Although stress, moodiness and lack of sleep come with the territory of being a teenager, these factors should not go unnoticed, according to one medical report.
Recent evidence shows about 6 percent of American teenagers are clinically depressed, influencing a government-appointed medical panel to urge doctors to perform routine depression screenings on teens. According to a report in the April issue of the professional journal 'Pediatrics,' most teenagers with depression are undiagnosed and untreated, and screening and early detection can help prevent the disorder from progressing.
The study also suggested having primary care doctors be more involved in mental health care and providing pharmacological treatment for depression.
With about two million teenagers affected by the condition, Alan Barnes, a UF associate professor in the department of psychiatry, suggests screening patients who have a certain array of symptoms.
The key is distinguishing between a depressed teenager and a teenager experiencing typical angst, Barnes said. He advises screening teens who complain about lack of energy, poor concentration and sleep disturbance.
An average teenager may be unhappy or rebellious, but a depressed teenager will avoid social situations and suffer from severe bouts of sadness, Barnes said. Charles Key, 23, has suffered from clinical depression ever since he was a sophomore in high school and remembers sleeping through entire days to avoid dealing with everyday issues.
"Sometimes I'm just so sad that I don't want to do anything," Key said. "It's like I'm in a clouded state of mind."
Teenagers often utilize alternative forms of self-treatment, such as substance abuse and experimentation with drugs. Others turn to self-destructive behavior, such as suicide, Barnes said.
"There is no question that the rate of depression is rising," Barnes said. "We can only hope that Florida and its leaders begin to recognize it."
