The diagnosis of teen depression is clinically different from adult depression.
Also, the manifestation of depressive symptoms in adolescents (teens) is a shade different than in adults.
It’s crucial to analyze the terms depression and anxiety before we continue because of the stigma associated with these terms (esp Adolescents).
Parents of adolescents suffering from depression are reluctant to discuss mental health problems and treatment options. They are often heard saying
- “It happens in teenage” ,
- “We also went through the same” ,
- “Sleep over it”
- and the worst is “We have given you everything, why are you depressed?
”According to the American Psychiatric Association (2023), “depression causes pervasive feelings of sadness and loss of interest in enjoyable activities. It usually leads to poor academic performance, deteriorating relationships with friends and parents, lack of self confidence and poor self care.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Worldwide, one in seven adolescents (10-19-year-olds) experiences a mental health disorder, accounting for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group. It turns out that depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are leading causes of mental illness and disability among adolescents.
A disastrous outcome of mental health problems in teens is suicide, it is second leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults. Unfortunately, untreated mental illness in teenagers extends to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health.