Rates In Children And Adolescents
Depression can begin during childhood or during the teenage years. Similar to the prevalence rates in adults, girls are more likely to experience depression than boys. Theres a sharp increase in depression in girls just after puberty.
Although there has been a rise in teenage depression, according to a 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics study, there has not been a corresponding increase in treatment for teenagers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends regular depression screening for all adolescents 12 and over, given that the symptoms of depression are often missed by adults such as parents, teachers, and even doctors.
Here are the most recent depression statistics in children and adolescents:
- 3.1 million young people between the ages of 12 and 17 have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year in the United States.
- 2% to 3% of children ages 6 to 12 may have serious depression.
- 20% of adolescent girls have experienced a major depressive episode.
- 6.8% of adolescent boys have experienced a major depressive episode.
- 71% of adolescents who experienced a major depressive episode in the past year experienced a severe impairment.
- 60% of children and adolescents with depression are not getting any type of treatment.
- 19% of children with depression saw a health care professional for treatment.
Depression In Teens Vs Adults
Depression in teens can look very different from depression in adults. The following signs and symptoms are more common in teenagers than in their adult counterparts:
Irritable or angry mood. As noted, irritability, rather than sadness, is often the predominant mood in depressed teens. A depressed teenager may be grumpy, hostile, easily frustrated, or prone to angry outbursts.
Unexplained aches and pains. Depressed teens frequently complain about physical ailments such as headaches or stomachaches. If a thorough physical exam does not reveal a medical cause, these aches and pains may indicate depression.
Extreme sensitivity to criticism. Depressed teens are plagued by feelings of worthlessness, making them extremely vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and failure. This is a particular problem for over-achievers.
Withdrawing from some, but not all people. While adults tend to isolate themselves when depressed, teenagers usually keep up at least some friendships. However, teens with depression may socialize less than before, pull away from their parents, or start hanging out with a different crowd.
Is it depression or teenage growing pains?
Depressed Or Anxious Paying Attention Could Be The Key To Recovery
Not only that: No one disputes that in-person social interaction is linked to better mental health. So even if we dismiss the correlation between social media and depressionsay, calling it neutralthe decline in in-person social interaction could certainly account for the increase in depression and unhappiness. And why has in-person social interaction declined? Probably because screen time increased.
None of this means you should yank the phone out of your teens hands. As other studies have also documented, moderate use of smartphonesaround an hour a dayis not harmful. In my analyses of data from the Youth Risk Surveillance System survey administered by the CDC, negative effects on mental health appeared only after two or more hours a day of use. Of course, most teens use their smartphones much more than two hours a day , so it makes sense to consider setting limits.
After my book excerpt was published in The Atlantic, some, like Sarah Rose Cavanagh, argued that we shouldnt draw any conclusions until we can do a controlled experiment randomly assigning groups of teens to extensive or low smartphone use. She concluded, My suspicion is that the kids are gonna be OK.
References
Shakya, H. B., & Christakis, N. A. . Association of Facebook use with compromised well-being: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Epidemiology.
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Bipolar Disorder Involves Episodes Of Depression Mania And Normal Behavior
As the person is not feeling low most of the time, its easy to oversee the disorder. As depression is one part of it, these two are often mentioned together, though they arent to be equaled.
Statistics suggest 2.8% of the American adult population is living with bipolar disorder, which is about 7 million people.
Where To Get Support
Sometimes you need more than the help of your friends and family. Anxiety and depression are medical conditions and so treatment from a health professional is sometimes necessary. There are a range of health professionals available to support you while you recover from anxiety and depression.
Support groups, websites and helplines can also be a great help.
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% Of Children And Teens Have An Anxiety Disorder Putting Them At Risk Of Developing Depression
As mentioned before, anxiety and depression statistics define the link between the two disorders. In other words, panic attacks, social anxiety, specific phobias, separation anxiety disorder, and other types of the disorder are associated with higher rates of subsequent depression. Now, an impressive 8% of children and teens experience an anxiety disorder, with most people developing symptoms before the age of 21.
What Causes Teen Depression
Depression in teenagers originates from different factors depending on the individual. Some can be stressed at school or home, being embarrassed about something that happened, or losing someone close to them like family members and friends. Other causes of depression include things like drugs and alcohol, lack of sleep, eating too much junk food or not having enough fresh fruit & vegetables in your diet. Sometimes people might turn to comfort eating when theyre stressed out instead of trying healthy ways to feel better about themselves again!
Depression is a serious mental illness that affects millions of people every year. Some of the most common symptoms are feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless. Losing a loved one can have big changes in your life. It might change how you feel about food or sleep. You might also have trouble concentrating on things that are not important to you anymore. Depression is not something to be taken lightly its estimated that 1 out of 10 teens has depression before reaching adulthood! In this blog post, well explore 11 reasons why teenagers fall into depression. They might be sad or not act like themselves anymore. Well also discuss how to get back on track for a happier life.
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What Is Teen Depression
The teenage years can be really tough and its perfectly normal to feel sad or irritable every now and then. But if these feelings dont go away or become so intense that you feel overwhelmingly hopeless and helpless, you may be suffering from depression.
Teen depression is much more than feeling temporarily sad or down in the dumps. Its a serious and debilitating mood disorder that can change the way you think, feel, and function in your daily life, causing problems at home, school, and in your social life. When youre depressed, you may feel hopeless and isolated and it can seem like no one understands. But depression is far more common in teens than you may think. The increased academic pressures, social challenges, and hormonal changes of the teenage years mean that about one in five of us suffer with depression in our teens. Youre not alone and your depression is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw.
Even though it can feel like the black cloud of depression will never lift, there are plenty of things you can do to help yourself deal with symptoms, regain your balance and feel more positive, energetic, and hopeful again.
If youre a parent or guardian worried about your child
Stats For Depression Treatment
Although it might sound unlikely, there are countries where less than 10% of the population receives treatment for their disorder. Thankfully, there are many online therapy sites and other treatment options that can be of great help for those with depression. Read the statistics on depression and the treatment of this disorder below.
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Anxiety And Depression In Children: Get The Facts
Many children have fears and worries, and may feel sad and hopeless from time to time. Strong fears may appear at different times during development. For example, toddlers are often very distressed about being away from their parents, even if they are safe and cared for. Although some fears and worries are typical in children, persistent or extreme forms of fear and sadness could be due to anxiety or depression. Learn about anxiety and depression in children.
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Where To Get Help For An Adolescent
If you think your son or daughter, or someone you are close to, might be depressed, the first step is to take them to a doctor. The doctor will conduct an assessment that may involve assessing the young person on their own, with their parents or carers, or both. This will depend on the age and maturity of the young person and the wishes of those involved.
The doctor will offer advice about managing the situation which may include lifestyle changes. The doctor may refer the young person onto a psychologist. They could also speak to the guidance officer or counsellor at your child’s school.
Sometimes the adolescent may not want to seek help. In this case it’s best to explain that you are concerned and perhaps also provide them with some information to read about depression. It’s important for them to know that depression is a common problem and that there are people who can help.
There are also some excellent websites designed for young people, as well as online and telephone counselling services. These include:
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
- MindSpot Clinic call 1800 61 44 34.
- Beyond Blue call 1300 22 4636 or chat online.
- Black Dog Institute online help.
- Lifeline call 13 11 14 or chat online.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Teen Depression
Often, kids with teen depression will have a noticeable change in their thinking and behavior. The most common symptom of depression is sadness for no apparent reason most of the time. They may have no motivation and even become withdrawn, closing their bedroom door after school and staying in their room for hours.
Kids with teen depression may sleep excessively, have a change in eating habits, and may even exhibit criminal behaviors such as DUI or shoplifting. Here are more signs of depression in adolescents even though they may or may not show all signs:
- Apathy
For in-depth information, see WebMD’s Symptoms of Depression.
Important Teenage Depression And Suicide Statistics
Teenage depression and suicide are contributing factors to one of the most common preventable reasons why children are choosing to take their own lives. Teens kill themselves by the thousands every year, but suicide isnt just something that happens out of the blue. There is always a contributing factor that helps to facilitate the ultimate decision. Most teens with depression are also dealing with alcohol abuse, drug use, and may be suffering from physical or sexual abuse as well.
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Teen Drinking Might Be A Symptom Of An Underlying Depression
Because alcohol is easy to obtain and socially acceptable, it is a very popular means of self-medication for depression. Despite the fact that it is illegal for young teens to purchase alcohol, they are often able to get it through their parents liquor cabinets, unscrupulous store clerks, or older friends who purchase it for them.
Former Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration administrator Nelba Chavez, PhD, says Parents need to know that alcohol use can also be a warning sign or a cry for help that something is seriously wrong in a childs life.
Treatment For Depression In School Years
Treatment for teen depression begins with a mental health evaluation by a trained professional. Specifically, this evaluation should take into account a students developmental and family history, school performance, and behaviors.
Once the evaluation is complete, teen depression can be addressed by a variety of therapeutic modalities:
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Most Teens With Depression Are Not Receiving Treatment
Depression is not a weakness, and you should never feel ashamed of a depression diagnosis. While major depression is a widespread mental health condition, it still requires attention and professional treatment.
You may be tempted to ignore your negative feelings and symptoms associated with depression, but a consistent treatment plan is vital for depression management.
Left untreated, depression has a higher chance of recurring throughout your lifetime.
According to the MHA, the majority of adolescents with depression 60% did not receive treatment for their major depression from 2017 to 2018. Further, more than two-thirds of adolescents diagnosed with depression did not continue with consistent treatment.
Why Do Teenagers Fall Into Depression
There are various reasons why teenagers feel depressed. Some of the most common ones include:
Losing a Loved One
If someone close to you dies, it is hard to deal with. It can change how you feel about food and sleep. It might make concentrating on things that are not important too difficult.
Stress & Pressure
Many teens feel under pressure at school because they get bad grades this stress then affects their home life too when they get back. Sometimes kids will use substances like drugs or alcohol to help with problems, but they make the problems worse.
Perfectionism
Teenagers want everything to go well all the time. When something does not go as they planned, they might blame themselves or tell themselves that nothing ever goes right for them. Perfectionism is linked with depression as they feel they have to be the best at everything.
Bullying
Many teens are bullied for different reasons, such as being overweight or having a disability that affects how they walk. Kids can also get teased because of their sexuality or background which might leave them feeling sad and lonely most of the time. Friendships break down from this too when people do not want to hang out anymore with someone whos mean to you all the time!
Divorce
Early Childhood Trauma
Genes
Some people develop depression because their parents or grandparents have it. If there is a history of depression in a persons family, they might get it too.
Certain Medications
Substance Misuse
Serious Illnesses
Conflict
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Lockdown Depression Became The New Normal
Not only did the global pandemic have a massive impact on the worlds economy, but it also had a big effect on peoples mental health. While stress, lockdowns, social distancing, and uncertainty of the future can be the main trigger for developing some type of depression for the first time, at the same time, the aforementioned situations can also worsen the symptoms of depression.
Common Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression Commonly Seen In Teenagers Are:
- Low energy, tired, or sleeping too much.
- Loss of interest in activities and avoiding social contact
- Difficulty concentrating and paying attention
- Feeling helpless, restless, or tense.
- Engaging in self-harm or self-destructive behavior like alcoholism and burning their skin.
- Suicidal thoughts
- Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
- Significant and unintentional weight loss or weight gain
- In anxiety, physical symptoms like hyperventilation, gastrointestinal problems, sweating, and a fast heart rate are present.
Adolescence can be a tough phase for teenagers because of the changes their body goes through. A teenager goes through different pressures from all directions, emotional instability, and bodily changes.
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Staying Involved In Your Childs Care
Be aware that if they are 18 or older, your child will need to sign a waiver to allow your involvement. It can be extremely frustrating if they exclude you. But still try to talk openly with them about your concerns and to assist with things such as setting up appointments. Just because you arent involved in their care doesnt mean you cant help them seek care or seek care in their behalf, says Nagel.
Once an emerging adult turns 18, I have to request that they give me permission to speak with their parents, says Bennett. Parents are a wealth of information in learning how that child lives and functions, and its important for parents to learn not every private thing about their child but how to understand and support them, without being over-involved. Its a fine line that parents are being asked to manage. Sometimes they dont want their parents involved, so I try to talk to them about what boundaries we can put in place, so it feels comfortable for everyone involved.
And, Steinberg emphasizes, if your child is considering taking their own life or you suspect they are a danger to others no matter their age its no longer a question of your rights as a parent. You have an obligation to intervene.
Teens Suffering From Depression Are At Higher Risk For:
- 30 percent of teens with depression also develop a substance abuse problem.
- Teenagers with depression are likely to have a smaller social circle and take advantage of fewer opportunities for education or careers.
- Depressed teens are more likely to have trouble at school and in jobs, and to struggle with relationships.
- Teens with untreated depression are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, leading to higher rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
- Teens with depression seem to catch physical illnesses more often than other teens.
- Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, the third leading cause of death among teenagers.
- 90 percent of suicide victims suffer from a mental illness, and suffering from depression can make a teenager as much as 12 times more likely to attempt suicide.
- Less than 33 percent of teens with depression get help, yet 80 percent of teens with depression can be successfully treated.
Teen Depression Statistics Sources:
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