Adolescent Depression And Suicide
...is an illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts. Depression affects the way a person eats and sleeps, feels about themselves, and the way they think of the things around them. It comes as no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Teen suicide has more than tripled since the 1960's (Santrock, 2003). Despite this alarming increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is largely under-diagnosed and can lead to serious difficulties in school, work, and personal adjustment, which may continue into adulthood.
How prevalent are mood disorders and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996), has thought the reason why depression is often overlooked in adolescents is that it is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. Adolescence is often a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996), observed that the "challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected developmental storm." (p. 52)
An adolescent's first line of defense is his or hers parents. Peers can be an essential part of detecting changes and differences in youth. Most of a teens waking hours are spent at school or with friends. It is up to those individuals who interact with the adolescent on a daily basis (parents, teachers, peers) to be sensitive to the changes in the adolescent. Unlike adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage in risky behaviors (Oster, 1996). The most common form of...
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