Question: How common is depression in teenagers?
Answer: In a national study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, 61 percent of 8th to 10th graders reported feeling sad and hopeless, 36 percent reported nothing to look forward to, and 34 percent expressed serious thoughts of committing suicide.
Despite the very real threat during the teen years, many families do not like to talk about depression or suicide with their children. In fact, many believe that discussing this problem makes depression and suicide more likely to happen.
In reality, talking to teens about their feelings may make them feel less hopeless and sad. If your teen is exhibiting one or more of the warning signs, you may also want to seek further evaluation of his behavior with a professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or pediatrician.
