Julia felt so alone.

She felt she had no one to talk to or confide in. She was stressed out from homework, tests, and her parents’ recent divorce. Julia believed that she had no one to turn to for help. She had no energy and was always tired. She was bored with life, or at least her life. One day Julia was sitting with her so-called friends. She was watching them talk, not listening and not saying a word. Then she let something escape her lips: “I wonder if they would miss me.” She wasn’t talking to anyone in particular, she was just wondering aloud. She also was not expecting anyone to hear her, but someone did. The girl who heard was concerned. She spoke with her friends about it and they became concerned as well. Together they decided to tell the school counselor, who called Julia to her office. The counselor, Julia, and her friends spoke together. Julia realized that she actually did have friends who cared about her and her feelings. She began meeting with the counselor every week, and began to feel better. She reconnected with her friends, handled the pressures of school and no longer felt the pit of loneliness in her stomach. She found a balance in her life that brought her peace.

These girls were concerned about their friend, and rather than just ignoring her problems, they decided to get help. Julia, a fictitious example, was depressed. Often people mistake depression for something besides a medical problem, but it is in fact a medical disorder. Depression affects millions of teens around the world. In many cases like Julia’s, depression can take over a teen’s life. A person may start acting differently, become generally disinterested, often do poorly in school, or even find themselves contemplating suicide. Sometimes it can be hard to differentiate between depression and normal teenage behavior such as rebellion, irritability and stress.

Twenty percent of teenagers have or will experience depression before they reach adulthood. There is a misconception that depression is uncommon, weird, or only happens to “emo” kids. Your classmates or even your friends may be suffering from depression without you being aware of it. There are, however, behaviors that depressed teens typically demonstrate. Some signs to look for are changes in behavior, the use of alcohol or drugs, changing friends suddenly, or not showing up at school. Other signs are talk about worthlessness, death or suicide. If you become aware of these behavioral changes, it is important to pay close attention and determine if there is a pattern that could indicate depression.

Everyone has seen ads for antidepressants, which may lead you to believe that this is the only form of treatment. It’s not. In fact, for teenagers, antidepressants should only be used in severe cases. Often, simply speaking with a therapist, or going to group or family therapy is enough, as it was for Julia.

Teenagers can experience depression regardless of their ethnic background, race, or financial situation. Both boys and girls can be affected by depression, although it is more commonly reported by girls. Boys tend to suppress their feelings more than girls; therefore it is difficult to know how many might be suffering from it.

For many, depression can be triggered by the normal stress of growing from a child into an adult. Other causes include low self-esteem, breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, parents getting divorced, or the death of a friend or relative.

At one time or another everyone feels mildly depressed. It’s unavoidable. There are many situations that can make us feel sad, or alone, but this is not the same as medically diagnosed depression. There are many ways to keep feeling down from turning into debilitating depression. Surround yourself with family and friends and do things that make you happy. Try to lower the stress in your life, and learn to balance schoolwork with fun. By doing so, you reduce the chances of feeling overwhelmed. By leading a balanced life, you will significantly lower your chances of becoming seriously depressed.

If you think someone you know is suffering from depression, find a way to get help. Be persistent in soliciting help from an adult and just listen, and above all, offer your support. If you are depressed, talk to someone you trust — a parent, sibling or teacher. There is always someone that you can speak to.

Sources

http://www.teendepression.org/articles5.html
http://helpguide.org/mental/depression_teen.htm
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html