Depression and Suicide in Adolescents: Causes, Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies

This essay discusses the causes, risk factors and prevention strategies for depression and suicide in adolescents. It covers the impact of nature, nurture and cultural factors on depression and suicide. It also suggests primary preventive strategies for adolescent patients suffering from depression and suicide.

Running head: DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
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1DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
PART- 1
Life span expansion is influenced by different factors such as psychological well-being,
sickness, and health. There are four major stages of life-span development namely infancy,
juvenile, adolescence and old age according to Warwick.ac.uk 2019. These life cycles reflect
the various stages that a human being will go through. The phase of development divides the
life cycle in nine distinct stages namely prenatal progress, toddlerhood and infancy, initial
infantile, middle juvenile, early maturity, mid adulthood, old age and death (Warwick.ac.uk
2019). This essay will focus on the adolescence life span. Adolescence is that phase of the
life cycle where a child undergoes dramatic mental and physical change with sexual
development termed as puberty, which include growth in height, body hair development,
breast development in girls and development of testis and enlargement of penis in boys
(Bbc.co.uk 2019). Adolescents are very vulnerable in nature as they are not matured enough
to differentiate between situations and often end up taking a wrong decision. This vulnerable
behaviour is triggered due to a biological cause. In adolescent brain the decision-making
ability is not fully developed, and often develops during, which initial adulthood leads to
wrong choices (ABC News 2019). This essay will discuss a health issue faced by this age
group (adolescence) which is depression and suicide (Kroning and Kroning 2016).
Adolescence is also termed as the teenager phase of life where a child goes through a
drastic change in both physical and mental aspect (Who.int 2019). Parents can also face a
stressful time while handling adolescent’s as they have to deal with their many new emotions
and feelings and adjust to these. Divorce and separation of parents, major health issue or
illness, harm to any family members or close ones, demise of any family member, and
disorders faced by the child themselves are all major life events, which can also effect the
health and well-being of the adolescents (Cumbria.gov.uk 2019). These events leads to a high
degree of stress and difficulties among the adolescence often making them appear stubborn

2DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
and as they find it difficult to communicate these problems. In adolescence, the child
becomes more desirable and the danger for behavioural and emotional fluctuation due to their
immaturity and undeveloped brain. Adolescents cannot always handle such mental pressure
and stress and thus can result in substance abuse and misuse, alcoholism, and other different
means of harming themselves and destroying their life, which often lead to death.
This essay will discuss on a major health problem faced by the adolescence namely
depression and suicide. As adolescence is the most vulnerable age of the life cycle and they
tend to undergo mental stress very often. 75% of the adolescents are suffering from
depression under which few are still untreated and unrecognized according to (Rodway et al.
2016). Untreated depression can be due to many reasons such as educational stress, poor
health condition which leads to a negative future outcome like bad health and unemployment.
Some adolescence who may be depressed can attempt suicide as they may not discuss with
any one or have anyone to talk to and take the decision themselves. The major reason of
depression in adolescence according to Who.int 2019 are environmental stressors, which
includes parental stress for educational success, family flexibility, drugs availability, and peer
stress results to depression and suicide. Some adolescents commit suicide due to peer stress,
mental immaturity and due to lack of emotive bonding and interaction and social media
influence, which is very common in this age of lifespan (Who.int 2019).
Thousands are people are affected in UK and end their lives by comitting suicide. In
2017, there was more than 6000 cases of suicide in UK which means that in every two hours
one person commits suicide. The Millennium Cohort Study conducted a survey test-using
questionnaire, for the age group of 14 years suffering with metal stress or depression (Mental
Health Foundation 2019). The result interpreted that acute anxiety and depression were the
leading cause of death in both boys and girls of age group 14, which is considered as the
adolescent’s life span. 12% and 18% of boys and girls respectively died due to emotional

3DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
stress and depression. Various risk factors are underlined for adolescents to commit suicide
due to mental stress and depression such as social isolation, drug abuse, history of trauma and
family breakdown. In a survey, it was observed that 32% of adolescents who were suffering
from depression had felt suicidal stress and self-harm with 2% of the population committing
suicide on second attempt (nhs.uk 2019). A cohort study was conducted in UK where
children and parents both were involved in the survey using questionnaires approach to find
out the main reason of suicide in the population. Emotional symptoms were the major reason
including 12% of boys and 18% of girls hence, concluding that high level of depressive
symptoms were the major cause of death including boys and girls (Cumbria.gov.uk 2019).
Depression is considered as the most communal practice of psychopathology. The
nature and nurture have a crucial impact on depression and suicide. Nature is considered as
the inherited impact, which is influenced by biological factors and genetic inheritance. While
nurture is considered as, the external or acquired factors (Sasaki and Kim 2017). Diathesis-
strain theory of depression states that genetic problem interrelates with negative lifespan
experiences leading to depression (Sigfusdottir et al. 2016). Dopamine neurotransmitter play
an important role in risk of depression among adolescent. Neurotransmitter in the brain
controls the communication power of an individual and a slight imbalance in this chemicals
result in effects of depression and other emotional stress. Nurture or external environmental
problems such as experiences, learning and outcomes play an important role in depression.
The heredity and environmental factors do not function individually instead, both the factors
are required to trigger the health issue of depression and suicide. An adolescent with single
father or rejecting mother as the nurture factor and a specific form of dopamine transporter
gene as the nature factor are the major risk for depression and suicidal ideation (Sigfusdottir
et al. 2016). The adolescent suffering from these two factors are at a high risk of depression
and eventually commit suicide as the only option. A journal published in Psychological

4DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
Science, was among the first journal to support the concept of dopamine related gene as the
cause of depression. Culture and traditions is considered as the major characteristic of health
issue. Ethno medical studies suggested that cultural factors are linked with the onset of
depression and suicide. The word culture is influenced by certain factors such as gender, age,
cast, creed, country of habitation, place of foundation and education. In few cultures, visiting
a psychologist for depression is culturally unacceptable and such people deal with somatic
symptoms known as severe depression (Shafi and Shafi 2014). In some cultures, the family
members neglect the symptoms, effect of depression as it is not widely accepted by some
people and as result, the individual commits suicide. Hence, in this way nature, nurture and
cultural factor influence the development of depression and mental health issue and
increasing the rate of suicide among such individuals (Zahn et al. 2015).
The different stages of lifespan and the effect of depression on adolescent ultimately
leading to suicidal attempt is also discussed. From the above study, it was evident that the
genetic or natural factor with an environmental trigger plays an important role in depression
and suicide. The nurture factors such as separation of parents or death if any parent often
leads to depression in adolescent, which effects the dopamine neurotransmitter of increasing
the risk of depression. The nature, nurture and cultural factors have a combined impact on
depression as different people from different cultural background have an individual
perspective on depression and consulting a psychologist for betterment of the patient. Hence,
it was evident that these factors do have a strong influence on the health issue of depression
and suicide majorly in adolescent group of lifespan.
PART 2
To prevent onset of disease in early life, researchers have come up with different
theory-based anticipation involvements for different stages of life cycle. These life-cycle

5DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
health prevention strategies include early stage of life (such as infant mortality and
prevention of drug exploitation during pregnancy); childhood prevention strategies (such as
obesity and psychological health problem); adolescence (such as drug abuse and depression
and suicide); early adulthood (such as sexual assault and sexual misbehaviour); late
adulthood (like prevention of substance use) (D’Arcy and Meng 2014). Interventions are
developed with primary focus on minimizing risk of the health issue with certain protective
factors to achieve short-term and long-term outcomes. Complementary modality method is a
non-pharmacological therapy provided to an individual for health prevention and promotion
(nccih.nih.gov 2019). A group of scientist are investigating the practice of complementary
and integrative method for health promotion. National Centre for Complementary and
Integrative Health (NCCIH) supported this approach for enhancing the efficacy and
effectiveness of health promotion and disease deterrence approaches (nccih.nih.gov 2019).
This essay will focus on different approaches for health prevention and promotion in case of
depression and suicide in adolescence. The adolescence stage of life cycle is concentrated in
this essay with the most common health issue faced by this group of people of depression and
suicide.
The primary preventive strategies suggested for adolescent patient suffering from
depression and suicide is as follows (Asarnow and Miranda 2014):
Problem Primary prevention Rationale
Adolescence hopelessness
correlated to stress
The prevention strategy for
the problem is as follows:
a) The adolescent should try
to open up and explore the
feelings and emotions.
b) The adolescent should
actively participate in self-
The rationale considered for
the intervention are:
a) Ability to express the
feelings will help the patient
to boot out of sadness,
loneliness and hopelessness.
b) The self-care activity will

6DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
care activities with routines
to control the feelings and
emotions.
c) If require anti-depressant
medicine should be used.
help the patient to sense
more under control.
c) Antidepressants can be
used for a better outcome.
Inadequate individual
coping skills with lack of
social support
The prevention strategy of
the problem is as follows:
a) Effective and positive
coping strategies should be
taught to the adolescent in
school through campaigns
and workshops like
relaxation and guided
imagery.
b) The adolescent should
learn to recognize family
members and friends with
positive support from the
parents.
The rationale considered for
the intervention are:
a) To substitute the negative
thoughts with positive
thoughts and beliefs,
therapeutic technique can be
used.
b) Assisting the adolescent,
to be more aware of the
concerned and supportive
nature of the family
members and friends.
Inadequate Nutrition: loss of
appetite leading to
depression
The prevention strategy of
the problem is as follows:
a) Nutritious food or calorie
rich food must be consumed
by the adolescent, as it is the
age to grow as well.
b) Drinks rich in minerals,
calories and vitamins should
be consumed.
c) The adolescent must take
up physical activity to stay
fit.
The rationale considered for
the intervention are:
a) Encourage the adolescent
to consume nutritional food.
b) Consumption of drinks is
considered as a convenient
method for maintaining
hydration and electrolytic
balance.
c) Appetite is stimulated by
physical activity.
The primary objective of the prevention strategy was to help the adolescents to think
and relate the interest concerning the future of the patient and helping the patient to
understand the mentality of their family members and friends and to easily communicate with
them about any issue. To increase the conversation ability of the patient with fellow members
and getting rid of the hesitation and objection leading to depression (Lybbert, Ryland and

7DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
Bean 2019). Helping the patient to release all mental stress and trauma, which can lead to
depression and suicide.
Social networking promotion approach is considered in this essay. In this modern era,
the power of social networking is abundant and powerful (Tsai 2018). Huge number of
youths and adolescents are indulged in social networks. Adolescents with symptoms of
depression should communicate with more and more people to get rid of the stress.
Considering an example, Facebook has the facility of reporting any suicidal comment or post
using report suicidal content link, which will immediately contact the person through email
and encourage them to communicate with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This in
turn can somewhere help the patient to find an alternative to their problem rather than
committing suicide (Goldbach et al. 2018). To evaluate if the strategy or intervention works
among the adolescents, a survey test is conducted among people of such age group
addressing all the possible problems that an adolescents can face to undergo depression and
stress that includes prejudice, contradicting shame, needs and bullying (Kuosmanen, Clarke
and Barry 2019). The result was analysed and accordingly different approaches were
considered to help such patients.
Ethics is a set of honourable principles and instructions, which is recognised for a
particular section of human actions or a group (Ford 2019). The ethical issue relating to the
adolescent psychotherapy has been addressed by various organizations worldwide. These set
of rules and guidelines bind the psychotherapist to provide quality care with appropriate
treatment approaches for adolescents. The ethical issue concerning the adolescent and their
family members for the best outcome is explained as follows (Hiriscau et al. 2016):
 Protecting the confidentiality of the adolescent communication.

8DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS
 Valuing the adolescent irrespective of their caste, creed, socio-economic status,
intellectual level, religion and education.
 Boundary violations is the major moral principles concerned in the psychological
health work.
 Protecting the maintained records of the patients with all required documentation.
In this essay, a detail insight was provided about the different stages of lifecycle and the
possible health promotion strategies for them. This essay mainly focused on the adolescent
stage of lifecycle and the major health problem suffered by that age group of depression and
suicide. Different nursing interventions were provided for depression and suicide with the
rationale approach for better care of such patients. The interventions mainly focused on the
solution for treating the causes of depression and suicide with all the effective strategies.
These strategies included treatment approach for hopelessness, unbalanced nutrition,
medication approach and enhancing communication among such people. The ethical issues
were also discussed highlighting the important issue to consider.

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Appendix:
Source: (Cumbria.gov.uk 2019)