Teen Depression Resource

There are many reasons why teen depression occurs - some of them absolutely natural and some because of the kind of environment a teen is exposed to. Now to determine the causes of teen depression in a teenage child, a good way is to start to see which category it fits in from the above mentioned two.

Absolutely Natural Reasons: In some cases, depression occurs because of external factors that are not within the control of the person, such as

a) The timely production of sex hormones in the body as a natural result of the process of growing older -  As both boys and girls grow older, sex hormones are produced in the body as a regular part of the biological clock of the body. These hormones bring about changes in their bodies and contribute toward making boys more ‘masculine’ and girls more ‘feminine’. The changes that these bodily changes bring about can cause depression.

b) Changes brought about during maturity:  During one’s teenage years, during the process of maturity, the changes that occur can also cause depression.  They don’t easily cope with the changes that take place which are a part of a bodies growing into mentally and physically mature bodies.

People at that young age don’t cope, very easily with change. As a result, they don’t express themselves when these changes happen and turn all that they should healthily express inside - thus resulting in depression.

The above two examples are cases which are normal in response to which a certain extent of despair for the teen is natural and required for the growth of teenagers mind and body. But what is important is that the teenager grows out of the depression as he learns to cope with these changes.

Reasons based on the environment the teen is brought up in: Teen growing up years are the most important as these years determine the stability of the years that will follow.

a) Common household and social environments combine three sources of pressure. While the teens themselves realize, during these years, they are faced by mostly contradictory peer pressure and a whole lot of expectations put on them by parents, teachers etc. While on one side there is the desire to find out who they are exactly and be themselves, there is pressure to act and behave in a  particular way by their peers, parents and teachers.

b) When tragic incidents like the death of a loved one, failure at relationships, hardship, ridicule,     and failure strike, teens have another reason to be depressed.

In these situations, the teen is put in a tough spot. They usually give in to the expectations and peer pressure because it is the easy way out. The competitiveness of today’s world, makes this situation even grimmer and leaves teens helpless, with no choice but to give in.