2.

What are the causes of teenage depression? How can teenage depression be treated?

According to Focus Adolescent Services, depressive ailment in children and teenagers is defined
as an illness when the feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and despair persist and interfere with a child or an
adolescents ability to function. Depression can describe a normal human emotion; it also is referred to as
a mental illness. There are many factors that contribute to depression in teens such as having and making
friends, separation or divorce of parents, and breakup of a loved one.
Peer relationships contribute significantly to social and cognitive developmen t. In reality, the
single best childhood is not receiving good grades, and not classroom behavior, but rather, the ability to
get along with another child. Children that are mainly disliked, who are aggressive and disruptive, who
are unable to maintain close relationships with other children, and who cannot establish a place for
themselves in the peer culture are more susceptible to depression. Teens without friends tend to be more
lonely and unhappy. They have lower levels of academic achievement and develop low self-esteem. As
the teens get older, they are more apt to drop out and become involved in delinquent activities such as
drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and rebelling against authority.
Another factor, which contributes to depression, is the divorce of parents. Divorce is a difficult
adjustment for adolescents and adults. For adolescents, the transition is most difficult because there are
both physical and emotional changes. This crisis is already difficult and divorce creates an added burden.
Divorce threatens the security the adolescent depends on to leave home and separate from their parents.
They often have two different reactions; they either feel they have to grow up quickly and leave home or
they dont grow up at all and stay at home.
Moreover, breakup of a loved one leads to depressio n. Everyone gets the blues now and then. In
fact, it's perfectly normal to feel sad and discouraged at times. It's also quite appropriate to feel grief after
a loss. Anyone who has experienced the breakup of a relationship knows it can cause anxiety, irritability,
anger and feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness. How a person internalizes a breakup will largely
determine whether he or she weathers the storm or whether outside help is needed.
To sum up, depression can be treated through many ways. Depressed people should turn to
trusted friends and family members. They should share real situation with the loved and trusted ones, face
to face if possible. The people they talk to dont have to be able to fix them. They just need to be good
listeners. They should also try to keep up with social activities even if they dont feel like it. Another
method is to join a support group for depression. Being with others dealing with depression can go a long
way in reducing their sense of isolation. They can also encourage each other, give and receive advice on
how to cope, and share their experiences in the particular group. Hence, depression can be reduced and
overcome.