Youth depression — causes and treatment

The statistics are alarming when it comes to teen issues with mental disorders. What is more alarming is the amount of teens that are not ready to talk or open up about it. We have come to a generation of talkative and cool youth but yet somehow when it comes to emotions, it is nothing more than emoticons on social media sites.

Image source

Mental health of teen is what decides the future path for the teen. It’s high time we stop accepting it as just a phenomenon and actually talk out our youth out if it. One in every 8 teenager and young adult between the age group of 18-24 has prevalence of mental health disorder which leads to not only choosing of wrong career paths but also leads to teens being directed to the path of drugs and suicide.

Depression is a state of mental health among young teens where they start to withdraw themselves from social world and feel sad and unhappy for most of the time. The youngsters suffering from depression have negative thoughts as much as that any happy moments or feelings are outweighed by these negative sad feelings.

Major causes of Depression:

Depression is a heart and brain stitched with an event that has changed the outlook and perspective of a teenager. It can be from one of the following:

Loneliness : One of the major reasons a young teen is submerged in the arms of devil depression is feeling lonely. We have come to an age of virtual friends and casual relationships which makes the world feel small but a teenager with nowhere to go this becomes the one and only cause of undergoing depression.

Family Issues : Studies have shown that family going through breakups and fights such as separation or divorce of parents, favouring of one sibling then tendencies are that the young teen in the family is inclined towards being alone and suffer from depression.

Physical Health Issue : If the teenagers does not find their-selves presentable or have low self-esteem and body image issues, chances are they will avoid social gathering and accept loneliness as their friend.

Bullying and Discrimination : Depression is not a favoured choice, but a forced one. If someone is under depression then not him/her but the surroundings are cause of it. Bullying at school or college, discrimination and favouring by teachers, professor and parents are all one of the serious reasons behind it.

Loss and Grief : Teenagers who have lost someone very close to them and does not open up about it are letting themselves be eaten by depression. Loss of loved one and grief stricken afterwards needs to be heard by someone and it’s necessary to fill the gap.

Fight the evil together :

Let’s face it, depression is not something that has caused on its own neither the person suffering from depression will overcome it without the help of loved ones. Depression is caused due to lack of love and attention, so make sure you are there for your children or friend if you find them developing any of the following signs or symptoms:

1. Person suffering from depression will make excuses and withdraw themselves from social gatherings.
2. They start to fail in performing well in the things they used to excel at.
3. Person under depression will do anything so that he/she won’t catch your attention like avoiding things which will make you praise him/her.
4. They will engage in risk-taking behaviors which include drugs, alcohol and sexual involvements.

Above discussed are just few of the many signs of a person who is drowning in depression. There are many treatments available for cure of depression. If you find your closed one into depression and not able to talk them out of it then consider it your duty and take them to a health professional.

There are a range of health professionals available to help teenagers fight depression. They will examine the condition of the victim and fairly decide and suggest on exercises to be undertaken to help cure the evil.

Different kinds of therapy available with the professional health doctors are:

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy : In this kind of therapy, a person’s way of thinking (cognition) and acting (behaviour) is studied and are moulded and transformed in the path of rational thinking. It helps negate the bad and lonely thoughts and throws light on positivity and realistic approach towards common difficulties.
2. Support Groups and Online Forums: These small communities are easily available and reached out to. The people talk about their problems and get advices and suggestions from someone who has already suffered from it.
3. E-therapies: Yes, technology can help you ease depression too. These online therapies are made in a way that a person suffering from depression has to undertake an interesting program and by the end of the program it is fairly tried to get the person feel positive about him/ her.

No person is bound to suffer neither they choose it. Help your loved ones. It’s a collective approach to help and cure depression, remember it was caused in the first place by being alone!