Depression in teens

The importance of early diagnosis and treatment
Kate Scowen, a former youth worker and author of My Kind of Sad: What It's Like to Be Young and Depressed (Annick Press, 2006), describes depression as "anger turned inward". In her book, she includes interviews with 15 teens suffering from mood disorders such as manic depression, depression, anxiety disorder and anorexia nervosa. She says that depression can be a lifelong, episodic illness and therapy will help identify triggers to depression. The sooner teens seek treatment, says Scowen, the more resilient they will be when faced with subsequent episodes of depression.

Treatment includes either talk therapy (also known as psychotherapy) or medication such as antidepressants, or a combination of both. Dr. Cheung says that roadblocks that prevent teens from getting help still exist. Parents especially are reluctant to seek help because of the stigma attached to mental illness. No one wants to believe that their child is "crazy." Consequently, denial sets in. There is a refusal to recognize the depression for what it is, and a belief that the problem will just go away. Another common roadblock to seeking help, Dr. Cheung says, is that it's too easy to find excuses for feeling sad or angry and for justifying these feelings.

"It's not physical pain, so it's hard for people to understand," says Cheung. "But it's emotional pain, so they're really going through a tough time. You treat them now because they're suffering. And the teens will tell you that it's suffering as great as having a broken leg or a broken arm, except no one notices it. So, it's a very difficult illness to have."

Stopping the progression of depression
Another reason for early treatment, says Dr. Cheung, is that the teen years are a critical time in a person's life for academic and social development. "If you go through two years of untreated depression where you're not motivated, you're in conflict with your family, you don't feel connected to your friends and you're doing poorly in school, that in the future will definitely affect all of your relationships, what kind of job you end up doing, and your self-esteem." Add to this that 35 to 50 per cent of teens with depression will have thoughts of suicide and it brings home the importance of becoming an "advocate for your teenager," says Dr. Cheung.

Dr. Cheung explains that because teens with depression have a 60 per cent chance of experiencing another depressive episode as an adult, they need to be given the tools to help them effectively manage their depression, and possibly even prevent a more serious breakdown from occurring.

What may appear to be teenage angst or adolescent moodiness could actually be symptoms of a more serious illness that should be addressed as early as possible. By being a proactive parent you will ensure the best quality of life for your teen, now and in the future.

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