Depression

Overview

Teen depression is a serious mental health problem that causes persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how teenagers think, feel and behave, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. Although depression can occur at any time in life, symptoms may be different between teens and adults.

Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings — they're a symptom of depression.

Teen depression isn't a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires long-term treatment. For most teens, depression symptoms ease with treatment such as medication and psychological counseling.

Symptoms

Teen depression signs and symptoms include a change from the teenager's previous attitude and behavior that can cause significant distress and problems at school or home, in social activities, or in other areas of life.

Depression symptoms can vary in severity, but changes in your teen's emotions and behavior may include the examples below.

Emotional changes

Be alert for emotional changes, such as:

• • Feelings of sadness, which can include crying spells for no apparent reason

  • Frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters

  • Feeling hopeless or empty

  • Irritable or annoyed mood

  • Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities

  • Loss of interest in, or conflict with, family and friends

  • Low self-esteem

  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

  • Fixation on past failures or exaggerated self-blame or self-criticism

  • Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, and the need for excessive reassurance

  • Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things

  • Ongoing sense that life and the future are grim and bleak

  • Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide

Behavioral changes

Watch for changes in behavior, such as:

• • Tiredness and loss of energy

  • Insomnia or sleeping too much

  • Changes in appetite — decreased appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain

  • Use of alcohol or drugs

  • Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still

  • Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

  • Frequent complaints of unexplained body aches and headaches, which may include frequent visits to the school nurse

  • Social isolation

  • Poor school performance or frequent absences from school

  • Less attention to personal hygiene or appearance

  • Angry outbursts, disruptive or risky behavior, or other acting-out behaviors

  • Self-harm — for example, cutting, burning, or excessive piercing or tattooing

  • Making a suicide plan or a suicide attempt

Causes

It's not known exactly what causes depression, but a variety of issues may be involved. These include:

• Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When these chemicals are abnormal or impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems changes, leading to depression.

• Hormones. Changes in the body's balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression.

• Inherited traits. Depression is more common in people whose blood relatives — such as a parent or grandparent — also have the condition.

• Early childhood trauma. Traumatic events during childhood, such as physical or emotional abuse, or loss of a parent, may cause changes in the brain that make a person more susceptible to depression.

• Learned patterns of negative thinking. Teen depression may be linked to learning to feel helpless — rather than learning to feel capable of finding solutions for life's challenges.