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Joanna Espinosa

Prof. Celestino

English 1010 8:30 AM

12/12/17

Causes for Teenage Depression

Teenage depression is not only a mental health issue it has a lot of meaning behind its

definition to understand why there are so many teenagers in this world with depression. This was

my topic because of the interesting things Ive learned from my research on it and how not only I

but many can relate to this topic. There are several things that cause teenage depression in which

I will share five with you, which are teenage pregnancies, family, sexual abuse, being bullied and

anxiety. Many dont know what to do in these circumstances of what actions to take to help a

teenager with depression or even the teenager know what they can do to help themselves. It takes

the love from friends, family, people who surround these teenagers to step it up and help them,

and this is why there has to be a better focus on the reality of the world in which we live in and

understand that there are many teenagers in this world depressed and many miss the chance to

help or dont realize that they are depressed. Treatment can help but also family and friends can

impact there cure and will help save their lives to a better future to have them be rescued from

the dark pit there stuck in. To release them from the life they no longer want to live in and it all

starts with understanding of how to help a teenager with depression. It defiantly isnt an easy

process it takes time but its all worth it at the end. Not only will this teenage child with

depression be grateful but will be a witness to others that they can overcome depression and be
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healed and be happy again and be able to live there life with a great beginning in life and no

longer look back to the pass but look forward to the future.

The first topic I would like to talk about that causes depression for teenagers is being

pregnant at such a young age between twelve and seventeen years of age. Sadly, sometimes as

teenagers we make poor choices or things just happen and being pregnant at a young age can be

overwhelming and stressful. Interesting information that I researched stated male partners

involved in teenage pregnancy have typically achieved a lower level of education, have higher

rates of unemployment, are more financially dependent, lower in socioeconomic status, have

more behavioral problems such as smoking, drinking and illicit drug use, have more

simultaneous sexual partners and sexually transmitted infections, engage in more aggressive

behavior and have more adverse early life experiences [312]. With that said it shares that a

huge impact is not only on the teenage pregnant women but also on the teenage father. It changes

their lives completely and leads them to depression because they give up, feel inadequate or cant

take the responsibility to take care for a child when let alone their children themselves.

Teenagers depend for help from family members and loved ones and even friends in these

situations. Its very helpful when a family member gives a helping hand with either letting them

stay in their home for cheap rent or even free. Then a friend who gives rides to doctor

appointments or even work to help provide for the child. There is a high percentage of teenage

pregnancies throughout the world in which causes a high risk of teenagers being depressed.

Some are fortunate to have family and friends who are willing to help but there are others that

dont have family and friends to help them and it takes them straight into a depression that is

hard to overcome. The government only does so much, there are food stamps, low income
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housing but its a long process and hard to receive at times. In which is why I share how teenage

pregnancies is one cause towards depression.

Secondly, family is a meaning of love and unity and people you grow up with throughout

your whole life and believe that they are your friends and people you depend on and who help

you. But for some teenagers it is not that way, they feel alone because of no communication

between their own families or feeling hated, no love, no support, and abandoned. It can defiantly

be hard growing up and not understand why your parents dont love you or siblings. It can be

hard to feel abandoned and not know who your family is. Even family problems cause an effect

on a teenager and lead them towards depression. The atmosphere of living in a home with

problems can become an overwhelming life for a teenager. Going to school and seeing their

friends with happy parents and a happy family and these teenagers comparing themselves to

them and asking why they dont have a happy family and happy parents. It can lead to bad

thoughts towards themselves, blaming themselves for not having a happy family and happy

parents. Truly, to be able to help a teenager with family problems is in reality a physiologist or

therapist. It takes someone professionally prepared to help this mental issues and giving the

advice or knowledge they need to feel better. Because in most cases when a teenager has

depression they reach out to the ones they love and friends, but when they are not there for them

they need the professional help. Treatment and session throughout a period of time and even a

family session could help develop a better communication and love and unity as a family.

Sometimes someone has to break the chain and be examples and begin somewhere and start

something new. Because it can be that families who have problems can be passed on from

previous parents and so forth. Many dont see that it causes depression towards teenagers but it

does because mentally damaged their feelings and words can also mentally create depression on
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a teenager. Its hard to forget the words your own family members who you believe are your

family say hurtful things that stay mentally in our thoughts about them. Or even actions like

being rude and heartless can lead the teenager to think many bad things about themselves and

about their own family. It could ruin their meaning of what they think a family really is and start

a domino effect to where when they have their children and it affects them too.

Thirdly, being sexual abused is a hard topic for a teenager that has been affected by it.

Its also a process to overcome and takes a lot of professional help. On my research I read on

adolescences Vol.38 No. 152, winter 2003, by Libra publishers stated before the age of 14, to

have had three or more sexual partners in the last 3 months, and to have had a history or sexually

transmitted diseases. Furthermore, many teenagers who are affected in being sexually abused

make an impact in their life forever. Potentially getting sexually transmitted diseases like HIV

and that can cause death. In this world there is also a high percentage or rape and sexual abusive

to young teenagers male or women. Sexual abuse mentally and physical affects a teenager

forever. Sadly to say, it happens between families and friends and people they barley even know.

Many teenagers are told to stay quiet and keep these secrets from anyone and it continues to

happen and it takes them straight to depression because there sacred to say anything. Sexual

abused teenagers are sometimes threatened if they anything or hurt even more physically. What

is helpful is for parents to talk to their children before hand and teach them what is right and

wrong when someone else touches them or does physically things to them. Also, what to do in

those cases, for example to shout for help to not keep secrets and not be afraid. Family should

always be there for their teenager and help them overcome this depression. It would be hard for

the parents to think what there teenager went through. Treatment and session with professional
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would best help a teenager who is sexually abused and help them with their depression and

sexual life.

To continue, the fourth cause that I choose that causes depression is being bullied. Many

teenagers in school at work in their neighborhood are bullied. It could be there sex change of

them liking there same sex. Can also be there weight, skin color, height, the way they look,

literally any bully out there could find the simplest thing on a teenager to just bully them. Being

bullied creates a different world for a teenager. It can affect them physically, emotionally and

mentally and leads them to depression. Having a teenager have to put up with their bully can not

only lead them to depression but to suicidal thoughts because they cant take it anymore. Bullies

sometimes come from them being bullied as well and get revenge on bulling some else. As I read

in my research Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 42(4), 454466, 2013,

said, here were no sex differences in the effects from adjustment to same- or other-sex

victimization. Boys and girls combined, the effects from adjustment to samovars us other-sex

victimization. Meaning that boys and girls are equally bullied, it could be physically being

bullied getting hit or kicked, verbally being told things and that are hurtful or even being made

fun of all the time where people are always just laughing at them. Being bullied is truly a cause

to being depressed. Not feeling good enough, being called certain leads to believe that is what

they are. It takes teachers to defend and put stop to bullies. Sometimes the teenage victims speak

up and nothing is done for them. Families and schools need to enforce more protection towards

there students and teenagers. Because this can easily be prevented, actions just have to take place

and have someone always visualize and watch out for any type of bulling and stopping it.

Because a teenager who is depressed from being bullied can only take so much they do not

deserve to have to put up with a bully.

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Lastly, Anxiety is another cause for depression the meaning of anxiety is feeling uneased,

nervous, scared, troubled, not confident and overwhelmed or a feeling of worry. These feelings

pile up and create depression to where its hard for a teenager to speak up. Mentally they feel

defenseless. It also comes from being told they are wrong, being embarrassed by something they

said, having fears and not knowing the outcome. Their mind can only take so much

understanding and its to a point where they freeze and either shut everyone out or melts down.

To help a teenager with depression or anxiety is being there for them, motivating them to believe

in themselves to remind them who they are and help their self-esteem. Creates a strength for

them to overcome the anxiety that is taking over there life. Family and friends is a key to the

help, people who surround them every day will be a process to not having anxiety.

In conclusion to my argument, the causes to teenage depression are a process to

overcome but through the help of family and friends they can overcome it. Depression can be

preventable if theres more enforcement on bullies, sexual abuse creating more training on

teachers and parents. Having schools share more what depression is and how to prevent it and

what to do when a loved one or friend is depressed. No teenager wants to be depressed forever

the secretly inside want help and that help needs to be everywhere. Furthermore, depression is

everywhere throughout the world, it can happened mentally, physically, emotionally. Being a

teenage father or mother is hard, growing up in a troubled family is not easy, and being sexually

abused can turn a teenagers life around. Being bullied and affect a teenager in so many ways

and it can lead to anxiety as well, this things need to stop. Depression is feelings of severe

despondency and dejection. A teenager can face depression but also face a new start in life a

bright look about their life and no longer stay in silent when their suffering severely inside of

them. Teenagers deserve a happy and good life too.

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WORK CITED

Quinlivan, Julie A. and John Condon. "Anxiety and Depression in Fathers in Teenage

Pregnancy." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 39, no. 10, Oct. 2005,

pp. 915-920. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/j.1440-1614.2005.01664.x.

Buzi, Ruth S., et al. "The Impact of a History of Sexual Abuse on High-Risk Sexual Behaviors

among Females Attending Alternative Schools." Adolescence, vol. 38, no. 152,

Winter2003, pp. 595-605. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=12547137&site=ehost-live.

Sainio, Miia, et al. "Being Bullied by Same- Versus Other-Sex Peers: Does It Matter for Adolescent Victims?." Journal

of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, vol. 42, no. 4, Jul/Aug2013, pp. 454-466. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1080/15374416.2013.769172.