What is Teen Depression? 

When you think about someone who is depressed, what do you think of? Someone who is sad? Someone who isolates themselves? Someone who can't sleep? Probably all of those characteristics enter your mind. But, depression is a lot more. Depression is defined as, "a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed" (American Psychiatric Association). Many adults often have a difficult time understanding why they might be depressed and developing coping skills to help alleviate their negative feelings. So how do you think depression can impact teens who are also faced with the challenges of academics, social interactions with friends/ peers, family difficulties, and many other everyday challenges? I hope you find this page to be insightful as we dive into the impacts of depression, especially teen depression.