Teenage Depression

I think there are teenagers out there who are definitely depressed. Kids are dealing with lots of different things these days, but I also feel like a lot of it is not as serious as people make it out to be. I am not meaning to offend anyone here, but I feel like there are some teenagers out there who get "depressed" about insignificant things. They just blow the smallest things out of proportion: fighting with your mom about how she doesn't like your clothes, difficulty in a class at school, etc. Things like that can cause stress, but I don't see how tings like that cause DEPRESSION. Life is always going to be hard, I just don't see the point in complaining about it and making life more sad than it really needs to be. People are so quick to look on the bad side of everything...I think people overstress themselves and mistake it for something more serious, if that makes any sense...

you said talk to the family about it but what if the family is causing it what next

i think teenage depression is a serious thing and that it is not just hormones. Speeking from a personal level, i have not suffered major depression but i have self-harmed and felt suicidal...i didn't really get much help from my family and now i have sorted this out by myslef with some help form friends...i do sometimes have to see the school shrink if i feel these emotions but other than than that i am good.
I didn't have any medicane but my mum had anti-depressants and all they seemed to do was make her sit on her ass all day and not be able to move so i'm not too sure about medicanes to help out.

I dont necessarily think there is a teenage depression. I once thought i was suffering from severe depression. I saw a counsouler every week and i was on anti-psychotics and anti-depressants. I took them for a while and i felt the same. Then I stopped taking them and realized i just had to take life one day at a time and i felt better. I just believe teeneage depression is all the stress from their daily lives and they dont know how to handle it. I mean, we're expected to be able to go into the real world, knowing what its like. We will never know the real world until we get there. Society is basically raising a generation of workaholics. We've got numerous tests, such as the ACT or the MEAP. I know those are all for preparation. But dont the 13 years [including kindergarden] of sitting in an overheated classroom count as preparation?

1. Do you think there's really teenage depression, or are they just moody/hormonal/overreacting?

I think that there's teen depression because if children and adults get depression (especially adults) then why not teens?

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)?

Family support is definitely needed becue some teenagers get depressed by itheir parents ignoring them or their parents abusing them or similiar.

3. Can depression be treated without the help of a psychotherapist/medicine?

A psychotherapit might be able to help but it really depends on the situation.

4. How? I don't really know, but I know that there's a special pill that can be used to help with depression.

I've never actually met anyone who has had depression and I haven't had it myself so you shouldn't expect a top grade answer from me. Hehe.

as a person that personally has had depression i know
how not fun it truly is it really isnt worth getting so upset
about somthing that it causes you mental and physical
damage cause it so is not worth it.

ok i suffer from teenage depression and i know wat its like to try to put a gun to ur head i have to go 2 class now but u can get help all im sayin

Okay.. one effect of teenage depression is having self-destructive disorder... I had it once.. I hurt myself before.. i thought I find it comforting.. I'd rather accept physical pain that other sorts of pain.I thought I could ran away from everything I hate in this way.. I was wrong..

i believe that no medication can help you easily if the teenager himself/herself is not willing to cure the disorder... They must realize that they must learn how to face reality no matter how it sucked... This is true. I thought of it before myself.. But I realize.. It's not worth it to be depressed..

Believe me.. you don't wanna die being depressed.. Not knowing there are so many things to see... That's why i'm glad I'm alive and never committed the same mistakes..

Depression doesn't make change to your parents decision.. You can't persuade them to let you do things on your own if you just rot in your room being depressed.. You must act... Believe me.. a little act of diplomacy and wits would make them realize that you are ready...

Teenage depression is caused from lack of understanding from both sides of the situation...

mmmmmmmmk this is WEIRD im depressed

Wild Eyed Joker:

I don't really believe in depression. Before you light your torches and grab your pitchforks, think about this; in the middle ages, there may have been people who were more moody/emotional people than others, but this was never distinguished as a health issue. I don't think depression exists, and in my opinion I think people in modern times are far to over subscribed for many "mental health issues".

This may sound cold hearted, but did anyone have ADD in the 60's, 70's or 80's?
It's the same aesthetic. Yes, a certain person may be more sensitive or have terrible, mind consuming mood swings, but that is different from what depression was originally defined as. It used to be defined as a feeling of emptiness, empty of any emotion, including unhappiness. Now it has become, basically, the term used for more than average amounts of unhappiness.

So why do we now have children on prozac? Maybe because of the over subscription the mind has been weakened and lessened its defense against illnesses such as depression (in the same way if my parents took cough medicine every day of their lives, it would mean my genetics would give me a weak defense system against coughs as it would be used to the given help of medicine).

~ I'm sorry for not really answering the questions, but mainly my views are on depression in general rather than specifically teenage depression~

I do somewhat agree with this; however, did kids in the 60's, 70's, 80's have all the things to deal with then that they do now? You had so much less child abuse, so many more married parents so much more of moms staying at home. In this day and age, kids are being encouraged to come out about their feelings and such, whereas kids in eth 90's were made fun of for such things. Gay kids still got beat up (I'm not saying they don't now) 'nerds, dorks, geeks' etc were made fun of and beat up, and so on. In an age where America is passing other countries in child diabetes and obiesity, I think teenage depression is definitly real and it sucks that some kids just use it as an excuse. (Cause I believe some of them do) Something else, however, is that just as many adults are being told they have depression as kids are. And while Drucilla is right, most often you do need a brain scan to check for chemical imbalances, that's not always true. It just depends on what type of imbalance and how bad. WIth depression is not likely that you woudl be able to tell with out one (in most cases)

As to weather or not family support is a big deal: YES. Even if the teen in question does not get along with thier parents nothing could be more encouraging than someone you always fought with to suddenly be on your side.

Treatment: is up to the teen. Even with medication and or terapy, if they don't want to get better, it'[s not going to do anything for them.

And depression doesn't just go away. Even if you have a therapist or take medicine, things happen in life that could bring it right back. The biggest thing is never lying if you're really not okay. (lol) You are never that ugly, nevwer that fat, never that stupid, etc. SOMEONE would disagree with you. Sorry this got all lengthy on you guys. ^^

<3 I"m always availible if you need me. <3

XMusicDudetteX:

I happen to think that Depression can be treated without the therapists and the medication. All a person needs to do is talk about their problems and to feel like they are not alone. We all feel depressed for a while at least once in our life. It is just normal.
And plus, especially with the children, it could be all the hormones and stuff making them like that if there are not any explanations to their sadness.
I do think that most of the time, Depression can be treated without the help of medication.

We all feel depressed sometimes, yes, but that's not the issue that's being discussed.

Real depression, caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain or emotional trauma (i.e PTSD) is a very serious problem. I've been diagnosed with clinical depression. I no longer take the medication, because it only made the depression worse, but I do still talk to a therapist. This kind of depression should not be ignored, and does need to be treated either with medications or a trained professional.

As for the "depression" most people think will earn them the attention of their peers, it's easy to tell the difference, and those people I find excessively irritating. Find another way to get the attention, please...

XMusicDudetteX:

I happen to think that Depression can be treated without the therapists and the medication. All a person needs to do is talk about their problems and to feel like they are not alone. We all feel depressed for a while at least once in our life. It is just normal.
And plus, especially with the children, it could be all the hormones and stuff making them like that if there are not any explanations to their sadness.
I do think that most of the time, Depression can be treated without the help of medication.

In case you didn't notice or otherwise refer to my previous post, there is a difference between 'depressed' and 'depression'. Yes, we all feel 'depressed' at times, it's a human emotion the same as happiness, sadness, anger, etc. 'Depression' is a mental illness that can have serious impacts on not only the sufferer, but their family, friends and those around them. 'Depression' does not come and go, it cannot be treated without the aid of counselling, medication, and sometimes hospitalisation. Puberty and the hormones associated with it can be a factor in the onset of depression in teenagers, but it's not always the case, and there isn't always a reason for depression to rear its ugly head in teens or adults. Sometimes it's a graudal downhill slide that isn't noticed until the sufferer hits rock bottom, and then it's a ticking time bomb - they need to get help immediately.
In some cases, depression can be treated with a very mild anti-depressant medication and a lot of counselling or therapy. Other times, it takes enough pills to zonk out a horse and the therapy alongside to get some headway. Some cases of depression 'cure' themselves when issues in the person's life are 'fixed' - after a course of medication and intense therapy, with the support of a strong family and friend network, some things like self-esteem or a traumatic experience can be worked around and the sufferer no longer needs medication and counselling. The depression is always there, but it can be controlled by learning certain skills. In other cases, the sufferer has to continue seeking professional therapy and taking medication until the day they die.

xXDrop.The.DaggerXx:

I've been diagnosed with clinical depression. I no longer take the medication, because it only made the depression worse, but I do still talk to a therapist.

You could have been prescribed a medication that didn't agree with your particular chemistry. When I was diagnosed, my doctor tried me on three or four different brands/strengths/chemicals to see what helped me. Every person's brain is different, and some people may have a really bad reaction to a kind of medication that other people have had a great reaction to. The first two kinds of meds I was prescribed made me nauseous and one gave me horrific nightmares, the other had me going from way-way up to sitting in the bathtub with a hairdryer - it took a little experimentation and supervision to see how I reacted to each different pill, and finally my doctor and I found one that worked for me. If you feel like therapy isn't quite cutting it for you, go back to your doctor and request that s/he try you on a different brand, or even just more or less of the same one - sometimes it's all in the dosage, but whatever the case, medication is meant to help, not make you feel worse, so your doctor should have tried another kind before giving up.

I agree with Cigarettes on the difference between "depressed" and "depression". The problem is that no one seems to realize this, or at least very few pay attention. Before I was diagnosed my mom often attributed it to "typical teen angst", and brushed it off. She claims she still feels bad about it, even though I keep telling her it's okay.

Cigarettes and Suicide- I actually had the nightmares reaction to Zoloft, and a second medication, I think it was either Wellbutrin or Cymbalta, reacted rather violently with my birth control. After that I discussed it with my doctor and decided that I didn't want to try anything else unless it was absolutely necessary. Counseling, however annoying (^^) is doing wonders, although occasionally I still hit low points, but I haven't felt the need to go back onto medication yet. Thanks for the tip though.

^You'd be surprised how many negative things I've heard about Zoloft... it amazes me that it's still so common when so many people seem to have had bad reactions to it. I'm glad to hear that counselling is working for you for the most part, and I find your experience of meds clashing with birth control interesting, it's something I've never heard of. I sucked at taking the Pill so I used Implanon before my husband and I started trying for a baby, so different contraception methods could be something to look into if you felt it was necessary at some point to try medication again.
I better quit spamming the thread, but yeah, a couple of interesting points you've raised there, good luck with your illness and I hope counselling continues to be the best aid for you.

like a mention on the suicide and self harm thread....
a friend is all it takes for recovery. a person who will be there to listen to them.
medicines and stuff r stupid and temperary. i think just having at least one person care about u and be there for u is all it takes.
yes teens do get depresses. im young and have allready expirienced it.
i have a wonderful friend, shaelin and wether she knos it or not she has dug me out of the hole several times.
just the returning love of another.
nuff said.

^ A lot of people with depression have plenty of people who care about them. Family, friends, etc. And none of that helps them when they're at their lowest point.
When I was in the midst of my illness, I had a mother and father who were deeply concerned and doing everything they could to help me. I had a boyfriend who did and said all the right things. I had friends who were always checking up on me and asking if there was anything they could do to 'cheer me up.
I still ended up hospitalised several times for suicide attempts. When you're suffering depression, not just feeling depressed, you honestly don't care about the love your friends and family have for you. You even think that they'd be far better off without you, and that you'd be doing them a favour by killing yourself or by somehow disappearing forever.

Having a support network helps, but it doesn't by any means cure the disease, or help you manage it. I know of plenty of people who are married, have children and lots of friends, and they still commit suicide because of their depression.

I was depressed once and I was the lowest of the low, I wanted to get back on my feet, i went to the doctor and he was no help at all.
I really think that people shouldn't say that there is no such thing as teenage Depressiona and that it is just hormones!
Then is post-natal depression just hormones?
I had no one, but I pulled through, it was only mild but it hurt so much, I wanted to die.
I think there should be more help, and teachers should be better, 'cause mine weren't!

^ Well, there is actually a theory that post-partum depression is all to do with the hormones... if you think about it, you're full of all these crazy hormones for nine months, and then within a week after the baby is born, they all dry up, and your body goes haywire because it's gotten used to having all those extra and different hormones.
But, like teen depression, I feel there's a lot more to it - doctors and researchers are always just looking for a simple solution to problems.