The occurrence of depression among teenagers or adolescents is surprisingly common. this mental health condition mirrors many of the symptoms of major depression, but it often goes unnoticed by peers and parents. some of the ill effects of having this condition include unwanted pregnancy, dropping out from school, substance addiction, and suicide.
The number of adolescents afflicted with depression is at an upward trend. some of the factors that may pre-dispose an individual to develop depression are illnesses that are long-term or chronic, experiencing abuse or neglect in the past, or a psychological trauma such as death. it has been found that teenage girls are more prone to developing depression as compared to boys.
The symptoms that those afflicted with teenage depression are almost identical to what adults experience. some of the symptoms include irritable mood, altered sleeping or eating habits, unwanted or unplanned weight gain or weight loss, having a hard time maintaining concentration and making everyday decisions, and a marked decrease in enjoyment of activities. as in adult depression, if the symptoms remain for more than two weeks, professional assistance is already needed.
A mental health professional will begin his or her assessment by ruling out the possibility of medical conditions causing these symptoms. a screening test for substance use may also be required. After thorough evaluation and psychiatric screening, the mental health professional may already judge if there is teenage depression.
Adolescence is no doubt a difficult time for everyone. Here, the individual begins to discover his or her identity, he or she experiences changes in the body and the expression of sexuality, and he or she is already expected to make decisions that can affect the rest of his or her life. Other mental health conditions may also appear alongside adolescent depression. these include substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety, and disruptive behavior. not treating adolescent depression at its onset may have negative consequences later on.
Teenage depression treatment is considerably more complex than treating adult major depression. the antidepressants that have had significant success in adults might have limited or no success in teenage depression. some antidepressants have even been believed to cause the risk for adolescent suicide to increase.
However, one treatment is emerging as a very promising one for teenage depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, operates on the assumption that the teenager has an irrational belief or a distorted perspective of his or her reality. through CBT, the individual experiences a change in his or her perspective of the self, the world around them, and the future.
Some Shocking Truths on Teenage Depression

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