 Depression is the most common mental health disorder among teenagers and adults.
- Approximately 20% of teens experience teen depression before they reach adulthood.
- Between 10 to 15% of teenagers have some symptoms of teen depression at least one time in their lives.
- Nearly 5% of teens are suffering from significant depression at any one time
- About 8.3% of teenagers suffer depression for at least a year a time
- From 20 to 40% of teens have more than one episode within two years
- 70% have more than one episode before adulthood
- Long-term depression affects about 2% of teens
- A small percent of teens also suffer from seasonal depression, as a rule during the winter months
Teen depression can affect a teen regardless of gender, income level, social background, race of school achievements. Besides, girls suffer from depression more often than boys. Teenage boys, as a rule, don’t seek help and don’t recognize that they suffer from depression. It is so because of different social expectations for boys and girls. Girls tend to express their feelings while boys are not.
Risk Factors of Depression
- previous depression
- experience of trauma, abuse, or a long-term disease or disability
- a family history of depression
- such mental disorders as dysthymia, anxiety, addiction to drugs or alcohol, and antisocial behaviors
Teens that suffer from depression have a high risk of getting other problems
- 30% of teenagers with depression develop a substance abuse problem
- Teens that suffer from depression are likely to have a small social circle and take advantage fewer opportunities for education or careers
- Teens with depression are more likely to have problems at school and work
- Depressed teens have higher risk of sexual behaviors; this may lead to higher rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases
- Depressed teens seem to catch physical illnesses more often than other teens
- Untreated depression is one of the causes of suicide, and the third leading cause of death among teenagers. 90% of suicide victims suffer from a mental illness, and suffering from depression can increase the risk of suicide in 12 times. Less than 33% of depressed teenagers get help.
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