Teen Depression Rising in the United States

By: Aliyah Lemmon

Depression is a large crisis that doesn't just happen to teenagers and is global, but there has been a large rise in teen depression in the United States. Depression exceeds beyond just sadness, it feeling of stuckness that you can't seem to get your self out of. A teenager wrote anonymously saying “ It feels like I'm buried in a hole but the more I try to get out the further im getting to the top.” (This was online). There are more than 3.5 million teenagers in the U.S that have a major episode every year, it has nearly doubled. 

Some symptoms of teen depression are: Emotional changes, feeling hopeless, irritable, extreme sensitivity, guilt, easily angered, and

loss of interest. There are also behavioral changes, tiredness or restless (abnormal), social isolation, self-harm, slow body movements, and a constant ache.

Some causes of teeen depression are:

Long term self-worth issues, low self-esteem, victim to an assault, mental health conditions, learning disabilities (ADHD), high anxiety, unsupportive / home environment, as well as relationship problems (friends, boy/girlfriend) and school problems 

(low grades, overworked).

When/If you think you have teen depression or know anyone with teen depression you should know what normal and what isn't.

It's normal to feel down sometimes and it's normal to cry at times. Your also okay if you have high anxiety but you don't necessarily become troubled or feel hopeless because of it. ITs not normal to feel angry all the time or feel like your stuck in your sadness and you can't seem to escape. Its definitely not normal to feel like your lossing yourself or others around you, or to feel suicidal. When you begin to feel like that its a sign to get help. Call 1-800-273-8255.

Some risk factors that happens when one becomes overly depressed include: Alcohol abuse, Nicotine abuse, and drug abuse. If this happens Call 888- 415-0903. Suicidal thoughts can happen as well. The suicidal hotline is listed above. Self-harm is also a huge risk factor that many can't see because it can be hidden if suspected that one is self-harming, please contact the school consular and/or a peer counseling group at the school or out, if you can not do either due to circumstances please contact a trusted adult. 

Teen depression is not to be taken lightly nor should it be ignored, it causes serious problems with not just oneself but it causes pain to others such as the family and friends or in extream cases it can cause a lost life or many lost lives that can happen in a mass shooting. Please if suspected depression tell someones, a trusted adult. 

It can help and it will help an individual.