Monday, March 03, 2008

Adolescent Depression

The pressures of modern living are also having a detrimental
effect on our adolescent youth. Take a look at the following
statistics and be amazed.

Figures never lie and they are perhaps the best means to
highlight certain facts and when they are brought to the notice
of the general public leave a lasting impression. It is
important to gain the attention of all who want to learn about
what the statistics are saying. There are no doubts that
statistics are nothing more and nothing less than concrete
concepts that have the power to sway even the most skeptical of
minds, and it will even show the young generation the true
picture with respect to adolescent depression.

Twenty Percent Of Teenagers Are Sufferers

The first thing that will make you sit up and take notice about
statistics pertaining to adolescent depression is the news that
nearly a fifth of the teenage population in the US has
experienced a form of clinical depression, even before having
gained full adulthood.

Not only that, but there are about ten to fifteen percents of
teenagers that have shown symptoms of adolescent depression and
another five percent of the teenage population will have
suffered from significant depression.

Secondly, another alarming aspect to adolescent depression is
the fact that there is not much social acceptance when it
concerns teenagers with such a condition, and what's worse is
the fact that as many as eight percent of teenagers will have
experienced the re-occurrence of depression at least once a
year. This is alarming because only a mere five percent of the
national population suffer from depression.

When a person suffers a bout of adolescent depression it will
generally last for about eight months and teenagers are also at
risk that the subsequent attack of adolescent depression will
strike them within a mere two years and the chances of this
happening are about twenty to forty percent, and there is also a
seventy percent chance that they will experience another attack
of adolescent depression before they have even reached full
adulthood.

Thirdly, another feature of adolescent depression is that quite
a few teenagers will suffer from attacks of seasonal depression.
This form of depression is most likely to strike during the
wintertime, it is also found in places where the altitude is on
the high side. Even the weather can play a significant part in
the onset of seasonal depression, which means that teenagers
also need to be aware of these external effects on the state of
mind..

Fourthly, other figures related to adolescent depression reveal
that dysthymia or a mild form of depression that lasts for a
long time will affect about two percent of teenagers and a like
percentage of teenagers are also likely to suffer from bipolar
depression when they grow older. In fact, it is thought that as
many as fifteen percent of teenagers that have suffered from
major depression will later on be at risk of developing bipolar
depression.

Thus, it is safe to say that adolescent depression will affect
teenagers no matter their social background, income level,
gender as well as race or even their achievements and that
adolescent depression is very common mental health problem
affecting teenagers in the US.

About The Author: Authors Biography: Paul Courtney contributes
articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative
Medicine, Herbal Medicine and is the main contributor to
http://www.depressionadvisory.com

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