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Effects of adolescent depression
Depression and its impact on adolescents
Effects of depression in adolescents
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Adolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and inner turmoil. Unfortunately, it has been recently proved that depression is a growing problem in today's society and a major contributing factor for a multitude of adolescent problems. This is because , as research indicates, adolescent depression is the result of mood disorders accompanying this period and the high suicide rate that is basically a result of such a depression.
By analyzing depression, we will find that depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and himself. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. However, how prevalent are mood disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is because "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional
turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996) observed that the "challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm." Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who ...
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...that lie in their paths, there are some who find themselves overwhelmed and full of stress. How can parents and friends help out these troubled teens? And what can these teens do about their constant and intense sad moods? With the help of teachers, school counselors, mental health professionals, parents, and other caring adults, the severity of a
teen's depression can not only be accurately evaluated, but plans can be made to improve his or her well-being and ability to fully engage life.
WORKS CITED
Blackman, M. (1995, May). You asked about... adolescent depression.
The Canadian Journal of CME [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.mentalhealth.com/mag1/p51-dp01.html. Brown, A. (1996, Winter). Mood disorders in children and adolescents. NARSAD Research Newsletter [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.mhsource.com/advocacy/narsad/childmood.html. Lasko, D.S., et al. (1996). Adolescent depressed mood and parental unhappiness. Adolescence, 31 (121), 49-57.
Oster, G. D., & Montgomery, S. S. (1996). Moody or depressed: The masks of teenage depression. Self Help & Psychology [Internet].
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http://www.cybertowers.com/selfhelp/articles/cf/moodepre.html
Have you ever felt “down in the dumps”? How about sad or unhappy for long periods of time? Has the thought of suicide ever crossed your mind? Between 35% and 50% of adolescents experience depression at some point in their teenage years. Brent Runyon, author of The Burn Journals, experienced a severe type of depression while in middle school.
Lewinsohn, P.M., Hops, H., Roberts, R.E., Seeley, J.R. & Andrews, J.A. (1993). Adolescent psychopathology: I. Prevalence and incident of depression and other dsm-iii-r disorders in high school students. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102(1), 133-144.
People constantly overlook the severity of depression, more importantly, major teen depression, which presents a legitimate obstacle in society. The intensity of teen depression results from society’s general lack of acknowledgement of the rising affair. In 2012, “28.5% of teens were depressed” and 15.8% of teens contemplated the option of suicide (Vidourek 1 par. 1), due to their major depression going unnoticed or untreated for. Even teenagers themselves often ignore their depression or remain in denial because neither them nor anyone else recognizes the signs. “A sudden change in behavior is a main sign of someone being depressed, which could lead to having suicidal thoughts,” stated Pam Farkas, a clinical social worker in California (Aguilar 1 par. 8). The warning signs and risk factors of teen depression include behavioral issues, social withdrawal, and inadequate interest in activities (Adolescents and Clinical Depression 2 par. 3), yet the unawareness of these signs does not allow professional medical attention to intercede. Deaths, illnesses, rejection, relationship issues, and disappointment present passages down the negative path of teen depression, but treatments, such as psychotherapy, intervention programs, and antidepressants express ways to subdue this major problem. Knowledge of the increasing dilemma needs to circulate, in order to promote stable teen lives in the present and future world. Understanding major teen depression, the events and incidents that lead to depression, and how to overcome the problem will lead to a decrease in major teen depression and its growing issue in society.
By having Watson narrate, Doyle is able to write in a more literary manner. For instance, the first time Watson, as well as the reader, is introduced to the hound of the Baskervilles, it is through auditory imagery. Watson describes a “long, low moan” that “sounded incredibly sad” that sweeps over the Moore and grows into a deep roar (50). When Watson hears the howl again later in the book, he describes a “wild and menacing howl” that pierces through the silence of the Moore before dying away in a sad moan (69-70). In both instances, the descriptions are important in developing the tone of the novel, and the atmosphere of the Moore. Were it Holmes narrating, the descriptions would likely result in a more inquisitive and curious tone, rather than one of dread and foreboding created when described by Watson. As the novel is not only a mystery, but a mystery wrapped in a horror aesthetic, it is important that a sense of rising tension and terror is established. By having Watson narrate the novel rather than Holmes, Doyle is able to develop a much greater sense of dread, tension, and anticipation for the
Teenage Depression. Everywhere you look these two words appear together as one, in newspapers and magazines, as well as in scholarly reports. Teenage depression is one of today's "hot topics" this among other teenage mental health problems, has been brought to the forefront of public consciousness in recent years after several incidents involving school shootings (CQ 595). The environment that teens grow up in today is less supportive and more demanding than it was twenty years ago. Not only are the numbers of depressed teens rising, but children are also being diagnosed at younger and younger ages. Studies have found that, "There is an estimated 1.5-3 million American children and adolescents who suffer from depression, a condition unrecognized in children until about 20 years ago" (CQR 595). This increase in depression is due to social factors that teenagers have to deal with everyday. A recent study found that, "About five percent of teenagers have major depression at any one time. Depression can be very impairing, not only for the affected teen, but also for his or her family-and too often, if not addressed, depression can lead to substance abuse or more tragic events" (NAMI.org). Gender roles and other societal factors including the pressures on girls to look and act a certain way, the pressures on boys to suppress their emotions and put on a tough front and the pressures on both sexes to do well in school and succeed, all contribute to depression in teens today. Depression is a growing problem which crosses gender lines and one that needs to be dealt with with more than just medication.
We've all heard it before: "Too much of anything is bad for us." The amount of binge drinking occurring on American college campuses today proves that college students do not heed this warning. Binge drinking, or drinking for the purpose of getting drunk, harms both drinkers and non-drinkers alike. As today's college students come dangerously close to being swept away in the sea of papers, exams, jobs, and interviews, they use bingeing as the lifeboat that allows them to escape the stress. It allows them to forget their worries, fit in with the crowd, and live on the edge in a fast-paced world that normally does not leave time for such activities. Teetering on the brink of adulthood, yet still trapped in childhood makes drinking decisions difficult for many college students. A desire to get away from our usual lives because of societal regulations and conformity, psychological and emotional problems, and the stress of everyday life causes college binge drinking.
The sample consisted of adolescents between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, who met the criteria for DSM-III-R (American Psychiatric Association, 1987), major depression and with the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et. al., 1988) score greater than or equal to 13 (p. 907). All participants were nonpsychotic, non-bipolar, without obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorder, substance abuse, or ongoing physical and/or sexual abuse. There were 122 adolescents who were eligible for the study but only 107 (87.7%) participants agreed to randomization. One third (32.7%) of participants were chosen through
One of the main reasons students feel the need to binge drink is peer pressure. They do this because their peers are doing it and they want to fit in better. College dorm rooms offer many different places for students to drink. Dorm rooms give a great place for a few people to get together, and before you know it “everybody’s doing it”.
This article illustrates a couple of real-life stories of teenagers who faced depression and had to somehow deal with it. One of the teenagers, Brianne, described how she tried to kill herself because she was so depressed. She described her mental state by saying: “It was like a cloud that followed me everywhere. I couldn’t get away from it.” She started drinking and experimenting with drugs. At a certain point, Brianne could not take it anymore. Once, she was caught shoplifting at a store and after her mother brought her home, Brianne swallowed every single Tylenol and Advil that there was in the house. She was rushed to the hospital and survived. Brianne has been treated for her depression and is now in college and leads a very healthy lifestyle. She is one of the lucky kids that survived, but a lot of times, when depression in kids goes unnoticed, the outcomes are very tragic.
To begin with, cell phones are problematic in classrooms because they become distractions to both the students using the phone and to those that are trying to learn. In either case, they will both miss out on the opportunity to learn. According to M. Beth Humble-Thaden, “Cell phones ringing during a class time present unwanted distractions and, for some students, sending or receiving text messages can lead to cheating” (10). The usage of cell phones will also cause students to go off task and not give their school assignment the attention that it deserves,
In summation, I feel that not only is feminism still relevant, but absolutely necessary. Women still are treated equally, specifically in payment and rights. Until they are, then feminism will still be one-hundred percent relevant and necessary. And even after feminism isn’t needed anymore, we should never forget all of the powerful, determined people who fought long and hard for women.
Empfield, M., Bakalar, N. (2001). Understanding Teenage Depression: A Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment and Management, Holt Paperbacks, New York.
Conclusively, teenage depression is a chronic problem in the life of teenagers, which should be properly handled. When signs of this are seen in teenagers, adequate steps should be taken, in order to ensure their safety and restore their mental strength.
The twenty first century today is challenged with countless trials such as energy consumption, global warming, and so on. Among those myriads of global issues, teen depression has become the most discussed topic concerning child mental health. When children reach the stage of adolescence, they arrive at a position in their lives when they must face significant transition and peer pressures. They are trying to identify with themselves and attempting to figure out where their puzzle piece fits in society. Teens go through enormous emotional and physical changes and when children finding themselves unable to adapt fast enough, they fall into the pit named depression. Teen depression is a major problem around the globe and is one of the major factor of causing teen pregnancy, alcoholism, drug abuse or even suicide. With an enormous amount of pressure coming from school, home, and even oneself, solutions for teen depression are needed to help teenagers through their most decisive moment of their life.
In 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York, 68 women and 32 men sat down at the first women’s rights convention to sign a Declaration of Sentiments to call for equal treatment of men and women under the law and voting rights for women (Imbornoni para 2). This is where feminism all began. From 1848 until 1920, many women, and even men, fought for the rights of women around the country. They fought for equality and liberty and in 1920, the 19th amendment was finally passed allowing women the right to vote (Imbornoni para 15). This was a major milestone in the women’s rights movement. Susan B. Anthony once said “Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.” (Susan B. Anthony para 1). If only feminism were the same today it wouldn’t be a bad connotation and would still be a positive movement. This is because many of those associated with feminism today no longer see the need for equality. Instead, it seems they are looking for superiority. Modern-day feminists in America do not see how well women are doing today, and they instead fight for justice for their victimhood that they still see themselves in. They also fight against the prominent wage gap claiming that women are being discriminated against in work place.