Teen Depression
Dr. Carol Glod
How common is depression in teens?
The prevalence of depression is higher in teens than in children. Two and
a half percent of children, six to 12 years of age, have depression, while
at least eight percent of teens have depression. Some studies suggest that
as many as 20% of teenagers have depression.
Is depression more prevalent in teenage girls
or boys?
Girls are twice as likely to have depression as boys are. In children younger
then twelve years old, depression is about equal in girls and boys. Then,
something changes in adolescents.
Why are the numbers of teens who report having suicidal
attempts so high?
In the high school surveys, we have found that more than 8% of students had
seriously considered suicide to the point of actually making an attempt. These
statistics are alarmingly high, because teens have a lot of untreated depression.
There is still a lot of stigma associated with having depression, particularly
for teenagers. For the majority who feel suicidal, there is an underlying
depression that hasn't been identified, hasn't been evaluated, and certainly
hasn't been treated.
How do the symptoms of teen depression differ from
adult depression?
Depression is a disorder, and it affects teenagers and children just as it
affects adults. We diagnose it using the same criteria that we use for adults,
but teenagers usually have some symptoms that are more prominent. Teens with
depression:
- Tend to complain of feeling irritable or grouchy, while adults are more
often sad and depressed. For example, a young woman came to my office
who was tearful. I asked her one question, and she walked out and slammed
the door. This type of irritable behavior is common among teens.
- Tend to have problems with their sleep. They stay up late, have trouble
waking up in the morning, or sleep too much.
- Don't find their usual activities enjoyable. For example, a teen gives
up soccer because; "I just didn't like it anymore." Or, a teen
may say, "I don't hang around after school with my friends because
they don't like me and I don't like them."
- May have physical problems, like stomachaches and headaches that can't
be explained.
- May feel suicidal. This is a key symptom that adolescents with depression
have. Teens don't always have it, but if they have it, they usually have
major depression.
- May have changes in appetite.
- May blame their problems on other people (e.g., "My teacher is
giving me a hard time.")
- Show declining school performance (an 'A' student in junior high, all
of a sudden is a 'B' and 'C' student).
However, teens with depression don't tend to pull away from their friends,
whereas adults tend to withdraw. If you ask most teens with depression if
they have friends, and if they are still socializing, they say yes. They may
socialize less, or their friends may push them to get out. But they usually
don't give up their friendships. If a teen is disconnected from his or her
friends, the depression is fairly severe and has been going on a long time.
If a teen ever says that they want to kill themselves, or are thinking about
death, this is a serious sign! The person needs to be evaluated immediately.
These symptoms are not part of normal adolescence. Some teens are very impulsive,
and they tend to confide in their friends, not adults. I had a young girl
tell me that she and one of her friends had both been feeling suicidal, and
they thought that they might do something together. They had never told anyone
before.
