The Significance of Childhood and Teen Depression

The Significance of Childhood and Teen Depression Everyone encounters moments when they feel gloomy or unhappy. These are normal emotions that are a part of being a human. It is difficult, however, for people to notice the difference between feelings of sadness and feelings of depression. Depression is a self-destructing, unhealthy disorder that produces a lot of harm to one's mind that affects every aspect of a person's life- the way they feel thinks, and behave. To differentiate the difference between being sad or being depressed, there are many signs and symptoms that can help people see if they are depressed.

Common traces of depression are shown in people that have a loss of energy, mood swings, or suicidal thoughts. When children or teenagers demonstrate behavior of increased anxiety in a relationship, the effects are emotional health, withdrawal, and suicidal thoughts that are alarming signs that they have depression. Emotional health is a necessary part of a person's overall well-being. Emotionally healthy people are focused, flexible, and creative during good and bad times because they can recognize and appropriately express their emotions (Heather).

People that have a poor emotional health are most likely struggling with depression. Everyone goes through rough times in life; however, the difference between those that have a good emotional health verses those who have depression is how they act during those times. Some of the many signs known to insure if a child or adolescent has depression are frequent sadness, decreased interest in favorite activities, and increased irritability (AACAP). Mental and emotional health is an important part of children and teenager's overall health. Everyday it is worsening that in a five year period, rates of severe youth depression have increased and of those with severe depression, 76% of youth are left with no or insufficient treatment (The State of Mental Health in America).

Access to treatments are provided for this serious mental illness, yet many still choose to not get the help they need. Some of the main reasons for this can be because of fear, shame, and hopelessness. These barriers prevent people from seeking care to relieve their affliction. (Add a transition sentence) Children and teenagers have an urgency to isolate themselves from people when struggling with depression. They slowly lose interest in activities they used to love causing them to discontinue doing the things they used to enjoy. The three common types of social isolation include emotional withdrawal, social withdrawal, and colleague withdrawal. Emotional withdrawal is seen in children and teens that pull away from family members or close friends.

They do this because they feel worthless and misunderstood by people. Emotional withdrawal ties in with social withdrawal because they both lead up to an individual having a lack of social interaction. Colleague withdrawal is specifically targeted towards teenagers or adults with jobs. Signs of this behavior is shown when workers are present at work but are not contributing any effort in conversations with coworkers. (add more detail here). It is common for individuals to get confused on the key difference between social isolation and loneliness. Loneliness associates with people who feel sad or distress about being by themselves by feeling disconnected from the world around them. Social isolation occurs when a person is physically separated from other people and their environment (Loneliness and Isolation). While both loneliness and isolation differ, they are both associated with the increased risk of depression. (Add a transition sentence) When children and teenagers go through stressful events in their lives, it is usual to encounter suicidal thoughts.

When undergoing these thoughts, individuals feel lonely and isolated- two emotions associated with increased suicide risk. In America, over 50 percent of all people who die by suicide suffer from major depression (AFSP). The most common signs of people that are considering taking their own lives are seen in people who have a change in personality, aggressive behaviors, or drastic mood changes. Suicide and depression are related but not everyone diagnosed with depression will attempt suicide. Both of these issues are mental disorders that can be treated with proper treatment plans.

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