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Adolesent Depression Essay, Research Paper
Adolescent Depression
Essay submitted by Unknown
Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted
tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Therefore it comes
to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide.
Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than
cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate,
depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in
school, work and personal adjustment, which may often continue into adulthood.
Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and
adolescents is because “children are not always able to express how they feel.”
Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in
adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and
heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996)
observed that the “challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be
superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental
storm.”
Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician’s hands but be associated with
parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. Unlike
adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of
expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to
engage in risky behaviors (Oster & Montgomery, 1996). Mood disorders are often
accompanied by other psychological problems such as anxiety (Oster & Montgomery,
1996), eating disorders (Lasko et al., 1996), hyperactivity (Blackman, 1995), substance
abuse (Blackman, 1995; Brown, 1996; Lasko et al., 1996) and suicide (Blackman, 1995;
Brown, 1996; Lasko et al., 1996; Oster & Montgomery, 1996) all of which can hide
depressive symptoms.
The signs of clinical depression include marked changes in mood and associated
behaviors that range from sadness, withdrawal, and decreased energy to intense
feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Depression is often described as “an
exaggeration of the duration and intensity of normal mood changes” (Brown 1996). Key
indicators of adolescent depression include a drastic change in eating and sleeping
patterns, significant loss of interest in previous activity interests (Blackman, 1995;
Oster & Montgomery, 1996), constant boredom (Blackman, 1995), disruptive behavior,
peer problems, increased irritability and aggression (Brown, 1996). Blackman (1995)
proposed that “formal psychologic testing may be helpful in complicated presentations
that do not lend themselves easily to diagnosis.” For many teens, symptoms of
depression are directly related to low self -esteem stemming from increased emphasis
on peer popularity. For other teens, depression arises from poor family relations, which
could include decreased family support and perceived rejection by parents (Lasko et
al., 1996). Oster & Montgomery (1996) stated that “when parents are struggling over
marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may feel the tension and try to
distract their parents.” This “distraction” could include increased disruptive behavior,
self-inflicted isolation and even verbal threats of suicide. So how can the physician
determine when a patient should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? Brown (1996)
suggested the best way to diagnose is to “screen out the vulnerable groups of children
and adolescents for the risk factors of suicide and then refer them for treatment.”
Some of these “risk factors” include verbal signs of suicide within the last three months,
prior attempts at suicide, indication of severe mood problems, or excessive alcohol and
substance abuse. Many physicians tend to think of depression as an illness of
adulthood. In fact, Brown (1996) stated that “it was only in the 1980’s that mood
disorders in children were included in the category of diagnosed psychiatric illnesses.”
In actuality, 7-14% of children will experience an episode of major depression before
the age of 15. An average of 20-30% of adult bipolar patients report having their first
episode before the age of 20. In a sampling of 100,000 adolescents, two to three
thousand will have mood disorders out of which 8-10 will commit suicide (Brown, 1996).
Blackman (1995) remarked that the suicide rate for adolescents has increased more
than 200% over the last decade. Brown (1996) added that an estimated
2,000teenagers per year commit suicide in the United States, making it the leading
cause of death after accidents and homicide. Blackman (1995) stated that it is not
uncommon for young people to be preoccupied with issues of mortality and to
contemplate the effect their death would have on close family and friends.
Once it has been determined that the adolescent has the disease of depression, what
can be done about it? Blackman (1995) has suggested two main avenues to treatment:
“psychotherapy and medication.” The majority of the cases of adolescent depression
are mild and can be dealt with through several psychotherapy sessions with intense
listening, advice and encouragement. For the more severe cases of depression,
especially those with constant symptoms, medication may be necessary and without
pharmaceutical treatment, depressive conditions could escalate and become fatal.
Brown (1996) added that regardless of the type of treatment chosen, “it is important
for children suffering from mood disorders to receive prompt treatment because early
onset places children at a greater risk for multiple episodes of depression throughout
their life span.”
Until recently, adolescent depression has been largely ignored by health professionals,
but now several means of diagnosis and treatment exist. “Although most teenagers can
successfully climb the mountain of emotional and psychological obstacles that lie in
their paths, there are some who find themselves overwhelmed and full of stress.”(Brown
1996). With the help of teachers, school counselors, mental health professionals,
parents, and other caring adults, the severity of a teen’s depression can not only be
accurately evaluated, but plans can be made to improve his or her well-being and
ability to fully engage life (Blackman, 1995).
References
Blackman, M. (1995, May). You asked about… adolescent depression. The Canadian
Journal of CME [Internet].
Brown, A. (1996, Winter). Mood disorders in children and adolescents. NARSAD
Research Newsletter [Internet].
Lasko, D.S., et al. (1996). Adolescent depressed mood and parental unhappiness.
Adolescence, 31 (121), 49-57.
Oster, G. D., & Montgomery, S. S. (1996). Moody or depressed: The masks of
teenage depression. Self Help & Psychology [Internet].