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Ruth Wellman

Professor Loudermilk

ENG 1201

14 March 2019

The Battle of Teen Depression

Did you know that a vast majority of teens nowadays are suffering with great amounts of

depression and anxiety? Why is this such a problem for young teens? I faced a rough patch in my

life silently my sophomore year of high school. It is crazy how many of your closest friends have

no idea that you are struggling with depression on the inside. From the outside there was no

reason for me to feel that way, however I just felt so down all the time. The brain works in weird

ways, and there is always a way for someone to be healed from mental health problems. Young

teens tend to go through rough patches of their life while transitioning from middle school to

high school. There are a lot of life changes happening, and they really do not know how to deal

with their mental emotions. Did you know that your brain never fully matures til you are in your

20’s? Young kids are having a hard time dealing with emotions that they didn’t even know

existed. A lot of questions swirl around as to why this begins in younger adults/teens. Is it just a

“phase” that we all go through, or are the chemicals in the brain really messed up? There should

be a ban on letting teens be treated with medication for depression, because it causes teens to

become more depressed, results in more chemical imbalance in the brain, and there are many

other alternatives for treating mental help problems.

Depression has been known to cause lasting effects on a wide range of people. It does not

discriminate, and it tends to typically starts in your teen years. Teens that deal with depression

are facing a serious mental health problem. Depression is not viewed as being that “serious” in
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younger kids, since it is seen as a phase. It should be taken more seriously, so that people can

receive the correct treatment. It affects a person both physically and mentally as well.

Depression normally happens in the teen years when their bodies are going through a lot of

changes. This tends to start happening when they battle with body positivity, school stress and

home life. A lot of the time they do not know who to turn to, and they end up suffering in

silence. Depression is not a weakness, and it requires help from others. Nowadays there many

forms of medicine being used to treat the symptoms of depression. Sometimes it works for some

people, but many times it just causes the symptoms to become worse. A lot of times, being

treated naturally or having psychological counseling can have outstanding benefits. This tends to

be a better remedy than using harmful pills to suppress the symptoms in a teenager’s body. Not

only does the medicine damage the child’s body, but it also can lead to substance abuse down the

line. There are actually a lot of known reasons for people having depression. The Mayo Clinic’s

home page states, “Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals

to other parts of your brain and body. When these chemicals are abnormal or impaired, the

function of nerve receptors and nerve systems changes, leading to depression. Early childhood

trauma. Traumatic events during childhood, such as physical or emotional abuse, or loss of a

parent, may cause changes in the brain that make a person more susceptible to depression”

(Mayo Clinic). Many times a teen goes into depression when the neurotransmitters in their brains

are not working correctly. Trauma is another major way that makes a teen to go into a state of

darkness. Whether it is a loss of a family member or just something that scarred them from when

they were younger. Depression is a complex disease, and it needs to be treated in young teens

who cannot find help.

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What a lot of drug companies do not emphasize to teens is the negative side effects of

strong medications. This can lead to a lot of internal damage, since these teens will be on these

prescriptions for years and years. Sometimes they will stay on them up until they are in their 30’s

and 40’s. This leads to kidney and liver damage as well as hormone imbalance. The Mayo Clinic

discussed some of the main medications that are being used for treating depression. One of the

main things that the organization highlighted was that many antidepressants are safe for the most

part. All of them have to show a warning according to the FDA. (Mayo Clinic). One of the main

problems with taking medications internally is that they can result in suicidal thoughts. If a teen

is already struggling to swim through their cloudy mind, how can they combat more dark

thoughts? Many companies warn people who are taking antidepressants to be aware of changes

in behavior. Some possible side effects include, suicidal thoughts, mood swings, being sad, loss

of energy and increased thoughts of taking one’s life. People under the age of 25 are going to run

more risks for suicidal thoughts. This is because they are taking antidepressants and this tends to

affect them in the beginning. (Mayo Clinic)When a child takes medication it does combat the

mixed up hormone levels, but it does end up affecting the body in some type of way. Whether

this causes a teens to become more depressed, or their bodies taking the after math of the

medication. Medication might not be the best answer to treating depression, since the side effects

can lead to many problems down the road for that teen. These issues will go with a teenager into

adulthood, and will run a risk for teens to develop thoughts of suicide. This can cause them to

look at treating their pain in unhealthy ways.

Depression causes many different issues for teens. According to Stanford’s Children’s

Health’s website, “People with depression often see the world in a negative light. They can be

overly critical of themselves, and feel worthless and unloved. They may feel overwhelmed by
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small problems the rest of us take in stride. They feel like giving up. They pull away from people

and drop out of activities, but this isolates them and makes them feel worse” (Stanford). It is

common for teens to feel all these emotions in waves. It tends to feel like a weight on their

shoulders, and it is hard for them to function. Some symptoms of depression include, a lack of

energy, anxiety, negative views on the world and feeling sad. This graphic shows the different

levels of severity for depression in people from 3-17.

Fig. 1 shows the different effects of Depression, Anxiety, and behavioral issues for young

children and teens. This chart show the different ages each appears and how severe it is. (“Data

and Statistics on Children's Mental Health”) As age increases, the chances for a child to develop

depression and other forms of disorders increases greatly. Diagnoses of depression and anxiety

are more common with increased age (CDC). From the outside a teen’s life may appear

wonderful. However, even people with the best lives suffer the most inside with feeling alone.

Some people show their emotions better than other people. It is important that society is aware of

what to look for when teens are struggling with depression. This is important so that they do not

do anything to harm themselves. It is clear that teens need help from an early age. They need to

know that they are allowed to open up to parents and friends.

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Teenagers deal with a lot of changes in their early years, and this causes some chemical

imbalance in their brains. During school years a lot of kids go through phases and deal with

insecurities. This is especially hard for teens when they are going through puberty. So many

body changes and trying to figure out who they are makes it hard for them to have clear

thoughts. A lot of time the pressure of school and bullying throws teenagers into a depressed

state. When teens go through puberty, parts of the brain are still maturing. One of the important

areas that is still not developed is the area that controls emotions. Teens do not have all the right

things to deal with these emotions while through this phase. (Opposing Viewpoints). Teens a lot

of time are unaware that their brains are not done developing and change a lot during puberty. It

is an issue, because it is not really addressed to young people when they are growing up. Puberty

is the main point in which teens are going to notice mental changes. The hormones being

introduced into a young female or male’s body, really sends them into a whirl.

Progesterone/estrogen and testosterone cause young adults to start acting very different. A teen

going through body changes can deal with a lot of bullying. Teenagers are not capable of

managing high amounts of stress and feelings of sadness. This is important to understand in the

terms of medication. There is already a chemical imbalance happening in the brain. Drugs and

medication are just going to cause more chaos in the brain. All the hormones being mixed in with

new chemicals in the medicine, leads to confusion and chaos in a teen’s body. When the problem

lies deep within the brain, it is hard for any type of medication to magically treat the feelings of

great sadness.

Once a teenager gets hooked on using medication for their depression, they will continue

to use them even when they reach adulthood. It is hard for people to get off of medication when

their mental health is at such a good state. They are afraid of a spiral downhill if they cut out all
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forms of medication. However, years of using these drugs make the brain and body dependent on

the chemicals in them. People with strong symptoms of depression are more likely get hooked on

nicotine when they are young. (McKenzie). This is another view point on the abuse of

medicating the feelings of depression. This can lead to something worse like alcohol or drug

abuse later in life. It is very common for people to lean towards those things even though they

are depressants. Alcohol and drugs make it easier for young adults to mask the way they are

feeling. When they are unable to feel anything including pain, they lean on these things to help

them manage with life. Which ultimately just makes the symptoms worse over time, and leads to

more destructive behavior. Not every teen that uses medication to help with depression will end

up abusing it later in adolescence, but in a lot of cases they do. There are also a lot of depressed

teens who don’t medicate that use alcohol to mask their feelings. Overall, the use of medication

in younger years, can lead to negative outcomes. Natural remedies such as therapy can help a

child instead of putting them on a drug that runs the risk of having negative lasting effects.

There are many alternatives for treating depression in teens and adults. A lot of times

depression is treated with medication, but there is also psychotherapy that is used to treat it.

There are also many types of natural remedies to help reduce it. Anxiety is another problem that

many teens face and the use of essential oils can help calm that person down. Music is another

natural way to help relax someone who is having a panic attack, or feelings of sadness. The most

common alternative form of “medication” is psychotherapy. A lot of people refer to this as talk

therapy, or simply going and talking to a therapist. During these meetings the therapist tries to

help the teen open up about what they are dealing with. This already is a safer method than

medication, since no drugs are being put into the child’s system. A therapist allows the person to

be able to talk about their emotions, thoughts and behaviors. This will help the teen later in life
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with being able to open up to others. It also helps them work on their communication skills. This

is also helpful for teens when they do not have a good support system. If they are unable to open

up to others, they are going to have a hard time managing their emotions. If the teen is willing,

they can also attend a group that discusses shared mental problems. This is helpful for the teen to

know that they are not alone. What else can someone do to help manage their depression?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, some other forms of treatment for

depression include, “Stay active and exercise, even if it’s just going for a walk, spend time with

friends and family” (NIMH). These forms of treatment help keep the mind at ease and focusing

on something happy. A lot of times teens will isolate themselves from the world, but it is

important to encourage them to spend some time with loved ones. If the support system is not

there for a young adult, they often times will look up to their therapist. The support group is a

healthy way for the child to get connected, and meet friends with similar issues in life. These

forms of “therapy” are a lot safer for teens, and they do not pose the same risks that medication

does.

Another important thing to keep in mind about depression in general, is that a lot of kids

who have depression inherit it from their parents. What does that mean exactly? A lot of children

will end up getting anxiety because of their parents. Also a child whose parent had depression

are also likely to get it (USA Today). This is very important for children to know early on, so

they know that they can open with their parents about how they are feeling. Studies show that

around 1 in 5 teens experience depression before the age of 18. This number has increased over

the past few years for a number of reasons. Just because a teen’s parent struggled with

depression when they were younger, this does not mean that they are going to “inherit” it. There

is a greater chance according to studies though. This is very important to learn early on in order
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to get the proper treatment and therapy needed. It is also a good idea for these kids to talk with

their parents about mental health. Once they know that their parent dealt with the same feelings,

they are going to feel better about opening up. This will overall help the teen to feel better and

not be so upset all the time.

Although, medication is seen as being bad for teens, there are many benefits for having it

as a treatment. Sometimes just simply talking about what as teen is struggling with, is not

enough. There are deeper issues within the child that needs to be fixed with tackling the messed

up hormones. Or perhaps the teen is too emotionally drained to talk to friends about their issues.

One article written by NIMH discusses antidepressants and goes on to state, “For most teens, the

benefits of taking an antidepressant likely outweigh any risks. Keep in mind that antidepressants

are more likely to reduce suicide risk in the long run by improving mood” (NIMH). Medication

has some benefits, even though there is a big risk still by taking it. Sometimes it will work for

people, and other times it will only cause the symptoms to get worse. The neurotransmitters in

the brain and the hormones in a child’s body are still changing. This can be a good thing to target

at a young age, since the medicine can tackle the increased hormones at their peak. Some people

stay on medication from a young age all the way into adulthood. Whether or not this will lead to

complications later on in life is up to the person. Low dosages of medicine can be useful for a

teen, since it is able to change the chemicals in the brain. Like always, medicine is not 100% safe

and will lead to other issues over time. When one part of the body is getting better, another part

is taking the wrath of the chemicals. Everyday use of these meds can be a bad thing. When a

child is on a handful of pills at the age of 13 there is a need to be concerned. Medicine will allow

for a person to feel normal without having episodes of extreme sadness. Even though, medication

can be beneficial there are still so many more options that are way safer to use. Like stated
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above, the use of therapy is a safer treatment and so are natural remedies. Depending on the

severity, the child will be able to choose the most desirable option.

Although, computer based therapy comes across not being helpful, there actually are

some benefits from it. Clients normally are seen face to face for appointments. It is easier for the

therapist to see how the person is really feeling when they are physically present. It is hard for

the client to open up a lot when there is not someone in the room with them. According to M. J

Cunningham the article states, “More ‘‘creative and innovative’’ approaches to treatment are

worth exploring, and one promising format is computer-based treatment. Advantages include

cost effectiveness (reduced therapist time), time and travel convenience, engaging content,

potential to reach those reluctant to make face-to-face contact, and broader service

dissemination, particularly to rural participants. Disadvantages include extensive time and

resources needed to develop such programs, difficulty monitoring program use, potential

technical problems, and lack of” (Cunningham). This alternative is better than medication but,

there still needs to be face to face contact in therapy. This can also be very beneficial for a teen

who is too scared to ask their parents for help. They can simply go online and talk to a

professional. They do not have to leave their home, and they are able to feel confident talking

over a computer. It can be hard to overcome anxiety problems when talking to someone over the

phone, but this is a safe step for a child who is scared. Once the client makes that leap to meet in

person, they are going to not feel so anxious. This alternative can be helpful for clients who are

unable to leave home. However, there is still a need for face to face meetings with a therapist.

This alternative is good for some teens, but there is still some issues that it presents.

In conclusion, there should be a ban on letting teens be treated with medication for

depression. This lead to teens being more depressed as well as the chemicals in their brains get
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messed up, and there are other ways to help a teen who is suffering from depression. Someone

who is diagnosed with depression is known to isolate themselves away from other people.

Depression can hit at any time in life, but is likely to start when someone is a teen. The brain is

still changing when a teen is going through puberty and therefore it makes it hard to treat it. A lot

of people tend to use medication when they are suffering with a mental illness. There are

multiple other treatments to use instead. Going to a therapist has proven to increase mental health

statistics, and it helps teens be able to openly express how they feel. This will help them with

social skills and being able to talk to their friends or family when they are struggling mentally. A

human’s brain does not fully grow all the way until they are nearly 20 years old. When a child

has to go from age 7-17 dealing with depression, it can be difficult. There is an urge to use

medication to try to treat the child’s symptoms. A lot of teens deal with depression because their

parents once had it. This is not true for every child, but there have been many studies done trying

to learn more information on it. It is helpful for teens to receive online therapy as well. This tool

is used for people who are unable to see a therapist in person. Sometimes it is hard for someone

battling with depression to even get out of bed. If they are able to talk to a therapist online, this is

going to help them a lot. Overall, depression is linked with severe sadness, thoughts of suicide

and withdrawal from others. Even though a lot of people promote the use of medication, there

are better ways to treat the symptoms. Teens are struggling every day and need some help from

someone other than listening to their minds. Once this happens, they are going to improve

dramatically.
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Works Cited

Cunningham, M.J. “The Cool Teens CD-ROM for Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents.” Sinclair

College Off-Campus Authentication Form, 2008, https://web-b-ebscohost

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=7ae9450e-ccb5-431c-

a5f3 f5b1561a8620%40sessionmgr103

“Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

7 March 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html. Accessed 9 April

2019.

McGill, Natalie. “Teen Depression: It's More than a Passing Mood” The Nations Health Vol. 46,

Issue 9. Nov-Dec 2016. https://web-b-ebscohost

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=1afde416-72b7-4271-

b3a9-a9be36ac8796%40pdc-v-sessmgr01

McKenzie, Maria. “Association of Adolescent Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety with Daily

Smoking and Nicotine Dependence in Young Adulthood” Addiction Vol. 105 Issue 9.

September 2010. 3. March 2019 https://web-a-ebscohost

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Stanford Medicine. “Default - Stanford Children's Health.” Stanford Children's Health – Lucile

Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, 2019,

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www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=understanding-teenage-depression-1-

2220.

Szabo, Liz. “Depression, Anxiety Pass from Parents to Kids.” USA Today, 3 June 2009. 3.

March 2019. https://web-a-ebscohost

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“Teen Depression.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 16

Nov. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/teen-depression/symptoms-

causes/syc-20350985.

“Teen Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, 2019, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression/index.shtml.