Adolesent Depression Essay, Research Paper

Adolescent Depression

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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].