What Are the Causes of Depression in Adolescents?

Knowing what causes adolescent depression is one of the first steps in being able to treat it. Adolescents go through many changes including hormonal. With these changes come mood swings. These mood swings are normal but can lead to bouts of depression. There are many factors that cause adolescent depression that are not always easily recognizable. Depression is often attributed to the maturation stages that adolescents go through.

Family History

• Family history can be a cause of adolescent depression. Adolescents who live in families that have a history of depression have a greater chance of inheriting the same genes that are linked to depression. One specific gene that has been found is 5-HTT. This gene helps regulate serotonin in the brain. People who had lower levels of 5-HTT were found to be more prone to depression after negative life-changing events. Not all adolescents with a family history of depression will actually become depressed.

Abuse and Depression

• Abuse takes many forms, such as physical, sexual and mental. Adolescents living in any of these abusive situations are at a high risk of falling into depression. Adolescents need a secure and loving home where they feel cared for and protected. When an adolescent is abused, these feelings of security are taken away. Many adolescents blame themselves for the abuse, or they are made to believe that the abuse is somehow their fault. Depression occurs as a result of self blame.

Social Factors

• It is crucial for adolescents to feel accepted by their peers. Not being accepted can create depression. Teens who come from low economic standards are at risk due to a lack of money. Adolescents are extremely self conscious; their clothes and home represent social status. Depression is a result of not being able to meet the social standards set by their peers. Looks or physical appearance also play a role in being accepted by peers. Those adolescents who are less physically attractive are also less likely to be accepted into more popular groups.

Academic Pressure

• Teachers and parents can put tremendous pressure on adolescents to succeed academically. Academic success is crucial to obtaining scholarships into major universities. The pressure to get into the best universities can prove to be too much for some adolescents. Depression can occur when the adolescent feels that he cannot hold up to the rigid expectations or there is a loss of a grade point.

Relocation

• Moving to a new location and going to a new school can lead to depression. It is difficult for an adolescent to leave behind established relationships and start over. Being accepted by new peers can prove to be extremely difficult. Adolescents feel extremely isolated when they cannot make a connection with a new group.

Loss of Friend or Close Family Member

• Losing a friend or close loved one to death can lead to severe depression. Adolescents may feel abandoned when someone close to them dies. Losing a friend forces them to face their own mortality at a time when life for adolescents is just beginning. Feelings of loneliness after the death of a loved one can extend into deep sadness that leads to depression.

Prevention/Solution

• It is important to be aware of what triggers adolescent depression in order to be able to provide a solution. Look for changes in behavior that extend for long periods of time. These behaviors go beyond what is normal adolescent moodiness. Isolation, drops in grades, criminal behavior, anger or deep sadness can all be signs of adolescent depression.