Teen Depression And Suicide

There are boys and girls among us who walk around wearing masks of happiness. They plaster smiles on their faces and go about their lives as seemingly normal, outgoing teens. Have you ever considered the possibility that these same people could be empty inside, crying when no one is looking, and drowning in hopelessness? Of course, sadness is a normal part of life, but imagine feeling this pain every day and feeling seemingly helpless to stop it. This deadly illness is called depression, and, if left untreated, it can lead to actions such as self-harm and suicide. Thousands of teens commit suicide every year. Many of those suicides could have been prevented. Teens suffering from depression also have a tendency to inflict self-harm on themselves, …show more content…
Depression, however, is not just a phase in life. According to the article “Depression” written by the Mayo Clinic, a worldwide nonprofit medical research and educational center, depression is an illness of the brain caused by genetics, an imbalance of hormones or biochemicals, a specific situation (death, a move, bullying, etc.), or the change of seasons. Teens are not the only people susceptible to depression. Every human being of any age or gender is prone to depression. The problem is that teenagers have raging hormones, and these hormones are usually solely blamed for depressive or aggressive behavior. In regards to the causes of depression, many people may not know that depression is highly hereditary. According to Douglas Levinson and Walter Nichols, a professor in psychiatry and behavioral science at the Stanford University Medical Center and a professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, respectively, fifty-percent of teenagers with a parent with depression will also suffer from the same illness (1). A parent who has a history of depression should pay extra attention to the symptoms of depression in their child as they approach adolescence. Unlike many mental disorders, depression is not an untreatable illness. A study from the NIMH found that eighty to ninety percent of adolescents who sought out treatment for depression were successfully treating through therapy …show more content…
But what if you added another factor that was strong enough to drown your mind in endless emptiness? According to a study initiated by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a federal agency created to research mental disorders, about ten percent of teens ages twelve to seventeen suffer from depression. As a result of depression, these teens may have impaired memory and focus and increased sensitivity to criticism, which could all lead to worsening grades. If the teen is sensitive to criticism, they may feel the need to physically fight back and potentially get them suspended or expelled. The effects of these problems can stand in the way of getting a good education and landing a good career in the future. People believe teens’ bad grades are due to a lack of effort or intelligence when in reality, they are suffering from