Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Psychology Depression in Young Adults Depression in Young Adults In today’s society, many young people are faced with tough decisions and adult situations. With so much stress on our shoulders, young people may easily become depressed. Adolescent depression is a greatly under diagnosed disease that leads to serious difficulty in school and personal life. Depression is usually under-diagnosed because many children and young adults are not always able to express how they feel. During adolescence, many teens and children are very unsure of what is going on in their lives. Because of puberty and changes in hormones, teens may feel depressed over a typical teenage situation (ex. breaking up with ones boyfriend or girlfriend) and may not realize that what they are feeling is normal for someone of their age. A person needs to be mentally healthy in order to learn and function properly with their family and society in general. Achieving good mental health may sometimes be difficult depending upon the severity of the state of depression. Many times medication is prescribed to help with the depression, but medication isn’t always the only answer. Along with the proper prescribed medication, a person suffering from depression should seek professional counseling and have their family be aware of the normal symptoms of depression. It takes more than just the diagnosed to help cure the problem. Depression has a wide range of symptoms, from being sad or mad to withdrawn, or lashing out at others. 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. Other emotional problems make it hard to recognize depression in a child, but usually overlap with depression. A depressed child may also have a conduct disorder, in which the child consistently violates rules that may be inappropriate for his or her age. Symptoms for this include bullying, stealing, lying, and being consistently disobedient (Fassler 66). The disorder may stop a child from participating in daily activities, and leave them feeling worried, withdrawn, and even restless. Children suffering from depression tend to display overly clingy or needy behavior especially around family and friends. When teens feel that they are no longer surrounded by the people they love, they tend to think and sometimes do the worst. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youth’s aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group still remains greatly under diagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal life that may often continue into adulthood. There are major indicators that all people should be aware of to let people know that they might possibly be depressed. Some of those symptoms are as follows: (1) the depressed mood – more than 90 percent of depressed people appear to be depressed. They look sad, their mouths are often turned down at the corners, their eyes may appear red and swollen from crying and they may lack a sense of humor. They will frequently show little interest or enjoyment for activities that they normally find enjoyable and may sometimes express fears of total loss of feeling (Strange, 1992, p. 259). (2) Anhedonia – this is the lack of pleasure. Nothing the depressed person does can make them happy, for example, eating, going out, seeing friends and engaging in sports. They derive little pleasure from anything, and have no desire to participate in anything that was once pleasurable to them. (3) Pessimistic thoughts – the person experiences pessimistic thoughts about the present, future, and past. They include the feeling of worthlessness, failure, and lack of self-confidence. The may feel very hopeless which can often lead to suicide. (4) Anxiety – Patients may experience the psychological manifestations of anxiety. Sixty to seventy percent of depressed patients report feelings of anxiety and sometimes extreme worrying. (5) Sleep disorders – Seventy to eighty percent of all persons with depression have some form of insomnia. The most frequent type is one in which the individual, who is usually exhausted and has no trouble falling asleep, wakes up after several hours and is unable to get back to sleep. (6) Appetite changes – “The thought of food makes me ill,” is what the average depressive person says. The depressed person eats very little, and may refuse food or just nibble, even when favorite dishes are presented to them. Shopping for food, preparing it and even eating is expending energy that they do not have. (7) Changes in motor activity – depressed persons often speak very slowly. They can be difficult to interview because it may take them longer to answer a question, and if they do respond it may only be in a monosyllable. Alternatively, some patients exhibit agitation with restlessness and an inability to relax (Strange, 1992, p. 260). (8) Thoughts of death and suicide – many depressed people think about death. They think of ending their lives as a way to escape the way the feel inside. They will make statements such as, “I’d like to get away from it all” and “I have nothing to live for.” Only a percent of depressed persons attempt suicide, but the risk of suicide in all depressives cannot be overstressed. Many, if not most, of those who attempt suicide speak their intentions before they do it (Schwartz and Schwartz, 1993, p. 21). Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is that "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders and depression take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a 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, diagnosis should not lie only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. 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. Mood disorders are often accompanied by other psychological problems such as anxiety, eating disorders, hyperactivity, substance abuse and suicide (Blackman, 1995; Brown, 1996; Lasko et al., 1996; Oster & Montgomery, 1996) all of which can hide depressive symptoms. The signs of clinical depression include marked changes in mood and associated behaviors that range from sadness, withdrawal, and decreased energy to intense feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Depression is often described as an exaggeration of the duration and intensity of "normal" mood changes (Brown 1996). Key indicators of adolescent depression include a drastic change in eating and sleeping patterns, significant loss of interest in activities that were once found fun or interesting, constant boredom, disruptive behavior, peer problems, increased irritability and aggression (Blackman, 1995; Oster & Montgomery, 1996; Brown, 1996). Blackman (1995) proposed "formal psychological testing may be helpful in complicated presentations that do not lend themselves easily to diagnosis." 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 that could include decreased family support and perceived rejection by parents (Lasko et al., 1996). Oster & 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. When a young person feels they might be depressed, it is very important for them to see the proper medical professional. So, how can the physician determine when a patient should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? Brown (1996) suggested the best way to diagnose is to "screen out the vulnerable groups of children and adolescents for the risk factors of suicide and then refer them for treatment." Some of these "risk factors" include verbal signs of suicide within the last three months, prior attempts at suicide, indication of severe mood problems, or excessive alcohol and substance abuse. Many physicians tend to think of depression as an illness of adulthood. In fact, Brown (1996) stated, "it was only in the 1980's that mood disorders in children were included in the category of diagnosed psychiatric illnesses." In actuality, seven to fourteen percent of children will experience an episode of major depression before the age of fifteen. In a sampling of 100,000 adolescents, two to three thousand will have mood disorders out of which eight to ten will commit suicide (Brown, 1996). Blackman (1995) remarked that the suicide rate for adolescents has increased more than two hundred percent over the last decade. An estimated two thousand teenagers per year commit suicide in the United States, making it the leading cause of death after accidents and homicide. It is common for young people to be preoccupied with issues of mortality and to contemplate the effect their death would have on close family and friends. Once it has been determined that the adolescent has the disease of depression, what can be done about it? Blackman (1995) has suggested two main avenues to treatment: "psychotherapy and medication." The majority of cases of adolescent depression are mild and can be dealt with through several psychotherapy sessions with intense listening, advice and encouragement. Co morbidity is usual in teenagers, and possible pathology, including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, learning disability or attention deficit hyperactive disorder, should be searched for and treated, if present (Blackman, 1995). 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. Brown (1996) added that regardless of the type of treatment chosen, "it is important for children suffering from mood disorders to receive prompt treatment because early onset places children at a greater risk for multiple episodes of depression throughout their life span." Until recently, adolescent depression has been largely ignored by health professionals 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, some find themselves overwhelmed and full of stress. How can parents and friends help these troubled teens? In addition, what can these teens do about their constant and intense sad moods? Anyone can be diagnosed with depression it really doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. The first causes of depression are the biological causes, which are thought to be heredity, and physiological disturbance, which currently focuses on the body’s neuro-chemical, endocrine, and limbic systems. Psychological causes are thought to include family origin, which focuses on the general area of personality and its development, and on particular consequences of child rearing. Stress is another factor in depression. Stress can result from physical illness; from the inability to cope with certain life events, such as separation and loss, and from significant changes, such as marriage, and childbirth (Schwartz and Schwartz, 1993, p.3). There are certain people that are more susceptible to depression than most other people are. Those are people who are more likely to become depressed out of their nature than others, some of those people include (ranking in higher susceptibility): women, men, the Baby Boom generation, elderly, teens, and children. The likelihood of women getting depression is twice as high as men. Most women have had traumatic childhood experiences that do not surface until later on in life, thus leaving them vulnerable to depression. Men are likely to be diagnosed with depression because it is said that men are supposed to rise above “feelings of emotion,” men often hide their problems and that often leads to depression because they are ashamed of it. The circumstances that can add to this are those of abusing alcohol and drugs as a means of escape. It is said that Baby Boomers may be a reaction to the emotional disruptions of growing up in 1950's and 60's America with its unprecedented rates of divorce and relocation, leading to losses of family, friends, and community. The Baby Boom generation also came of age during a time of record economic expansion, which created great expectations of wealth and success. However, their enormous numbers also meant unprecedented competition for schools, jobs, and housing, leaving many of their dreams unfulfilled. When people feel a gap between what they expect and what they get unfulfilled expectations cause disappointment, frustration, loss of self-esteem and sometimes depression. Depression in older people is often a reaction to physical deterioration and the loss of friends, family, and rewarding activities. There are things that signal depression in the elderly for example, unexplained crying is often a clue, and so are combinations of vague physical symptoms, for example, headache, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, and upset stomach. Once other illnesses have been ruled out, depression is a real possibility. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death from age 15 to 19 (after accidents). Adolescence is a difficult period teens experience major hormonal change. They have higher highs and lower lows. And they're loosening family ties, but not yet established as individuals." This combination can lead to deeply emotional reactions to major losses. Depression is not common in young children, but abuse, losses, and having a seriously depressed parent increase the risk. Their symptoms tend to be behavioral. One must notice unusual irritability, aggressive outbursts, and problems at school. While adolescents may be very low on the scale of groups of people most likely to be diagnosed with depression, it is very important to pay attention to any young person who might be suffering from the symptoms of depression. Since teens are harder to diagnose, it is very easy to let them slip through the cracks and become increasingly troubled. Just because a woman or someone of the Baby boom generation are more likely to be diagnosed with depression doesn’t mean that teens don’t have the same problem, it’s just harder to see in younger people. Depression is something that can be overcome with the help and support of friends and family. The likelihood of depression has skyrocketed over the years it is imperative that one should know the warning signs of depression. It takes self–help on the part of the person with depression and the caring of others for you to reach out and acknowledge that you might have depression. With the support of family and friends, the person suffering from depression will be able to function wholly as a person again. The will finally be able to enjoy life again. Bibliography: Blackman, M. (1995, May). You asked about... adolescent depression. The Canadian Journal of CME [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.mentalhealth.com/mag1/p51-dp01.html. Brown, A. (1996, Winter). Mood disorders in children and adolescents. NARSAD Research Newsletter [Internet]. Available HTTP: http://www.mhsource.com/advocacy/narsad/childmood.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: http://www.cybertowers.com/selfhelp/articles/cf/moodepre.html 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. Elkind, David. Parenting Your Teenager. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993 McCoy, Kathleen. Understanding Your Teenager's Depression. New York: Perigee Books, 1994 Salmans, Sandra. Depression: Questions you have… Answers you need. Allentown, PA: People's Medical Society, 1995. Word Count: 2516
Copyright © 1998-2008 College Term Papers, INC All Rights Reserved. DMCA Notifications and Requests