All teens have mood swings. It is completely natural for a teenager to act out or to be irritable. Lets face it. Being a teenager can really be a pain in the behind. As a teen, we are not a child anymore, but we still have not grown up enough to be considered an “adult”. Knowing this, a teen can easily become discouraged by the fact that we do not truly have a place yet. This discouragement can be taken as a sign of depression. But how can one tell if a friend is truly depressed or just being a teen?
According to a study by teendepression.org in 2009, there were eight percent of children and teenagers ranging from 12 to 17 reported having MDE, or Major Depression Episode. At OSHS, we have 388 students in our graduating class. That means, according to the statistics previously stated, about 31 of our seniors have already or will report that they suffer from MDE. While this may hit close to home for some readers, others may not see what that means. If 31 of our seniors have major depression issues, how many freshman, sophomores, and juniors have issues? How many students are silent about their issues?
One of the things teens must remember is that it is perfectly natural to have random bouts of depression because there are so many different hormones and emotions that come with growing up. But one cannot let that fact rule their life. Whether it is a random spell of depression, or a case of MDE, students need to be able to find a way to cope with the issues they are facing.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for teenagers. According to webmd.com, there is an estimated 500,000 teens that attempt suicide every year. Though only 5,000 of that 500,000 succeed, doctors and scholars have concluded that it is a number that is considered an “epidemic.”
Gender does actually have an effect on the amount of suicides attempted. Teensuicide.us notes that while females attempt more suicides than males, the boys are the ones that usually succeed. These facts and numbers are devastating.
If one even suspects that a friend or family member is even thinking about suicide, there are numerous numbers and places to go to. One of the most commonly used numbers would be 1-800-273-TALK.
Teenagers need to be able to have an outlet, so that the depression does not completely settle in and take over their life. They need to be able to talk to someone and have a way to get past whatever is holding them back. Hopefully, this will prevent horrible things, such as teen suicide or even suicide in general, from happening.