Depression

Depression

Depression

For many years, psychiatrists believed that children and adolescents did not experience symptoms of depression. However, recent studies show that five percent of adolescents in the United States endure depression at any given time. Research also shows that among the teens that have reported feelings of depression, 11 percent are male and 22 percent are female (Boyd&Bee385). Barbara Greenberg explains these statistics in her article Why Are So Many Teen Girls Depressed, as she responds to a worried mother’s question about her depressed teen daughter. Greenberg states, “As girls approach their early teen years, they begin to understand from various sources including media and peers how much their appearance is judged by others…in their teen years, there is pressure for them to not only do well socially and academically, but also to meet societal standards of what is considered both sexy and attractive.” Between the ages of 13 and 15, girls are twice as likely to report high levels of depression. However, sex differences persist through adulthood in several countries and ethnic groups, such as, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Caucasian Americans (Boyd&Bee387). Depression is very harmful to any individual. Depression can interfere with learning by slowing down the speed at which the brain processes information. Other symptoms of depression include: increased need for sleep, lost of interest and enjoyment in usual activities, inappropriate feelings of guilt, loss of energy, problems with concentration, appetite changes, and suicidal thoughts or actions (Boyd&Bee385). As many as 50 percent of teens who suffer a major depressive episode experience a reoccurrence within two years. Teens who suffer from depression are also more likely to use drugs. “Researchers have typically viewed depression as increasing the likelihood of smoking behavior. However, Elizabeth Goodman and John Capitman’s research has found the reverse:...

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