How to Prevent Depression in Teens

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.

The two most common forms of depression in teens are reactive depression and manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder. Reactive depression is the most common type of depression, and deals with prolonged states of sadness and feelings of worthlessness. Bipolar disorder is characterized by a disturbing change of moods, usually from extremely manic to extremely sad, in short periods 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.

The first step a teenager needs to take if they feel depressed is to communicate with somebody they trust can help them. There are many different options for it teenager to discuss their problems with, such as their parents, their family doctor, somebody they trust in their church, and school counselor, or professional psychologists.

Depression in teens is typically treated with psychotherapy and/or medication. Typical psychotherapy sessions for depression in teens revolve around talking about how they feel with a trained psychotherapist, and trying to understand the root cause of the depression. Most often, depression is caused by a faulty understanding of reality, which can be easily corrected under the proper guidance of a professional.

Medication is often prescribed in more severe cases of depression in teens. In fact, in more severe cases, medication may first be required before therapy can take place.

In closing, I have given you some facts relating to depression in teens to consider. This information can be used to determine what action you should take for your teen today, to make sure there's no unnecessary suffering from depression going on in your life.

By: Steven Ross

About the author: Steven Ross is a huge 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

Article Directory: http://www.articlewisdom.com

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated