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This article will deal with the very serious subject of depression in teens. The fact is that each year 4% of all teenagers suffer from a serious depression which will require help from a professional. There is a difference between sadness and depression, because sadness itself is a healthy feeling, but prolonged sadness without recovery is not, and will cause of depression. Depressed teens have more trouble with school work, more strained relationships with family and friends, and are more likely to participate in drug usage and unprotected sex. However, with the proper resources, depression in teens can be treated. With that said, most depression in teens in the United States goes untreated. This is unfortunate, because depression that is untreated will only get worse, and be harder to treat if treatment does take place. Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, and reactive depression are the two most common types or depression in teens. Prolonged states of sadness and feelings of unworthiness are the two chief characteristics associated with reactive depression. Bipolar disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by constant mood changes from extreme happiness to extreme sadness, all occurring in a short period of time. There are certain symptoms you should look for, when evaluating depression in teens. If your teen is sad a lot, and doesn't feel the usual relief after crying, this is a very critical sign. Another critical sign is if they have low self-esteem and often express feelings a guilt, even when there is no reason to. Finally, consider some of the factors for depression in teens such as an overall negative outlook on life, irregular sleep patterns, frequent indecisiveness, and high irritability. Your teen should communicate with somebody they trust, if they feel they are depressed. There are many different people you should consider as options to communicate with, such as you and your spouse, your family doctor, a member of your church whom you trust, the school counselor, or professional therapist. Psychotherapy and/or medication are two methods that are most commonly used in treating depression in teens. Depression in teens is alleviated with psychotherapy by talking about how the teen feels with a trained therapist, while trying to locate the root cause of the depression. Depression can be easily corrected in most cases, because the teen is unaware of their faulty view of understanding reality, which is causing the depression. In more severe cases of depression in teens, medication is also often prescribed. Depending upon the level of depression, medication might be required first before progress is made. In conclusion, I have given you some facts to consider, relating to depression in teens. Use this information to determine the best course of action for you or your teen today, to make sure there is no unnecessary suffering being caused by depression in your life.
Article Source: http://www.writedot.com
About the author: Steven Ross is a long-time Positive Mental Health fan and can help you with all your depression questions. For Positive Mental Health advice hurry over to his new site at DepressionandAnxietyReport.com
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