Authentic, Handpicked and Unique.
Dive into the ocean of information and feel the power it gives you.
Teen depression is a very serious and very common psychological condition that affects the way you feel, think, and act. It interferes with your ability to function daily. It causes a persistent feeling of sadness and a loss of interest in activities.
It sometimes affects your mind and you don’t even realize it. Slowly, the burning lights of your life seem dull and you lose interest in even your favourite things. Issues like these occur due to peer pressure, academic expectations, body change, and a toxic environment. These issues cause ups and downs in your life and interfere with your daily functioning.
It is often stigmatized or perceived as a weakness which can be overcome by willpower. It is not something, you can just snap out of yourself. It can even give birth to serious problems and consequences. It requires long-term treatment and an understanding of a healthy environment.
For most teens, depression symptoms ease with treatment such as medication and psychological counselling.
What are the symptoms?
Teenagers with depression often suffer from sadness for no apparent reason most of the time. It can also linger with feelings of anxiety or panic. They may sleep a lot, don’t come out of their rooms, and likely want to be left alone. Their eating habits and similarities are also affected by this. The most common symptoms exhibited by them are:
- Difficulty in decision-making and concentration
- Frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters
- Low self-esteem
- Excessive feelings of guilt and worthlessness
- Self-criticism and hopelessness
- not liking anything, I was annoyed.
- Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
- loss of interest in things they used to love.
- Unexplained crying
What affects depression?
Many other factors affect depression. As you can see in the below chart, there are 3 main culprits:
- Environmental factors
- Biological factors
- Psychological factors
How can you stop and why is it important?
1 in 4 adolescents experiences mental health disorders that result in severe impairment.
Several methods can help a person with depression, which include medications and psychotherapy. Psychotherapy works by creating a trusting therapeutic relationship, identifying problematic thoughts, and trying to change them. Neither medication nor therapy will work if the environment is not supportive. If the depression is not severe, family therapy could ease the problems. In this case, the teen will need support from family or teachers to help with any school or peer problems. They require a very healthy and supportive environment. The main factor in learning the importance of self-care includes a healthy sleep routine.
When it comes to medications, the FDA warns that antidepressant medications can, rarely, increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behaviour in children and adolescents with depression and other psychiatric disorders. The use of antidepressants in younger patients, therefore, requires especially close monitoring and follow-up by the treating doctor. If you have questions or concerns, discuss them with your health care provider.
Try to understand them and ease the problem instead of thinking it all in their head, when it’s not because
Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
How is it stigmatized?
Depression may have many stereotypes, most of which affect the thinking of the one suffering or the people around him. because the experience of depression is different for everyone. But it’s really important to understand that our words can greatly affect the person suffering, which allows the point of addressing the common myths and stereotypes of depression, an important factor in the person’s health. Here are some common cliches that people often presume:
Number 1-Depression is not a “REAL’’ illness.
This is the most common stereotype in mental health. People do not consider it a health illness when it could affect someone’s life in many ways. This stereotype is mostly created by people who don’t know about mental health. This claims that awareness of this is crucial for everyone because it is just as troubling as any other physical condition.
Number 2-Mentally suffering people are probably so weak and lazy
You should never think you have this condition because you are just lazy and very weak compared to others. Because you are not. Having a mental illness doesn’t mean you are lazy or weak. People who are strong and very happy could also have this problem. It’s not because you are in a bad mood or having a tough time. It could happen at any time and to anyone.
Number 3-“JUST SNAP IT OUT, OF YOURSELF, IT’S NOTHING”
You would have heard people saying, “Just be happy; you are overeating; it’s nothing” or “Mental health is no such thing; just snap it out; you are so weak!”. Trust me, it’s not that easy and it’s not even possible to snap it out. We don’t choose to be mentally ill; it occurs to us, like any other health problem. You can’t possibly snap cancer out of you. It’s just like this. People need to understand that it’s not what it looks like from the outside. Advising without knowing about it is not considered good. Sometimes you won’t even realise the person in front of you is going through something. because you can’t judge it from the outside. Some people are just good at concealing their emotions. It could be anyone.
Suicide and self-harm
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in older adolescents (15–19 years)(2). Risk factors for suicide are multifaceted and include harmful use of alcohol, abuse in childhood, stigma against help-seeking, barriers to accessing care, and access to means of suicide. Digital media, like any other medium, can play a significant role in either enhancing or weakening suicide prevention efforts. [ WHO report]
Helpline number
Call 911 or 1-800-599-0019. A national 24/7 toll-free helpline was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to help people with suicidal thoughts, depression and other mental health issues.
INDIA – CALL 112 OR 9152987821
As a teenager, I have personally gone through some problems, and during this time period, communities like 7 Cups have really helped me. I later volunteered as a listener there too. So I would definitely recommend you to try their app. They are free and helpful.
You need to understand
It is normal to feel moody, annoyed, and sad at times. Give yourself some time. Reach out for help. Depression affects your mood, how you act, and how you do at school, but most importantly, it affects what people think about themselves. They distance themselves from everyone. It’s not because they don’t love them. So, give them some time and encourage them to heal. Tell them to feel good about themselves, because sometimes people need that. Is it time to get going? It’s not their fault they are going through this. It’s not a personal failing. And it’s more common than you think. Depression can start small but can build and get worse. Because of that, take care of that as soon as possible. You can do it and you can fight it. We believe you.
Read more from Chahat: What is ROE vs WADE case? A brief history of US abortion law, before and after Roe v Wade
