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Effects on mental illness in school effects
Effects of depression in adolescents
Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tend to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves
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Clinical depression is a common yet serious illness that affects many teens in the United States. They may “get into trouble at school, be negative and irritable, and feel misunderstood” (“Depression in Teens,” 2011). Boys and girls are equally likely to develop some form of depression and it often continues into adulthood if left untreated during childhood (“Depression in Teens,” 2011). Because many teens don’t even recognize that the way they feel is caused by a depressive disorder, they never have the opportunity to help themselves. Teenage depression can often lead to suicide. Doctors report an increase in serious and difficult cases due to teenagers experiencing more depression and anxiety than they did a decade or more ago (Corderoy, …show more content…
If a teen feels a constant sadness they should talk to their primary doctor and consider seeing a therapist. Therapists are able to help teens learn how to identify unpleasant thinking patterns, acknowledge and change inaccurate beliefs, relate to others in more positive ways, and alter behaviors accordingly (“Psychotherapies,” 2011). Not all teens may feel comfortable with talking to a person that they don’t know, but with time it could get easier and end up being a life-changing experience. A therapist helps to manage teen’s depressive symptoms better in order to function at the best of their ability throughout everyday life (“Psychotherapies,” 2011). Seeing a therapist is a solution that teens with clinical depression should consider for further diagnosis and treatment of their …show more content…
Antidepressant medications, without any alternative treatment, are estimated to “relieve the symptoms of 60–70% of clinically depressed people” (Wells, 2013). Not all antidepressants are the same in the fact that they affect everyone differently. If a teen tries a medication and it seems to not help, they should tell a doctor who will then decide what to change in order to provide them with the results they need. Because of the side effects of antidepressants, not all parents may agree to allowing their teens to take these medications. Possible side effects include worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, sleeplessness, agitation, or withdrawal from normal social situations (“Depression in Teens,” 2011). However, results of pediatric trials conducted between 1988 and 2006 proposed that the benefits of antidepressant medications distinctly outweigh their risks to teens with depression (“Depression in Teens,” 2011). Although taking prescription drugs can be an apprehensive decision, they have been proven to help many teens cope with
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.
Antidepressant are a form of pharmacotherapy treatment developed to treat the symptoms of major depression. Antidepressants are used for many other types of conditions including anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, dysthymia, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, and substance abuse, pain syndromes, gastrointestional disorders. Antidepressants usually require several weeks to notice significant effects. There are no antidepressants or any medication that is completely free of adverse effects. This article explains that the adverse effects of antidepressant can decrease compliance and slow down the rate of recovery. It is important for one to take note of potential side-effects before choosing the best antidepressant to suit their personalized needs. Statistics show that about 28 percent of patients sto...
Antidepressants are FDA approved drugs given to patients to alleviate symptoms, most commonly anxiety and depression. There are many people who are skeptical about the use of these drugs and if they really work as a benefit toward the people taking them. There are many pros to taking the medications, but there are also cons. This is why users of these drugs have to be aware of the side effects in order to get the full use of the medicine. Research shows that the benefits of antidepressants outweigh the negative long term effects, but only if they are taken in moderation.
Depression is becoming more common among adults due to the stresses that accompany everyday living. Along with the increasing numbers of adults suffering from depression, an ongoing rise in depression among the youth is also becoming a growing concern. Depression induced by peer pressure, bullying or other stresses can contribute to the growing numbers of adolescents taking antidepressants. According to Dr. Vincent Iannelli, there is an estimate that 3 percent of children and about 12 percent of teens suffer from depression. What most people are misinformed about is that they believe that antidepressants will prevent users from having depression or stop it completely. This is a misconception about antidepressants that can be misleading. The idea of taking a supplement to combat an internal emotional conflict should be severed out as a means of treatment unless ultimately necessar...
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.
Approximately 24% of 12-17 year olds have considered suicide and up to 10% have attempted suicide.” (Suicide Intervention Training PG 3). Teens today are very likely to commit suicide for various reasons. In today’s society there are a lot of judging and bullying cases around the world. No matter how much we promote a bully free zone there will always be a couple of cliques, or individuals, who want to bring others down and who do not know the seriousness of bullying. Although bullying is a big cause of suicide, the leading cause is a mental illness that many people are familiar with called depression. “Psychiatric disorders can affect diverse aspects of an individual’s life.”( Dispelling Myth Surrounding Teen Suicide, PG 1). If you or someone you know seems down most of the time, the best thing to do is to go see someone about your despair. If you are diagnosed with depression, prescribed depression medicine can help and can be one way to prevent suicidal thoughts or actions. “There is a lot of evidence that suicide is preventable.”(Cont. Principles of Suicide Prevention, PG
“Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 19-year-olds. In any given year, about 20% of all high school students think of committing suicide; almost 10% try” (Cropper 112). This shocking statistic shows the high risk of suicide among teens, but what some might not know is that the most common form of treatment used to help teens suffering with depression is one that might also increase the risk of suicide and/or harmful actions to oneself. Tricyclic antidepressants such as Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Lexapro are commonly prescribed to adolescents and young adults to relieve symptoms of depression, and they work by either releasing more of the brain’s “happy chemical,” serotonin, in those with clinical depression, or by stopping the release of the brain’s emotional chemicals in those with manic depression (or other diseases such as bipolar disorder) (Silverstein 61). Although antidepressants can have a positive effect on the symptoms of depression, the risk of suicide among those who take it is too high to use as a first option. Suicidal behavior is a serious side effect in teens that are prescribed tricyclic antidepressants; depression should be treated with safer alternatives, such as behavioral treatment or other forms of therapy as opposed to such a “trial and error” approach.
According to the FDA, about 2.5% of children and around 8% of adolescents are affected by depression (Temple). A common way to treat depression is by taking antidepressants. Children and teens have also been prescribed antidepressants for various reasons other than depression such as OCD and anxiety disorders. While it is legal for teenagers and children to take antidepressants, many people are concerned with the issues that taking antidepressants have. Children and teens should be allowed to take antidepressants only when other forms of therapy don’t work. Antidepressants are serious drugs that have severe warnings when children and teens use them. There is also an increased risk of worsening depression and suicide in children and teens, especially in the when they begin to take it. Even the less severe side effects can make quite a negative impact on life.
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.
Anxiety has a main definition; a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease. Although, it has its single definition, each person diagnosed with anxiety has different symptoms. With that, some have more severe cases of the actual diagnosis. It has been noted that anxiety has had an increase in teens recently. In the last 30 years, the statistics for anxiety in fifteen to sixteen year olds have doubled for both girls and boys (“Increased Levels of Anxiety…” 1). It is said, “in societal moments like the one we are in…it often feels as if ours is the Age of Anxiety”(Henig 1). Anxiety affects teenagers profusely because the emotions of a teenager are more vulnerable than those of an adult. The brain of a teenager is not fully developed and the stress put on teenagers to start putting their life together takes a toll on their emotions. The daily life and activities are interfered with by anxiety when the amount of stress put on a teenager becomes unbearable. Unfortunately, the effects of anxiety become so intense that the mental health is eventually toyed with. So many different components of life contribute to anxiety and cannot be prevented.
Teenage depression is a growing problem in today's society and is often a major contributing factor for a multitude of adolescent problems. The statistics about teenage runaways, alcoholism, drug problems, pregnancy, eating disorders, and suicide are alarming. Even more startling are the individual stories behind these statistics because the young people involved come from all communities, all economic levels, and all home situations-anyone's family. The common link is often depression. For the individuals experiencing this crisis, the statistics become relatively meaningless. The difficult passage into adolescence and early adulthood can leave lasting scars on the lives and psyches of an entire generation of young men and women. There is growing realization that teenage depression can be life- changing, even life threatening.
Some psychological disorders can appear during adolescence like depression and anxiety unless parents or family support them. Society can help adolescents during this turbulent time of growth by creating some programs in the schools for all teenagers who do not have support. Even those who have support like family or friends need to know they have someone else they can go talk to and be able express themselves. Adolescent years are very difficult and teenagers need lots of support.
Numerous research studies have been conducted on depression in female adolescents, focusing on personal stresses contingent on social causes and interpersonal development. According to Flynn (2011) research has shown that depressive symptoms are predictors of subsequent dependent interpersonal stress. However, looking further than depressive symptoms, more recent research suggests that young female adults are overly dependent on others, unassertive, constantly seeking reassurance on their self worth, and have ineffective interpersonal problem solving skills (Davila, 1995). Depressive personality traits amongst female adolescents (e.g., pessimism, self-criticism, self-loathing, lack of self efficacy) reported high levels of stress from peers.
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.