Teenage Depression - Epidemic or overblown?

[Felch]

I know that I have a bunch of friends that are constantly bummed out, no matter what the circumstances. It's really odd for me to find someone who is happy more than they are depressed.

For some it's worse because they know they have nothing to be upset about, and end up feeling like their depression is their own fault. I really wish I could help, but all I can do is smoke them up, and help them feel better for a little bit.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Evil Knevil
Well, let me put it to the doubter's everywhere:

3/4 of those that commit suicide are by definition, medically depressed. The remainder are schizophrenic or otherwise compelled.

In the UK suicide is about the 6th most common cause of death (more like 5th in Scotland, where I live).

This is an important issue.

From the article:

Without treatment, depressed adolescents are at high risk for school failure, social isolation, promiscuity, “self-medication” with drugs or alcohol, and suicide—now the third leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds. “The earlier the onset, the more people tend to fall away developmentally from their peers,” says Dr. David Brent, professor of child psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. “If you become depressed at 25, chances are you’ve already completed your education and you have more resources and coping skills. If it happens at 11, there’s still a lot you need to learn, and you may never learn it.” Early untreated depression also increases a youngster’s chance of developing more severe depression as an adult as well as bipolar disease and personality disorders.

[Shi Huangdi]

Depression is a serious disease. Signs of it at any age have to be taken seriously..

[Al B. Sure!]

I think teenage depression is legit and should be dealt with in some cases. I personally know several people who had attempted suicide. For example, one had tried to do it after constant failures with women... because his father always beat his mother and his father was abusive to him, he just couldnt take it anymore. That **** built up and added to failures with women he just gave up. many people would have turned to drugs, but he was too moralistic to smoke up so he attempted suicide and failed but he lives on...

A lot of times, however, the depressed are the rich crackers in the suburbs whining about their parents being all involved in their lives... "My parents want me to get a good education and I don't want to. I don't want them to care anymore! I hate them!" Let these ungrateful bastards die


thanks

[Asher]

The people with chronic depression tend to have it due to chemical imbalances, not because they've had a tough life -- it doesn't matter how much money they have. Money can't buy happiness and all.

What you described is rebellion, not depression.

[Evil Knevil]

God, I think Speer's maybe taken a few too many blows to the head....

Asher, the percentage of those that commit suicide only declines slightly with age (up until about 40 when it declined rapidly) rather other causes for death (heart disease, etc) simply start to take their toll.

Of course stats don't mean that much, just that depression is a very serious condition.

[Al B. Sure!]

Chemical inbalance!

Great let's listen to the damn scientists with their crazy theories! Your girlfriend dumps you, you're going to be sad! Your mind realizes something bad happens and it acts accordingly... maybe chemo-biologically your subconscious or conscious releases chemicals to sustain the sadness but it's still logical. Something good happens and your logically feel happy.

This whole talk about chemical inbalances is garbage. It's just the scientist and doctor's excuse for suggesting people to spend thousands of a dollars on their crazy mind-altering drugs.


thanks

[Boris Godunov]

Speaking of drugs, it appears Speer forgot to take his today...

[Asher]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
This whole talk about chemical inbalances is garbage. It's just the scientist and doctor's excuse for suggesting people to spend thousands of a dollars on their crazy mind-altering drugs.

****ing moron.

How do you explain the dramatic improvements people have to SSRI and the like if it doesn't have to do with chemical balances?

You have no idea what you're talking about, Speer, go outside and play with your guns.

There are different types of depression. There's the kind that you get when your girlfriend breaks up with you and you've lived a hard life, there's the bipolar people (has to do with chemicals), and then there's the chronically depressed -- forget the word, D-something) which is also mainly due to chemical balances.

[Al B. Sure!]

Asher:

I just said... something bad happens to you and your logically and consciously feel sad. Your subconscious releases chemicals to sustain that feeling... just like you can be consciously angry then your body automatically releases testoserone and adrenaline which makes you even angrier.

What these drugs do are hamper these chemicals. They blunt out these emotions...

it's ****ed up to think how many depressed people are drugged up by the ****ing psyciatrists who don't give a damn about solving the REAL source problems.


thanks

[Evil Knevil]

SSRI's are only 10-30% effective in cases of clinical depression. The combined norepinephrine +seratonin treatments tend to be more effective (Mooney, 1985 Breedlove 1996).
Still better than the old MAO treatments.

Does anybody feel like talking rationally and scientifically about this sort of thing, i.e bringing it up to the next level?

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Albert Speer


What these drugs do are hamper these chemicals. They blunt out these emotions...

Anti-Depressants don't blunt anything. The RAISE seratonin levels in the brain back to normal levels. They aren't narcotics.

Decreased seratonin levels are usually the result of physiological problems, not psychological. Depression resulting from such an imbalance is indeed a medical issue that is treatable with drugs.

Jeez, how many things can you get wrong in one day?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
Asher:

I just said... something bad happens to you and your logically and consciously feel sad.

But that's not how it works for many people. Do you not get that, or what? Depressions aren't caused by "traumatic" events for many people...take bipolar people for example.

SSRI's are only 10-30% effective in cases of clinical depression.

Aren't most clinical depressions caused by stuff like breaking off longterm relationships?

[Al B. Sure!]

Asher:

Great let's all accept this theory that human beings NEED drugs because they are incapable of stable emotion...

why did we have no such problems for centuries?

[Evil Knevil]

Go on, demand I rip into him. I can see 7 faults in his last post alone...

go on...

Clinical depression can be caused by many things, phreniform depressions(i.e a single lifetime episode) are commonly caused by breakups, etc.