Teenagers have always been prone to bouts of moodiness, but adolescent depression is a serious mental health concern that studies show is on the rise. According to a 2017 report from the National Institute of Mental Health, about 13% of children aged 12 to 17 years old experienced at least one major depressive episode in the preceding 12 months, up from 8% in 2007.
While there is no definitive answer to explain the increase in teenage depression diagnoses, another study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology revealed a few common themes that could shed light on the growing mental health crisis among teenagers.
Less reluctance to diagnose
For decades, mental health professionals were reluctant to diagnose teenagers with depression and other mood disorders because they believed the adolescent brain was still developing and it wouldn’t be appropriate to label what was assumed to be normal teen moodiness as a mental health condition. Views started to shift in the 1980s, and now psychologists and pediatricians are more willing to distinguish between hormonal mood changes and clinical depression. These shifting views lead to increases in diagnoses.
Technology-based socialization
One factor that might be more closely related to the jump in teenage depression diagnoses in the past decade is the rapid advancement of technology and rise of social media. The vast majority of teenagers have smartphones and most are active online daily. While social media is an immensely powerful tool for communication and information exchange, it has also emerged as one of the primary ways by which teenagers measure their self-worth. Many recent studies have shown a link between social media and depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. Although there isn’t a definitive cause-and-effect at play, the links are strong enough to suggest technology-based socialization is partially to blame.
Inadequate sleep
Growing teenagers require between 8.5 and 9.25 hours of sleep each night for proper physical and mental development, but many teenagers fall short for a variety of reasons. Whether they’re staying up late because they’re socializing online, studying for school, or even working late hours at a part-time job, teenagers who get less than the recommended amount of sleep are more vulnerable to moodiness and irritability. These conditions can also lead to depression and anxiety if the pattern continues.
Heightened expectations
Compared to previous generations, teenage life today is more structured, organized, and fast-paced. As a result, children report significant pressure to succeed. Feelings of failure are normal at any age, but teenagers are usually less equipped to deal with personal setbacks, especially when combined with feelings of inadequacy that are common with heavy social media use. While failure itself—and the threat of failure—is not a definite precursor for depression, the fact that so many teenagers today are feeling the weight of academic and social expectations could help explain the rise in teenage depression.
Widespread uncertainty
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic forced teenagers into physical isolation and increased their reliance on virtual socialization, the current generation of children lived in the grim shadow of post-9/11 terrorism and fears of mass shootings. In the Journal of Abnormal Psychology study mentioned above, teenagers reported a tenuous sense of security, leaving them anxious even during periods of relative personal peace. Future studies into the psychological effect of the pandemic on children will likely show a sharp increase in this generalized anxiety, and initial surveys suggest another jump in teenage depression diagnoses will likely follow.
Treatment for teenage depression
Teenagers who are depressed show slightly different symptoms than adults, but they’re at a higher risk of struggling with substance abuse and anxiety, which can make early detection difficult but crucial. If your teenager has been diagnosed with depression and you’re interested in the latest developments in treatment, Synergy Research Centers can help. To find out more information about our clinical research trials, call us at (619) 304-1726.