Depression Among Teenagers

Teenage is the phase when a lot of bodily changes take place.  Children start developing a sense of their personality, their individuality, and their sexuality.  The sudden change in the way society sees them can lead to pressures of various kinds.

They may be expected to behave in a certain manner or dress up in a particular way because they are not considered as children.  This sudden shift from childhood to teenage can be unnerving and teenagers may not be able to cope up with it.

There may be a feeling of being restricted due to limitations towards interaction with the opposite sex, fear of menstrual cycle, changes in the hormonal activity etc.  Some teenagers, especially girls may not be able to cope with changes that their body undergoes at such times.

The development of organs, developing sexual feelings, attraction towards opposite sex, inability to cope with feelings arising out of hormonal change may put them into a state of confusion and tension.  If their anxieties are relieved, they may develop negative feelings and attitudes, and get depressed.

Teenagers may experience discomfort due to the changes in the body.  They may be embarrassed about it.  There may be feelings of shame, insecurity, guilt, poor self-image, loss of self-esteem and confidence.

This may create a state of helplessness and resignation, as they cannot change the way they feel about themselves.  This can push them into depression.

During teenage the responsibility on children increases.  They become responsible to conduct themselves in an honourable manner, guard themselves, be safe and secure, take stock of their lives and take the right decisions.

They become responsible for self and also towards parents as their decisions will affect the family too.  Such pressures can put them under strain.  Due to developing concept of ‘self’, ‘self image’, they may not express their inability to satisfactorily take these responsibilities, and neither are able to avoid these expectations.

Due to the helplessness of the situation, they may get into a state where they feel alone and may go into depression.