Clinical Depression Among Teens

Depression has become a huge issue amongst teens within the past decade. The most devastating fact about depression is that it is often not addressed. Most teens feel they have no one to talk to about their depression. Depression affects teens of all walks of life from the porvished to privileged teens. According to Dr. Harold Koplewiz “About 2 million teenagers suffer from clinical depression and about 1 in 5 young people will experience depression before they become adults, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Teens experience depression more intensely than adults, said Dr. Harold Koplewicz, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and president of the Child Mind Institute in New York.”(2010) Depression affects people

These teens like those in the African-American communities have issues within their families and with their peers to deal with. The idea of being perfect affects them daily and most of them are living amongst a narcissistic society. Raising children in this type of setting and always being compared to others is stressful. Many of these teens become depressed and also like teens in improvised communities have no one to talk to. Poverty shapes the lives of all people and teens are not different. The social economical status that you come from dictates privilege. The potential to become someone in life is often based on where you have come from. In high school this is something that can weigh heavy on teenagers. Teasing is often that back lash that children of poverty receive. This is often harsh and continuous throughout their high school years. According to Curren W. Warf (2009),” Poverty robs everyone, but does not rob all equally. Though African-American children represent 13% of all children, they constitute 29% of children in poverty.” Does this mean that only African-American children are affected by poverty? I would not say that but I would say they hold the highest numbers and this brings about their depression in school. Most of the schools in the inner city are a popularity contest when is comes to attention from

The issue with depression is the African-American community is also not often discussed. These teens have no other outlets but to continue to hold their feelings inside until they explode into something far worse. According to Curren W. Ward (2009), “The end result of poverty can be seen in the criminal justice system and among the homeless on the streets.” The truth is that depression affects all people differently. Amongst African-American teens the start of depression will lead them to spiral out of control. I believe that the poverty and a lack of support in dealing with situations in schools have an impact on how these teens respond. African-American teens have issues within their families such as single parent homes or none existence support. Growing up in this type of setting can lead to the depression of most teens in impoverished situations. They often tend to withdraw and show signs of depression which goes unnoticed amongst their parents. Research shows that teens who feel worthless or feel they have no support are often more depressed than