The Causes of Adolescent Depression

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“According to Mental Health America, one in every five teens has clinical depression” (“Safe Teens”). Do you know someone who suffers from teenage depression, or maybe a friend or family member? Or maybe you, yourself, may suffer from teenage depression. Well you are not alone. Many teens in America, as well as the rest of the world, are affected by teenage depression. Depression is an effect for many teens, with many causes. As a result, there are three major causes for teenage depression such as: Genetics, Environment, and Unhealthy Habits. In this essay, I will go in depth the many causes for teen depression.

The first of the three major causes for teen depression is Genetics. Genetics play a vital role in whether or not a teenager develops depression. The first cause from genetics is inherited traits. Teen depression can be inherited from parents who have depression themselves. “To prove that children inherit these traits from their parent, Kagan studied their family histories. He found that an unusual number of the parents had mood disorders and that a large percentage of the mildly depressed parent had also been shy as children” (Wolff). As a result many parents who have depression could have developed as a result of their youth. “Depression runs in families. Children and teens that have a parent with depression are more likely to develop depression than children with parents who are not depressed. Experts believe that both inherited traits (genetics) as well as living with a parent who is depressed can cause depression” (“Depression in Children”). In addition, teens may not only get depression genetically but they could also develop the mental illness by simply living with their depressed parent or parents. This is how in...

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... if you or someone you know suffers from adolescent depression you are not alone.

Work Cited

• Bower, Bruce. "Teenage Depression shows Family Ties." Science News Feb 03 2001: 72. ProQuest. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.

• "Depression in Children and Teens." Www.cigna.com. N.P., 3 May 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.

• “For Teens: Let’s Talk About Depression.” Healthyplace.com. Healthyplace.com Inc., 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2013

• "SafeTeens.org." Safe Teens. Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc., 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.

• “Teen Depression.” www.mayoclinic.com. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7 Nov. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

• Winkler, Kathleen. Bullying how to deal with taunting, teasing, and tormenting. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2005. Print.

• Wolff, Lisa. Teen Depression. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc., 1999. Print.

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