Theme 2 - Depression and Suicide - Why is this a Global Issue?
Depression
Depression
is defined as a chronic disorder that lasts for at least two consecutive weeks
and considerably impedes one’s abilities to live a normal life. Common symptoms
include difficulties in interpersonal relationships, academic and social life,
as well as increased alcohol and substance abuse. Depressed teenagers often
have low self-esteem, may feel unworthy and unloved.
Since
it is a mental illness, depression is often difficult to diagnose or recognize.
However, depression affects almost 10% of adults in the US. It is also one of
the most common psychological problems affecting adolescents with recurrence
rates of almost 70%. In 2017, 3.2 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the
United States had at least one major depressive episode. (NIMH, Major
Depression)
Suicide
Depression
is commonly linked with the increased risk of teenage suicide. Suicide is
defined as “death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die
as a result of the behavior” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2019).
Suicide ideation can arise from a variety of reasons. Teenagers may experience
“feelings of stress, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty,
disappointment, and loss” and may equate suicide as “a solution to their
problems.” (Suicide in Children and Teens, 2018)
Suicide
has been declared as the third largest cause of death amongst adolescents, by
the World Health Organization and Center for Disease and Control. According to
data provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (2019), “there were
more than twice as many suicides (47,173) in the United States as there were
homicides (19,510)”. Suicidal rates have been consistently higher for Non-White
populations and the total suicide rate in United States has increased by 31%
(NIMH, 2019). These alarming trends are reason enough for the emphasis on the
issue of teenage depression and suicide.
Causes
Teen
depression is a relatively new observation in medical science and not easily
recognized. Depressed teens may show signs of sadness, negative outlook or general
morbidity but these symptoms are often ignored or overlooked as mood swings or
a part of biological changes during puberty.
Clinical
depression can be caused by a number of factors including changes in
neurotransmitters, negative thinking patterns, hormonal changes caused by
gender differences, co-occurrence of other medical conditions, side effects of
medications, genetic history or external traumatic episodes such as divorce,
death of loved one, etc. (Mental Health America, Depression.)
One
of the primary causes of the occurrence of depression is the inability of young
teens to handle their emotions. Emotionally-sensitive teens who may be
subjected to traumatic changes in life such as bullying, parental divorce or
even abuse, may be highly susceptible to getting depressed. However, this does
not mean that depression will not affect teens that have not experienced such
episodes in life. Such depression can be accounted to heredity and genetics.
A
study by Pena, Matthieu, Zayas, Masyn, & Caine (2012) concluded that Black
and Hispanic members have higher suicide rates than their White counterparts.
This research suggests that ethnic and racial differences also account for
rising rates of suicide and depression in certain communities. An article by Stanford
Health Care focusing on Understanding Teenage Depression proposed that “for
teens, a stressful home environment or neighborhood poverty and violence can
lead to depression.” Thus, environment and external circumstances are also
imperative causes to the internal turmoil faced by growing teenagers.
Social
media has also become another rising cause of depression. Modern-day teens are
connected to technology and electronic communication so much more than the
past. Social media and the like have increased social connected while also
bringing their own set of troubles and challenges. Some studies even relate
excessive social media use to unhappiness and loneliness. Adolescents
excessively involved in these platforms are constantly a part of a blind competition
of self-worth and self-analysis. Incompetency and inability to portray a good
social media image is often a huge concern facing these teens. Such concerns
may also encourage depression and suicidal ideation.
Impact
Both
depression and suicide have a tremendous impact on youth potential. Depressed
teens often do not perform well academically, physically and socially. They may
drop out of high school or college or not focus on grades, thereby affecting
their careers. A study conducted by Jaycox, Stein, Paddock, Miles, Chandra,
Meredith and Burnam, (2009) found that “teens with depression and their parents
reported more impairment in all areas, compared with teens without depression
at baseline, and reported more coexisting emotional and behavioral problems.”
Depressed teens often simultaneously struggle with other issues such as
substance abuse, alcohol addiction, eating disorders, physical illnesses,
bullying, criminal behavior, self-harm etc. and their consequent effects.
Depression influences “mood, outlook, thoughts, and behavior (and) can cause
fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, headaches, and insomnia” (Stanford
Child Health, Understanding Teenage Depression). A majority of health care
costs incurred by adolescents are also attributed to depression. In addition,
depression has a major impact on latter life including higher risk for other
mental disorders and decreased work performance in professional
life.
Depressed
teens frequently look towards suicide as an ultimate solution to all their problems
and are at an increased risk of acting upon these thoughts. Suicide is
associated with a large amount of emotional and physical loss. However,
alarming suicide trends have synergistically impacted economy of the country as
well. According to a report by the Center for Disease and Control (2013),
suicide accounted for a whopping $50.8 billion (24%) of the medical and
work-loss costs of fatal injury in 2013.
Why does it
matter
The
frequency of both depression and suicide amongst teenagers and the link between
the two has made these conditions a matter of urgent importance, particularly
in the United States. Awareness of teenage depression and suicide trends amidst
community is important because “too many people resist treatment because they
believe depression isn't serious, that they can treat it themselves or that it
is a personal weakness rather than a serious medical illness.” (Mental Health
America, Depression.)
Depression
and suicide are taking too many of America’s potential generation and are undoubtedly
a cause of concern. The future of the country depends on both the inheritance
that these youth receive and the impact their generation creates. However, a
generation devoid of an inherently and emotionally understanding environment is
dragged more and more towards a sad extinction. The death of so many
adolescents is not a sign of a blooming future for the country. Even depressed
teens cannot perform to the fullest and cannot carry on the legacy of their
past generations. Dealing with their emotional issues is vital to enabling a
successful future for this generation of the youth. Supporting them in such
times is essential to ensure we can continue to promote humanity’s greatest
potential.
Therefore,
it is imperative to conduct a fulfilling study recognizing the causes of both
depression and suicide, suggesting measures to prevent these instances as well
as help teens recover from these conditions and finally, understand what
barriers stand in between the patient and the treatment so as to ensure that
individuals in need receive the help they deserve regardless of social, racial,
economic, ethnic, and other differences.
Challenges
Suicide ideation and depression have become greater
problems today than ever. Modern lifestyle, increased stress and pressure,
social media, unrealistic expectations, financial difficulties are only few
reasons promoting an ascent in these trends. Ethnic, racial, economic and
gender differences also contribute to variation in these trends. A large amount
of research suggests that racial and ethnic differences ought to be addressed
while crafting policies to reduce teenage suicide rates so as to serve a
diverse population.
Attempts
to reduce adolescent suicide are underway but not achieving substantial
results. Remedial measures as well as preventive strategies are in place yet
there are certain factors that inhibit complete recovery of individuals in need
of these regimens. One of the greatest challenges to adolescents struggling
with depression and suicidal ideation is receiving the right kind of treatment.
Peers and parents often encourage depressed adolescents to remain positive but
these teens may require medical intervention and treatment to improve their
condition. According to data by NIMH, “approximately 60.1% of adolescents with
a major depressive episode did not receive treatment.” (NIMH, Major
Depression). It is therefore necessary to investigate why the right care is not
reaching depressed individuals. Lack of awareness of approapriate treatment
methods, stigma and social rejection associated with meeting therapists,
psychologists, psychiatrists and the like, and fear of invasion of privacy for
teens are only some of the reasons depressed teens are unable to reach out to
the right care for their issues.
Even teens
who receive treatment face a number of other challenges. These teens are often
unsure whether their peers and parents will support their treatment. Lack of
qualified therapists and supportive environment at established therapy centers
is another trouble faced by adolescents who reach out for help. Teens receiving
treatment may also be clinically prescribed certain drugs or antidepressants.
However, in September 2004, the Food and Drug Administration rose a concern
about these drugs and “issued a warning that antidepressants may cause children
and teenagers to become suicidal” (Stanford Child Health, Understanding Teenage
Depression). Thus, even the medication given to solve these issues is facing
debatable controversies in terms of its safety.
How can we
solve it?
Although
depression affects such a large number of adolescents every year, the good news
is that it is curable. With the right diagnosis and care, depression is
treatable and suicide is avoidable. From recognizing warning signs and symptoms
at individualistic levels to generating strategies to enable treatment reaching
the masses – a lot can be done to solve this rising concern.
One
important facet that needs to be addressed is the stigma concerning depression
and suicide. There is a need to generate greater awareness about this topic by
speaking about it more openly. These are public health issues that need to be
discussed rather than allowing these individuals to face their tragedies alone.
Communal support is necessary to reduce the rising trends and the first step in
creating a supportive environment for teens begins with talking to them about
their feelings, asking teens facing anxiety and sadness if they have considered
suicide as an option. Research has time and again shown that talking about
suicide only lowers the chances of an individual’s risk to embarking on this
act and this logic also applies to teens. Talking and generating a public
responsiveness is a crucial step in solving this issue.
Another
significant step in radically eradicating this problem is the improvement of
treatment regimens. Teens need to be aware of the facilities available to them
as well as feel safe to approach them. Advocating for mental health insurance
plans, organizing screening programs in schools, colleges and community
centers, educating teens about their options and help available through
workshops in academia are just a few ways to help teens reach the help they
need and the help they deserve.
Thus,
a coherent understanding and evaluation of all these aspects is necessary to
work up an appropriate strategy to reduce the numbers. Different factors such
as racial and ethnic backgrounds, parental support, peer influence, social
media as well as age and gender differences are contributing to depression or
suicide. It is necessary to discuss possible recommendations for prevention
strategies and possible methods to increase awareness in the community. More
efforts must be taken to chance our understanding of teenage suicide and
depression and enabling the current generation to improve the lives of our
budding and promising youth.
References
American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (June 2018). Suicide in
Children and Teens. Retrieved from: https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Teen-Suicide-010.aspx
Jaycox, L.
H., Stein, B. D., Paddock, S., Miles, J. N., Chandra, A., Meredith, L. S., . .
. Burnam, M. A. (2009). Impact of Teen Depression on Academic, Social, and
Physical Functioning. Pediatrics, 124(4).
doi:10.1542/peds.2008-3348. Retrieved from: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/4/e596/tab-figures-data
Mental
Health America, (n.d.) Depression. Retrieved from: https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/depression
National
Institute of Mental Health. (April 2019) Suicide. Retrieved from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml
National
Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.) Teenage Depression. Retrieved
from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression/index.shtml#pub6
National
Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.) Major Depression. Retrieved
from: https://nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml
Pena, J.,
Matthieu, M., Zayas, L., Masyn, K., & Caine, E. (2012). Co-occurring risk
behaviors among White, Black, and Hispanic US high school adolescents with
suicide attempts requiring medical attention, 1999-2007: Implications for
future prevention initiatives. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric
Epidemiology, 47(1), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0322-z
Stanford
Children’s Health. Understanding Teenage Depression. Retrieved from: https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=understanding-teenage-depression-1-2220
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