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Thomas S. May, M.A.Medical Writer |
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Major Life Changes Trigger Depression in Some Teens
Thomas S. May, Medical Writer
Introduction It is sometimes referred to as the "common cold of psychiatry," but depression is a debilitating mental illness that should not to be taken lightly. This is especially true when it comes to adolescents. According to some studies, two out of ten young people in the United States become so depressed at least once during their teenage years that they seriously consider committing suicide.
The sad fact is, many depressed teens actually end up taking their own lives, and suicide is a leading cause of death among young adults. A recent study found that roughly 60% of depressed adolescents continue to suffer from depression as adults, and close to 8% will eventually kill themselves.
Unfortunately, in most cases it is very difficult to prevent depression from developing in teens who are at high risk. (See sidebar.) It is possible, however, to lessen the risk by providing additional support or counseling to high-risk teens at times when they are especially likely to become depressed. One time to be especially aware of a teenager's emotional health is after a major life change.
Depressing Changes In a recent study, over 16,000 Finnish teens were asked to fill out a survey about various parts of their lives, and they were also given a test to measure depression. The researchers found that teens who had recently experienced major changes in their lives were much more likely to become depressed than those who had not. "Depression is generally associated with changes that are negative, like losing a friend or a relative," according to Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino, MD, the study's lead author. The researchers found, however, that even seemingly neutral changes--like moving to a new home or changing schools--could also trigger depression in some teens.
Why? Moving usually means that a teen loses some of his or her social support network, like old friends and teachers. The losses may make depression more likely, Kaltiala-Heino explains. "But we also found that moving increased the risk of depression even if the adolescent received good social support from parents, teachers, and peers following the move." The move to a new place, by itself, may make depression more likely, Kaltiala-Heino says.
The researchers found that teens were also more likely to be depressed if one or both of their parents had lost their job during the last year or if an adolescent was living away from one or (especially) both parents. The study also found that the negative effects of such life changes add up, so "if several changes occur simultaneously, the risk for depression further increases," says Kaltiala-Heino.
Distress Is Relative Not all changes are necessarily bad, according to Connie Hammen, PhD, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of California at Los Angeles. Only negative events trigger depression, but what is negative to one person may be positive or neutral to another, she says.
"Whether a change or event is 'negative' depends entirely on its meaning to the person. So a move to a new home, for example, may represent some loss to a particular individual and may, therefore, raise the risk of depression for that individual."
David M. Fergusson, MD, an expert in adolescent depression in the Department of Psychological Medicine at Christchurch School of Medicine in New Zealand, agrees: "It is widely believed that life events that provoke depression usually involve either loss or threat to the individual," he says. "The types of life events that are particularly relevant to adolescents are relationship problems and problems with the law. However, teenage responses may be idiosyncratic, so what one teenager finds positive or neutral, another may find distressing. For this reason, it is possible for any major change to provoke depression in some teenagers." In most cases, change also involves some psychological stress, and stress is known to increase the risk of depression. "There is a large body of literature on the contribution of stressful life events to depression, but the mechanisms by which such events provoke depression are not fully understood," Fergusson says. Events that result that damage self-esteem are especially likely to cause depression in teens, according to Hammen. For most people, the love and support of other people are essential for a positive self-image. Any event that the teenager interprets as a loss of love or support can easily lead to the development of depression, she says.
How Adults Can Help So what can parents and teachers to do make depression less likely in teens who've recently gone through major life changes? Experts say increased social support can help. If something bad has happened to a family, for example, it is important for parents to discuss it with their teenager. Teens need to know that they are not to blame, Kaltiala-Heino says. Telling teens that they are still loved and accepted is also important, even if the parents are tired, sad, or absentminded because of the difficult times they are going through. Getting professional advice or counseling for kids is also important if they seem to show signs or symptoms of depression.
Thomas S. May is a medical
journalist based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has a master's degree in
psychology from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. Source: Medscape Health
Reprinted from Medscape Health for Consumers.
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