Teenage Depression Essay Example

Kevin Breel was a popular kid in high school that loved making people laugh, but many people did not know that he was suffering from severe depression. After reconsidering to take his own life, Breel sought out professional health and wanted to recover. Breel now speaks up about suicide awareness and how it should be prevented. Depression invades one’s mind much like a virus plagues one’s body. Depression is an affective mood disorder that occurs when a person does not have enough serotonin and norepinephrine chemicals in their brain. Depression in teenagers is often brushed aside “teenage angst” however it is the  second leading cause of death in teens is suicide.  A national Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Pew Research Center said that depression among teenagers has increased 13 percent from in 2017 between the ages of 12 and 17. Depression in teens is real and should be taken seriously. Without proper care teen depression can result in a devastating end.

Teenage depression is often mistaken for “being sad” but many fail to realize they are dealing with a mental illness that requires attention and care. A report for the American Psychiatric Association said that suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens between the ages of 15 and 19 years old, they also add, “14 young people (ages 15 to 24) commit suicide, or approximately 1 every 100 minutes”. Teen depression may lead to suicide if not treated in the right way. Although the number of teen suicide is high people do not talk about it so many do not know about this serious issue. Not only are suicide rates high for teens but they are still rising. According to an article from The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, “Teen depression on the rise in the U.S.”, Doctor Ramin Mojtabai of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, M.D, expressed “major depressive episodes increased in adolescents from 8.7 percent in 2005 to 11.3 percent in 2014.” Depression is increasing in teens every year and the issue will not solve itself. Without help from professionals the numbers of depressed teenagers will only rise. Awareness of depression in teens needs to be more talked about in schools and at home. Depression in teenagers is not talked about enough and the numbers of depression in teens increasing to a great extent every year. 

There are several internal and external causes of depression, and there are many ways it can be treated. While there is no one factor that leads to depression there are many elements that cause depression. Depression occurs when there are chemical abnormalities within the brain. Outside forces can also contribute to one’s depression. According to the Mayo Clinic the reason why teen depression is so high is because of their hormones, “changes in the body’s balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression” Hormone changes usually begin in early teen years, therefore depression in teenagers is not uncommon. When one's body undergoes puberty it is due solely to the chemicals in their brain. These chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin can be altered during this process, which may lead to depression. It is important to recognize a change in a teens emotionally and behaviorally. Changes within one’s body is not the only explanation of depression, additionally there are external forces acting on a teenager that can cause this illness. An article titled, “Anxiety and Depression in Children”, from the CDC explained that depression within teenagers can come from external influences on their lives. The article explains that depression can be caused by trauma, stress, and being bullied or rejected by other children. Depression is most often caused by external forces acting on a teenagers life. Teenagers are faced with many challenges that may result in mental illness such as anxiety disorders and depression if not treated properly. Although changes within a teenagers life can cause depression it can be prevented before the risks become permanent. There are websites people can visit and places they can go to to get the treatment they need. 

It is apparent that many people often brush off teenage depression as being sad. However, others may argue that teenage depression goes much deeper than what it is thought to be. Experts have found that there is a huge genetic link to depression. Stanford Medicine researchers, Douglas F. Levinson, M.D. and Walter E. Nichols, M.D, Professor in the school of medicine, found that if a parent or sibling has major depression you have a “2 or 3 times greater risk of developing depression compared with the average person.” People think that depression is not real but research has shown that there are a lot of biological explanations to this mental illness. It is important for people to recognize that depression is not just a thought, it affects so many teenagers' lives. Without bringing awareness to this issue people are forced to brush it aside. People need to realize the dangers that depression brings to many people’s  everyday lives. Attention and recognition is a very easy way to help prevent the spread of depression. 

Depression in teenagers is very common, if not treated properly it can lead to more serious issues, for instance suicide. In today's society awareness needs to be brought to mental health issues, especially those in teen lives because it is an issue that is not frequently talked about. Without speaking on mental health issues such as depression teenagers are left with an untreated mental illness that takes a hold of their minds and distorts their thoughts. Too many teenage lives are lost due to depression, if awareness and attention was brought to this pressing issue, teen overall well being would improve substantially.