Depression In America

Imagine a life full of constant sad, anxious, and empty feelings, accompanied by the fact that you are only a teenager. Think of how it would feel waking up every morning to the bitter smell of coffee that only serves as a reminder that one more long and dreary day has begun (Ainsworth). These are not mere feelings or the hormonal mood swings that come with adolescence, but these are symptoms of a mental disorder. Mental disorders, also known as mental illnesses, are conditions that can drastically affect one’s behavior and thinking. Depression is one of the most known mental disorders, “...that affects many but is understood by few” (Ainsworth). In the United States, a very large percentage of the people affected by this specific mental disorder …show more content…
Depression can be defined as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest ("Depression”). Persistent sadness and loss of interest are not the only accompanying symptoms of depression. There is so much more that comes along with this disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people who experience depression usually see the common symptoms of: hopelessness or pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness, irritability, restlessness, loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, fatigue and decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions, insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping, overeating, or appetite loss, thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts, aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment. ("Depression")
All of these symptoms usually have common causes, or triggers. External stressors and significant life changes, such as chronic medical problems, …show more content…
Depression is not just an everyday emotion that can characterize how someone feels in moment. It is a real disease that comes from multiple things, has many symptoms and possesses negative effects, both physically and mentally. The different types of depression all take tolls of teenagers in different ways, yet they can all relate to one another in some way about how they feel. Programs at school or in towns should be set up to help teens get through these hards times in their lives so that they can live on to be successful and one day help someone else get through what they went though. Society should make it known that depression is very common amongst teenagers and that it is okay to have depression because everyone gets down once in their lifetime and asking for help is okay. Being depressed as a teen should not be looked at as a negative thing and teenagers should know that judging someone for being depressed is not okay in any way, shape or form. How many more statistics have to be made before the American society realizes that depression is not just a mood, it is something that needs to be addressed and can be fixed if willing to put in the