The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the often overlooked prevalence of adolescent depression. Adolescence is a time in a person's life that a beautiful amount of growth and maturity occurs, physically, emotionally and socially. It is an important point of development in a person's life. For some people, however, it is a time where much emotional stress and turmoil prevail. Adolescent depression is a real problem that many deal with. In order to have a better understanding of adolescent depression, this paper will first, delve into the symptoms and characteristics of depression. Then, who is at risk and also, what causes adolescent depression will be discussed. And finally, the different kinds of treatments that are used in treating adolescent depression will be covered.
Symptoms/Characteristics of Depression
Depression is a psychiatric disorder that is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. From their website online (1998), they list a number of symptoms indicative of depression:
[...] Causes of Depression in Adolescents There are many factors in an adolescent's life that can trigger a depressive episode. Because adolescence is a transitional part in everyone's life, there can be a lot of stress and pressure that is associated with growing up. It is during this time in an adolescent's life that they are striving for autonomy and if their attempt at independence is met with any sort of failure, the adolescent may be faced with depression, especially if that adolescent is at risk for depression (Allen, J.P., Insabella, G., Porter, M. [...]
[...] Conclusion To conclude, adolescent depression is a disorder that affects adolescents as well as adults although they are affected differently. Luckily, there are many options of treatment for adolescents who have depression. The symptoms of depression my be mistaken for simple adolescent frustration and angst that adolescents feel that they go through. It's important to understand the difference between the two so that depression can be recognized and treated accordingly. References Allen, J.P., Insabella, G., Porter, M. R., Smith, F. [...]
[...] The general sadness that is felt by adolescents with depression is often manifested in boredom, irritability, moodiness and lack of interest in things that once gave them pleasure. This inability to obtain pleasure is called anhedonia (Harrington, p.2, 1993). If an adolescent has depression, it can cause problems with concentration and motivation that result in academic problems (Mufson, L., Dorta, K.P., Moreau, D., Weissman, M.M., p 2004). Because learning problems may create low self-esteem, frustration, hopelessness and helplessness that can lead to depression, academic problems can be indicative of depression in adolescents. [...]
[...] Coupled with the trauma of the abuse, it is not uncommon for depression to develop after physical or sexual abuse. Strategies for Treating Depression There are many options for the treatment of depression. There are medicines that can be prescribed to alleviate the pain of depression. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) can be prescribed and their effect on depression is significant in adults. However, in adolescents, studies have shown that there is no significant difference between a placebo and a TCA (Harrington, p 1993). [...]
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