Teenage Depression

i'm pretty happy and i'm a teenager... hmm maybe i have issues

hehe ^ that's funny. and wrong. (but really funny!)

VeryMuchAlive:

Teenage depression is a very serious issue. Many people don't believe it do exist among teenagers, but it do. It's pretty heavy stuff, if you don't get help. I've suffer from it myself, it's hard. My advise: talk about you're problem, if can't write it down and show it to someone.

people are misguided by how serious it is of an issue because of the constant teenagers out there who are begging for attention.
but in a sense, they are depressed as well... they do what they do because they are not feeling the proper love that they should be given.
in a way teenage depression is not a hard thing to pick out -- in health this is what my class is learning about, and there are a ton of ways to tell if a teenager is depressed.

1. Do you think there's really teenage depression, or are they just moody/hormonal/overreacting? I definatley think it exists and happens... HOWEVER there are a lot of ppl who fake it for some reason or say they r depressed wen they r not
2. If a teen is depressed, is family support needed or can the teen get better by themselves/with the help of one close family member or friend(s)? Well you don't have to have anyone you know like family support to help you through it, it prob helps tho
3. Can depression be treated without the help of a psychotherapist/medicine? Like i said above depression can be treated without the help of another person, i think just as long as you find something to love or look forward to
4. How? look above

I was diagnosed with depression in sixth grade... and I find myself being personally offended when people say that all teenagers who "claim" to have depression are simply seeking attention. I get offended when people act like only adults can have that chemical imbalance, and only adults can have lives bad enough to be depressed. Especially when a bad life doesn't necessarily have to do with depression... I have a fairly good life, but I still need to battle with the illness.

Several months ago, on the last full day of school before exams, a student in our school killed himself. I would hear people talking about how he probably thought his life was worse than it really was (he had an abusive stepfather and was living in near-poverty) and how it is not possible for a teenager to be that depressed and it made me unbelievably angry. People don't kill themselves to seek attention.

As far as depression being treated without professional help or medication... it can be, but it completely depends on the person.
I can't imagine getting through some of the darkest points of my life without the friends and support system I've had... I have done so without medication, though.

All_You_Need_Is_Love:

I was diagnosed with depression in sixth grade... and I find myself being personally offended when people say that all teenagers who "claim" to have depression are simply seeking attention.

Hey, there, AYNIL.....You know, you are absolutely right, and it irks me to no end. You must chalk up their opinions to ignorance, though. That's all you can do, because people like this have never dealt with depression, and are completely clueless in what they are speaking.

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I get offended when people act like only adults can have that chemical imbalance, and only adults can have lives bad enough to be depressed. Especially when a bad life doesn't necessarily have to do with depression... I have a fairly good life, but I still need to battle with the illness.

I truly feel for you. There is always a root to depression, and it's not necessarily circumstance. IMO, biologically-based depression can be far worse than depression brought on by circumstance, because it is harder to make sense of it in your mind. Really, there is nothing that should be causing the depression, and that can be very confusing.

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Several months ago, on the last full day of school before exams, a student in our school killed himself. I would hear people talking about how he probably thought his life was worse than it really was (he had an abusive stepfather and was living in near-poverty) and how it is not possible for a teenager to be that depressed and it made me unbelievably angry. People don't kill themselves to seek attention.

You guys....ignorance spans every generation. Trust me, there are a LOT of ignorant adults in this world. You think your parents don't understand you? That's been the complaint of every teenage generation since the 1950's. The problem that I see today, though, is that it appears that many parents these days are so self-absorbed that they choose to remain in ignorance because they don't want to admit there's a problem.
Adults tend to forget what it was like to be young.

You guys, I had a pretty crappy adolescence. My mom got cancer when I was 14, and my dad was in a whole other time zone, so I pretty much raised myself while my mom was in and out of hospitals. It was lonely, for sure, and just miserable, and life SUCKED....I had no family or friends. The reason I'm bringing this up is because it reflects EXACTLY what you are talking about. No adult took any interest in me enough to even inquire as to how I was. I was a loner, and absolutely NO ONE cared, and everyone thought I was okay, because I managed to do well scholastically and stay out of trouble.
That is really the problem with most adults, you guys...they figure if you are keeping your grades up, and aren't getting into any trouble, that you're okay. It just goes to show that most adults really DON'T understand teenagers, and I'm speaking as an adult.

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As far as depression being treated without professional help or medication... it can be, but it completely depends on the person.
I can't imagine getting through some of the darkest points of my life without the friends and support system I've had... I have done so without medication, though.

It is so important to keep that support system intact, but you must also know when the need for meds arises. Beasically, if you need meds, don't fool yourself into thinking that you don't. It's important to be aware of your condition.
That's so awesome that you have friends who are there for you. Too many people have forgotten just what's important in life. A lot of people don't see the need for personal relationships, and usually, those are the first people who sink when things really start to get rough.
It's through the rough times that you REALLY know who your friends are.

lots of people think depression doesn't exist in teenagers. my friend thinks teenagers just haven't seenn enough of life. i don't think thats true. a lot of teenagers i know have had more shit in there lives than anyone could imagine. not silly shit either, like 'oh no my mum din't cook my favourite food' etc. serious stuff.

1. Do you think there's really teenage depression, or are they just moody/hormonal/overreacting?
Teenage years is one of the most challenging time of your life. It takes a whole lot of responsibility and a new challenges to face ahead. It is also the time to figure out who you really are and who you want to be. Because of all the old and new challenges that they face, these could contribute to depression. Remember not only the teenagers that get depression.
2. If a teen is depressed, is family support needed or can the teen get better by themselves/with the help of one close family member or friend(s)?
I really think that teens who have depression should seek for family or friend support, since they could find hope within them. Sometimes if we try to solve problems by ourselves we become hopeless and helpless but with the support and with the help of others we are able to see that we are not alone and there is always hope.
3. Can depression be treated without the help of a psychotherapist/medicine?
I guess depression can be treated without medication. But the main focus for mental illness is recovery since there is possible relapse of the illness. In order to recover from depression, I think it is necessary to seek the help of a medical professional ie mental health nurses, psychiatrist and or psychotherapist since they guide you on how to recover.
4. How?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - well it is also a therapy. So I guess you can't really recover from depression if you don't find help. But hey it might be possible Just don't ignore depression.

1. Do you think there's really teenage depression, or are they just moody/hormonal/overreacting? i think anybody at any age can get deprssed, i was depressed when i was like 9, it happens, it depends onwhat the persons going through and stuff so. but the hormones are no help

2. If a teen is depressed, is family support needed or can the teen get better by themselves/with the help of one close family member or friend(s)? ummm, my parents didn't do shit when i was depressed just kinda turned the other way, but my best friends help me deal and help me get through everyday though there's alot of hopeless feeling nights, but I'm still alive, right and i stopped cutting so.

3. Can depression be treated without the help of a psychotherapist/medicine?
agian i'm still over coming depression but i've never seen a therapist, now if you count overdosing as medication then yeah i've had medication in that place

1. Do you think there's really teenage depression, or are they just moody/hormonal/overreacting?
In some cases, teens are just overreacting and being hormonal. But in other cases, they really are depressed and they might not know it, and they usually don't know what to do about it. Then they start the self-harm and other such things BECAUSE they don't know what to do about it.
2. If a teen is depressed, is family support needed or can the teen get better by themselves/with the help of one close family member or friend(s)?
It all really depends on the teenager's point of view on the subject. Sometimes it's better for family to help, and other times it's better to have their close friends help them out. But also take into consideration the... Oh I forget the word.. just take into consideration HOW depressed the teenagers seems. If they are just mildly depressed then help from a friend can cure it most of the time. BUT- if they seem severely depressed, meaning they don't act like their normal selves, they stop eating, their grades drop, things like that, then family support is necessary.
3. Can depression be treated without the help of a psychotherapist/medicine?
The answer is yes. Sometimes psychotherapists and medicine makes the depression worse. Speaking from a second-hand experiance (one of my friends was sent to a therapist), sometimes the therapist just doesn't help. Sometimes they just don't listen, or they just don't understand your point and your feelings. They take your parents side on everything without hearing what you have to say. And then sometimes, it seems, that they end up turning your parents against you in a way. Now I don't mean that they sit there telling your parents that you're a bad child and your depression is pointless. I'm saying that because they just don't comprehend what you have to say, they use their own views and persuade your parents that they are correct, when in fact, they aren't.

the big diffrence between depressed & depreshon is
depressed is a feeling & depreshon is what docters subscribe you for if they think your depressed, it all evolves around itself i beleve in it actualy. exept i think they should stop subscribeing people ,they had me on these one depresshon pills & ALL THEY DID WAS MAKE MY DEPRESSHON WORSE so yah i beleve in it

faimly support realy dosnt help that much friends ,i say, are the best to go to butifitgoes to the extreems then the people inthair family they most trust might help
theripists on the other hand suck some help a little but only the ones that dont make you talk unless you have something to say type people that dont presshureize you to talk , oh i left out 1 more then thairs the kinds that gives you all kinds of tests & make you feel like a guinni pig those guyz suck, but the inkblots are cool,

I think teenge depression is a big subject, and a seriosu one as well, it really is a big problem for some.

though the term Depression is almost as widely used as the term Emo, that is often abused I see it as a problem...

but PMS is not depression...

I ahve a friend who suffer from depression and she is getting professional help. though it isn't helping her all the time.
I have managed my depression all alone and I'm still here...
it really depends on the person how they are able to cope with the emotional stress.

if you wanan 'cure' depresion on your own, poetry is a great way, don't care how badly or poorly you write it, jsut get your feelings out... if you don't want people to see it you can burn them

1. Do you think there's really teenage depression, or are they just moody/hormonal/overreacting?
yes their is such thing as teenage depression....i have it and its tough...i can be having such a great day and then all of a sudden get depressed for no apparent reason.....thats being said i think alot of people say they have it for attention, alot of people go around telling people they have depression and are sort of proud when they say it.....those people are most likely the fakers

2. If a teen is depressed, is family support needed or can the teen get better by themselves/with the help of one close family member or friend(s)?
i think anti depressants and close friends are the best way to help your depression


3. Can depression be treated without the help of a psychotherapist/medicine?
yeh i think it can....but im not sure

Teenage depression does exist, and I'm the evidence for it. I can't help it, I've been told that there is a high chance i have bipolar disorder. I searched it on the Internet and i did one those on-line diagnosis. I have all the symptoms and should go to doctors to get anti-depressants.

There is just depression among teenagers, and sometimes lead to self harming and sometimes it doesn't depends on the person. They seeks medical help or get over it themselves, depends on the person i guess.

gerardwayfan101:

i think there is teenage depression. honestly, emotions just catch up with us (adults 2) && we freak out feel weird && sad all the time. its even happened 2 me. the difference between adults && us is that adults MAY have more control of handling it.

May, but not always. My Mom had depression after I was born, and she was in her 20s.

I'm just getting over my depression(well, it wasn't really depression, it was more anxiety, or a mix....)anyways, I got really bad I weren't go to school or outside, or even sit on the steps with my Mom. It's hard to deal with, but with help, it can get better.

Heidi.:

every teenager goes trough it
its just normal

There's normal and then there's depressed. There's a difference, usually in duration and intensity. But I think saying that teenagers can't experience depression is like saying adults can't smell cat crap.

^ thats very true because my family thought that mine was normal, but i was hurting myself and my brother found out and i explained everything to him and i was able to get some help.
i think that if anything, teens are more likely to be depressed because off all the pressure of school and making new friends and fitting in, etc.
what do you guys think?