could have a detrimental effect on the young person 's health and well being for , possibly the rest of their lives . Serious medical problems such as eating diss often represent teenagers ' attempts to gain some sort of control over their lives by engaging in a behaviour that cannot be regulated by another person . One third to one half of patients with eating diss have a massive depressive illness at the same time (Papolos 1997 Running away from home and homelessness due to abuse or neglect are other situations some young people of today have to

face . These are neither adventurous nor rebellious adolescents , but teenagers tested and troubled by life 's circumstances , not

always due to any fault of their own . It is hard for older generations to comprehend the horrors that young people have to deal

with in today 's society . Depression may be a common factor in these troubled teenagers , yet it may take something drastic like

running away from home to draw the attention of adults to their plight often it is then too late . Latest Government figures reveal

that about 100 ,000 children across the country are experiencing homelessness ( www .shelter .org .uk ) and according to `Young

prisoners : a thematic review of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales ' 25 of young male prisoners are

homeless or have been living in insecure accommodation . These figures seem to be increasing at an alarming rate but thankfully

most young people manage to overcome the risks and obstacles they face Drug use is on the rise among teenagers as young as thirteen . According to the Clouds Organisation about 4 of 14-16 year

olds in schools use alcohol daily , while 92 have tried it . Millions of teenagers have had adverse experiences caused by

excessive drinking (Newton 2001 ) Researchers have found that depressed teenagers are at particularly high risk for drug and

alcohol abuse . Abuse of drugs , alcohol , or other...