Life comes with many twists and turns. Hard lessons such as loss, death, and rejection can leave a person feeling unhappy, or even hopeless for days. Sadness is a normal emotion, and not a cause for alarm; but when that feeling permeates nearly every moment of a person's life, professional intervention may be necessary.
Who Gets Depression?
Many people believe that children and teens can't get depressed. Moodiness and sadness are accepted as a natural part of growing, and are expected to work themselves out over time. In some cases, this is an accurate assessment. In others, however, such emotions may take hold so tightly that without help the child or teen is without hope of improving.
Depression can affect one in thirty-three children, and one in eight teens, says Faye Zucker in Depression [Life Balance, 2003]. Less than two thirds of those children get the help they need to work through the disorder. Children with attention problems or learning disabilities are at an even higher risk of developing depression.
According to the book, Teen's Guides Living With Depression by Allen R. Miller Ph.D [Facts on File, Inc, 2008] there are many factors involved, both genetically and environmentally, that can increase a person's vulnerability to a depressive disorder. These risk factors include, but are not limited to:
- Chemical imbalance - a high level in the hormone, cortisol, or unusual levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, appear to have a high impact on depressive moods.
- Genetics - the risk of developing a depressive disorder increases to 27% when one parent suffers from the illness, and 50% when both parents do.
- Age - the onset is most common between the ages of 15 and 19, which is not surprising due to the social, emotional, intellectual, and physical challenges of the teen years.
- Gender - beginning in the teen years, females are twice as likely to live with depression than males. As 7% of women experience depressive mood swings as a result of p.m.s., this could be due to the fluctuation in hormonal levels during their menstrual cycle.
- Stress - especially in people with a history of trauma, such as sexual or physical abuse, the reserves to deal with even low levels of stress may not be enough to ward of a depressive episode.
- Temperament - those with a negative view of themselves and others, and those easily overwhelmed by stress are at a higher risk for depression.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Depression
Depression is not just sadness, and is not likely to go away on its own. There are varying symptoms that can help a person determine if a child or teen they know is simply sad, or if there might be more to it.
While sadness can last several hours or even days, depression can linger for two weeks or more. A person with depression might display a negative sense of self-worth, or become overly critical or sensitive towards themselves or others.
A significant increase or decrease in appetite, weight, or sleep, is a flag towards an underlying issue that needs attention. Children or teens suffering from depression might appear lethargic, or withdraw from activities which they used to enjoy.
Getting Help for Depression
The unending sadness and sense of hopelessness that is depression can have a strong impact on the quality of life for an individual. Though healing from depression is not easy, and can rarely be done alone, there is hope. A trip to the family doctor can be the beginning of a journey to healing for those living in the darkness of depression.
Jennifer Henderson - Jennifer Henderson has a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has worked in the field of family childcare for the past 12 years, and ...
