According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), depressed people often lose interest in everyday activities and experience persistent feelings of sadness. Other symptoms include lack of energy, loss of appetite, feelings of worthlessness, slow thinking and body movements.
For teenagers, depression can be particularly harmful when not treated immediately. Teen depression counts among the leading causes of disability among people between the ages of 14 and 55. Today, more than 10 percent of adolescents develop a depressive disorder before the age of 18, often triggered by traumatic life events and the stress of adolescent change. These episodes have the potential to distort one’s feelings, actions, and perceptions, ultimately triggering a mental disorder.
No matter a person’s age, depression still carries the risk of suicide. Experts say that 90 percent of people who commit suicide suffer from depression. It’s especially true among young people, many of whom recount feelings of worthlessness during their adolescent years. A January CDC report found that nearly 4,600 people between the ages of 10 and 24 commit suicide each year, making it the third leading cause of death among that age group. The report also linked high use of alcohol and drugs to incidences of suicide.