Teenage Depression

On this page:
Signs & symptoms
Causes
Drugs and alcohol
Treatment options
Print resources
Online resources

Clinical depression is a serious illness that can affect anybody at any age. Research suggests that 1 in 5 teenagers suffer from clinical depression. Having depression doesn't mean that a person is weak, or a failure, or isn't really trying - it means that they need help.

We all feel sad or blue now and then. Sadness that lasts a long time (more than two weeks) and that causes problems in your:

relationships (friends and family),
your school work (grades and/or attendance),
your partying (substance abuse/risky sexual behaviour), or
ability to control your behaviour in other ways,

.. could actually be clinical DEPRESSION.

You should talk to your doctor, your parent, a teacher or other trusted adult if you've had five or more of the symptoms listed below for more than 2 weeks or if any of these symptoms cause such a big change in you that you can't keep up your usual routine.

Personal stories
"I couldn't get out of bed. I didn't want to go to school. My parents were always on my case. My life sucked. Well, not really, but my depression made it seem that way. I just couldn't get happy no matter how hard I tried. My depression drained all of my energy; I could barely talk.
When I started seeing a counsellor it was so hard. Talking about how I was feeling was the last thing I felt like doing but eventually it started to help. That (and my medication) gave me the energy I needed to get better. "
(John, 16)

Sign and symptoms of depression in teens

You feel sad or cry a lot and it doesn't go away.
You don't enjoy a lot of the things you used to (like music, sports, being with friends, going out) and you want to be left alone most of the time.
You feel like you're no good, you've lost your confidence, you feel guilty for no reason.
Life seems meaningless or like nothing good is ever going to happen again.
You have a negative attitude a lot of the time or it seems like you have no feelings about anything at all.
It's hard to make up your mind. You forget lots of things, and it's hard to concentrate.
You get irritated often. Little things make you lose your temper, you over-react.
Your sleep pattern changes: you start sleeping a lot more or you have trouble falling asleep at night or, you wake up really early most mornings and can't get back to sleep.
Your eating pattern changes: you've lost your appetite or you eat a lot more.
You feel restless and tired most of the time.
You think about death, or feel like you're dying, or have thoughts about committing suicide.

Why do people get depressed?

There's no straightforward answer to this question. Sometimes people get seriously depressed after something like a divorce in the family, major financial problems, someone they love dying, a messed up home life, or breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Other times - like with other illnesses - depression just happens. Sometimes teenagers react to the pain of depression by getting into trouble with alcohol, drugs, or sex; trouble with school or bad grades; problems with friends or family. It's important to get treatment for depression before it leads to other trouble.

Depression, alcohol and other drugs

A lot of people (especially teenagers) who struggle with depression also have problems with alcohol and/or other drugs. In the long run, drugs or alcohol will make things worse. Sometimes the depression comes first and people try drugs as a way to escape it. Other times, the alcohol or other drug use comes first, and depression is caused by:

the drug itself, or
withdrawal from it; or
the problems that substance abuse causes.

Regardless of which came first, the important thing is that when you are dealing with depression and substance abuse, the sooner you get treatment the better. Either problem can make the other worse and lead to bigger trouble.

You need to be honest about both issues - first with yourself and then with someone who can help you get into treatment. It's the only way to really get better and stay better.

Treatment options

Most people with depression can be helped with treatment. A lot of depressed people never get the help they need because they don't know the signs of depression or they are too embarrassed or afraid to ask for help. In fact, over 3 million Canadians suffer from depression at any given time but less than half seek help. When depression isn't treated, it can get worse and last longer. The good news is that you can get treatment and feel better soon.

Most people with clinical depression can be helped with counseling, medicine, or both together. Treatment can help most depressed people start to feel better in just a few weeks.

Counselling means talking with a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings, behaviour, and relationships. You will work together to find where problems exist and learn how to make changes in the relationships, thoughts, or behaviours that contribute to your depression.

Medication is often used to treat depression that is severe or really messing up your life. Antidepressant medications are not "uppers" and they are not addictive. Sometimes, several types of medications may have to be tried before you and your doctor find the one that works best for you. Talk to your doctor about your different options.

For a list of places where you can get treatment and/or find a doctor, click here.

If you aren't sure where to begin, you can learn more about your choices and figure out which treatments might be best for you. To learn more click here.

Print resources

Conquering the Beast Within: How I Fought Depression and Won.and How You Can, Too by Cait Irwin. Three Rivers Press, 1999.
Help Me, I'm Sad: Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Childhood and Adolescent Depression by David G. Fassler and Lynne S. Dumas. New York : Viking, 1997.
It Starts Here: A Guide to Mood Disorders for Teens. Mood Disorders Association of Ontario . Toronto , 2002. (contact the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario to obtain copies of this publication.)
My Kind of Sad: What It's Like to Be Young and Depressed by Kate Scowen. Toronto : Annick Press, 2006.
Ups and Downs: How to Beat the Blues and Teen Depression by Susan Klebanoff and Ellen Luborsky. Price, Stern, Sloan, 1998.
When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens by Bev Cobain. Minneapolis : Free Spirit Publishing, 1998.
The Other Side of Blue: The Truth about Teenage Depression
by Elyse Dubo and Boja Vasic in collaboration with Linda Conn and Marshall Korenblum
An interesting video that explores the issue of depression through the experiences of four teenagers. Available in Canada from Canadian Learning Company (800) 267-2877 and in the U.S. from Fanlight Productions (800) 937-4113. May also be available through your local library.

Online resources

Youth Net (bilingual mental health resource run by youth, for youth)
http://www.youthnet.on.ca/

Kids Health (physical and mental health issues addressed)
www.kidshealth.org

Depressive Illness
http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Mental_Health_Information/Depressive_Illness/depressive_illness_infoguide.pdf

Online Depression Screening Sponsored by the National Mental Health Association
http://www.depression-screening.org

Sources