Simple Steps to Prevent Teenage Depression

 

It is hard to be a teenager.

You’re under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with your family, and make big decisions. You can’t avoid most of these pressures, and worrying about them is normal. But feeling very sad, hopeless or worthless could be warning signs of a mental health problem. Teen mental health in this case is a very important aspect for parents to note. And having said that, how to prevent teenage depression is also a good read for all parents.

Teenage Depression Stats by Gender and Age

2014 statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) show the following numbers for teens that had at least one major depressive episode in the previous 12 months:

  • 17.3% of adolescents that had a major depressive episode in 2014 were female.
  • 5.7% of adolescents that had a major depressive episode in 2014 were male.
  • 5.7% were 12 years old.
  • 8.7% were 13 years old.
  • 10.7% were 14 years old.
  • 13.0% were 15 years old.
  • 14.1% were 16 years old.
  • 15.1% were 17 years old.

 

General Teen Depression Statistics

  • Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the United States among teens and adults.
  • 2.8 million youth age 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode in 2014.
  • Between 10 to 15 percent of teenagers have some symptoms of teen depression at any one time.
  • About 5 percent of teens are suffering from major depression at any one time
  • As many as 8.3 percent of teens suffer depression for at least a year at a time, compared to about 5.3 percent of the general population.
  • Most teens with depression will suffer from more than one episode. 20 to 40 percent will have more than one episode within two years and 70 percent will have more than one episode before adulthood. Episodes of teen depression generally last about 8 months.
  • Dysthymia, a type of mild, long-lasting depression, affects about 2 percent of teens, and about the same percentage of teens develop bipolar disorder in their late teenage years. 15 percent of teens with depression eventually develop bipolar disorder.
  • A small percent of teens also suffer from seasonal depression, usually during the winter months in higher latitudes.

Source of Stress

The five sources of stress most often experienced for the youth in a study included:
  1. School work (78%)
  2. Parents (68%)
  3. Romantic relationships (64%)
  4. Friends’ problems (64%)
  5. Younger siblings (64%)

 

How Teens Manage Stress

Girls handle stress differently:

  • 19% avoided or refused to deal with their stress
  • 14 % sought ways to distract themselves away from their stress
  • 22% sought support
  • 45% actively tried to remove or reduce their stress

 

In summary, boys more often used the tools of avoidance and distraction while girls looked for support and actively tried to reduce their stress. Girls also said they experienced more stress then boys, stemming largely from their relationships with boys and friendships with girls. Boys attributed their stress to authority figures, (i.e. teachers). The study suggested that stress management programs should separate girls and boys for some of the activities, since their answers were so different.  Avoidance and aggression can be unhealthy while exercise and keeping a journal concerning your stress are healthy outlets.

 

Effects of Teen Stress

  • 31% of teens reported feeling overwhelmed
  • 30% reported feeling sad or depressed, as a result of their stress
  • 36% of teens report feeling tired
  • 23% report skipping a meal due to stress

 

How Can Parents Help Preventing Teenage Depression?

I am not a parent of a teen (yet) but from what I read and practice with my kids, I choose LISTENING as a basic skill. Listening is not only from verbal comments and stories from our kids, but also from non verbal cues. I know some kids can look withdrawn and hide their anxiety, fears, worries, and problems from parents. Perhaps they did no know how to share it without sounding ridiculous. Yeah, we, parents can have some demeaning statements.

Second skill would be UNDERSTANDING. Every child is different. Some like crowds and challenges while his/her sibling prefers solitude and finds it hard to mingle. They have different problems from each other. And also from us, parents. So, despite the situation, parents should realize that we can help prevent teenage depression. Fisrt and foremost is by being understanding.

 

 

Keep reading. Stay fit.

 

 

 

 

 

fionamd

 

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