Adolescent Depression and Suicide: Early Detection and Treatment the Key
Only in the past two decades has depression in adolescents been taken
seriously. Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts.
It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself,
and the way one thinks about things. Therefore it comes to no surprise to
discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide.
Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19
than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this alarming
increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly under diagnosed
and can lead to serious difficulties in school, work, and personal adjustment,
which may continue into adulthood. How prevalent are mood disorders and when
should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed?
Brown (1996), has said the reason why depression is often overlooked in
adolescents is because it is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy
thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is time of rebellion and
experimentation. Blackman (1996), observed that the “challenge is to identify
depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more
transient, but expected developmental storm.”
Therefore, the
adolescent’s first line of defense is his or hers parents. It is up to those
individuals who interact with the adolescent on a daily basis (parents,
teachers, etc.) to be sensitive to the changes in the adolescent. Unlike adult
depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing
sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage
in risky behaviors (Oster & Montgomery, 1996). Key indicators of adolescent
depression include a drastic change in eating and sleeping patterns, significant
loss of interest in previous activity interests, constant boredom, disruptive
behavior, peer problems, increased irritability and aggression (Brown, 1996).
What causes a teen to become depressed? For many teens, symptoms of
depression are directly related to low self-esteem stemming from increased
emphasis on peer popularity. For other teens, depression arises from poor family
relations, which could include decreased family support and perceived rejection
by parents. Oster and Montgomery (1996), stated that “when parents are
struggling over marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may
feel the tension and try to distract their parents.” This distraction could
include increased disruptive behavior, self-inflicted isolation and even verbal
threats of suicide. Many times parent’s are so wrapped up with their own
conflicts and busy lives that that fail to see the changes in their teens, or
they simply refuse to admit their teen has a problem. In today’s society the
family unit can be quite different from the stereo typical one of the 1950’s,
where the father went to work and the mom was the homemaker. Today, with single
parent families and families where both parents have corporate jobs, the teen
may feel he or she is playing “second fiddle” in importance in the lives of
their parents. Also, great stress is placed upon teens today starting in early
childhood. Most enter daycare at an early age and continue into preschool. Then
when public school starts they are either in the early-morning program,
after-school program or just latch key kids. They are left to their own devices
at an early age. Many go home to an empty house with no one to talk to about
their day at school. Once the parent’s arrive home it may be time for soccer
practice, baseball practice, or gymnastics class. Again no time for talking
about the day’s events and with everyone going in different directions a family
dinner around the kitchen table just does not happen. At one end of the
spectrum, teens maybe pushed by their parent’s to excel in sports and
scholastics, and at the other end there are teens that are never given direction
or aspirations by their parent’s. Those pressured to excel maybe come
overwhelmed by what is expected of them and can fall into using drugs and
alcohol as a form of escape and may feel the only way out is that of suicide. On
the other hand those teens without direction and lack of interest on the part of
their parent’s, may also turn to drugs and alcohol as a means of escape. They
may contemplate and even attempt suicide as a way of either drawing attention to
themselves or to just end their lives because no cares about them anyway. Dr.
William Beardslee of Boston, working with children and teens exhibiting
depression and suicidal tendencies feels these disorders are likely based on a
complex interplay of biological/genetic forces and developmental transactions
between teens, family members and the outside world. Some teens manage to
survive and even flourish under the most difficult circumstances, while others
flounder under the same conditions. Beardslee’s research led him to several core
factors in how well a teen or child will do in overcoming ongoing adversity.
Primary among them were the ability to form strong relationships, an
action-oriented outlook and a keen and cohesive sense of identity.
An
estimated 2,000 teenagers per year commit suicide in the United States, making
it the leading cause of death after accidents and homicide. Blackman (1995)
stated that it is not uncommon for young people to be preoccupied with issues of
mortality and contemplate the effect their death would have on close family and
friends. Once it has been determined that the adolescent has the disease of the
depression, what can be done about it? Blackman has suggested two main avenues
to treatment: “psychotherapy and medication.” The majority of cases of
depression is mild and can be dealt with through psychotherapy sessions with
intense listening, advice and encouragement. For the more severe cases of
depression, especially those with constant symptoms, medication may be necessary
and without pharmaceutical treatment, depressive conditions could escalate and
become fatal. Regardless of the type of treatment chosen, “it is important for
children and teens suffering from depression to receive prompt treatment because
early onset places children and teens at a greater risk for multiple episodes of
depression throughout their life span.” (Brown, 1996).
Until recently,
adolescent depression has been largely ignored. But now several means of
diagnosis and treatment exist. Although most teenagers can successfully climb
the mountain of emotional and psychological obstacles that lie in their paths,
there are some that find themselves overwhelmed and full of stress. With the
help of parents, teachers, mental health professionals and other caring adults,
the severity of a teen’s depression can not only be accurately evaluated, but
plans made to improve his or her well-being and ability to fully live life.
References:
Blackman, M., “You asked about…adolescent
depression.” The Canadian Journal of CME [Internet]. Available:
http://www.mentalhealth.com/mag1/p51-dp01.html.
Beardslee, W.R. (1998),
Prevention and the clinical encounter. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
[Internet]. Available: http://www.mhsource.com/pt/p990957.hmtl.
Brown,
A. (1996 Winter). Mood disorders in children and adolescents. NARSAD Research
Newsletter [Internet] Available:
http://www.mhsource.com/advovacy/narsad/childhood.html.
Lasko, D.S., et
al. (1996), Adolescent depressed mood and parental unhappiness. Adolescence, 31
(121), 49-57.
Oster, G.D, Montgomery, S. S. (1996),. Moody or depressed:
The masks of teenage depression. Self-Help & Psychology [Internet].
Available: http://www.cybertowers.com/selhelp/articles/cf/moodepre.html.
Adolescent
Depression and Suicide: Early Detection and Treatment the Key