Things To Know About Teenage Depression

Though many of the symptoms are similar, teenagers may experience depression differently than adults. Adults typically feel sadness, while teenagers more frequently feel severe irritability.

It’s also important to recognize that normal emotions and mood changes differ from depressive episodes. Identifying depression is the first step to treatment and management.

Symptoms of depressive episodes in teenagers often include:

• feeling sadness or tearful often
• feeling more irritable, angry, or hostile than usual
• feeling hopeless
• low self-esteem or feelings of guilt
• low energy
• losing interest or enjoyment in your usual activities
• persistent boredom
• withdrawing from family and friends
• trouble concentrating or making decisions
• lower grades or school performance
• trouble sleeping
• difficulty with relationships or communicating
• changes in appetite or weight
• frequent physical complaints, like headaches or stomachaches
• self-harm or suicidal thoughts or actions

Teens living with depression may struggle to maintain healthy social and academic lives. Addressing and treating depression is important for improving current and future well-being.

There’s rarely one single cause of depressive disorders. Research suggests that depression is caused by interactions between many factors:

• Genetics. Research looking into family histories of major depression suggests a genetic component, as is true of affective disorders, in general. Affective disorders include depression and bipolar disorder.
• Biology. Brain chemicals, like dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, are involved in depression. Newer research suggests that nerve cell connections, growth, and functioning can also have a major effect. Brain structures, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, all play a role in depression, too.
• Environment. A history of adverse childhood experiences or trauma in childhood or adolescence is strongly linked with depression. This might include physical or sexual abuse, death in the family, or traumatic events.

Many other risk factors for depression can increase a teenager’s likelihood for depressive episodes. These include:

• severe life stress
• other mental health disorders, like anxiety
• inequities, including those related to poverty, race, or gender
• experiences of loss or grief
• family conflict
• chronic illness
• significant life changes, like moving or parental divorce

The more risk factors adolescents encounter, the greater the potential impact on their mental health.

For teenagers, the pressures of society — coming from friends, family, entertainment, and media -— can increase the risk for mental health conditions.

Issues with body image, appearance, gender identity, and sexual identity are common in developing teens and can contribute to depression.

Young people, and especially girls, from migrant or impoverished communities are disproportionately affected by depression and other mental health conditions. This is true within communities of color, too.

The greater number of environmental risk factors these teens typically face make developing symptoms of depression more likely. These environmental factors include:

• acute stress
• inadequate nutrition
• lack of stimulation

Depression is also associated with high-risk behaviors in teens, such as:

• excess substance use
• self-harm
• sex without protection
• suicide attempts

Many factors can lead to depression, and they’re different for everyone.

As a parent, teacher, guardian, or friend of a teenager you believe may be experiencing depression, it’s important to be open and receptive to their feelings. In a nonjudgmental and empathetic way, ask them to express what they’re experiencing.

Listen carefully and try to respond with understanding, not lecturing. Though some teenagers may be dismissive or hesitant to discuss their feelings with you, showing that you care and can offer help is an important first step.

You can also talk with a doctor or therapist who knows about depression in teenagers.

Teens may be more receptive to seeking treatment if they’re involved in the decision-making, so be sure to listen to their input. If they do take medication or receive therapy, you can help them to make sure their treatment stays on track.

Maintaining a positive attitude and acknowledging achievements, however small or large, is important as the caregiver or friend of a teenager with depression.

Gently encouraging them to increase their social time with friends and family and supporting them in getting enough exercise and sleep can make a big difference in helping them to feel better.

If they make statements indicating suicidal thoughts or self-harm, take them seriously. Have open and honest conversations about these thoughts and behaviors, and seek the help and expertise of a mental health professional.

 

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• Teen Line: 800-852-8336
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: 800-950-NAMI (6264)
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

For more information about depression in teenagers, check out these organizations and helpful resources:

• National Institute of Mental Health: Teen Depression
• Health Care Alliance for Response to Adolescent Depression (HEARD)
• Go Ask Alice!
• Teen Mental Health