Depression in Teenagers

Running Head: Depression and Suicide
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DEPRESSION IN TEENAGERS
Student’s name
Course
University
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Depression and Suicide
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Abstract
The main intention of this methodical review is to critically assess the current evidence regarding
use of depression screening tool in the adolescent population to help achieve this goal the author
posed this PICO question: in teenagers aged 12-18 years, is the use of a screening tool for
Depression compared to the usual standard of care, more accurate in detecting Depression?
Results of this, as well as screening recommendations and implications for practice, are
presented here.
Introduction
Background to the clinical topic
Depression is a severe condition that affects physical and mental health. However, in many
cases, it is overlooked or misdiagnosed (Zhao, Qi et al., 2015). Many people are suffering from
Depression, but it is difficult to know because they mask it up. Depression is as well common to
older adults, and it is a constant feeling of sadness and loss of interest, which affects their daily
routine activities(Ypsilanti, Lazuras, Powell& Overton, 2019). Depression can stop people from
doing their job well, studying, looking after their families, and themselves.
Suicide is the act of killing or taking one’s own life intentionally and deliberately due to stress,
and mostly mental illness(Campos & Holden, 2015). It is caused mainly by Depression or other
mental illness. Identification and treatment of teenage Depression is a national health priority.
Discussion
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Depression and Suicide
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Causes and treatment
According to Villanti, Johnson et al., (2017) student’s mental health, Depression is the most
significant risk factor for suicide, with thoughts for death a symptom of Depression preceding
most attempts while self-injurious behaviors like cutting or burning are sometimes precursors to
death, they are qualitatively different from suicide attempts. Majoring on teens, youth suicide is
considered one of the main problems (Twenge, Joiner, Rogers & Martin, 2018). Depression is
one of the leading root causes of death among youth today. Suicide in our youth today is an
issue; we need to understand the factors and reasons that impact our youth today. Trying to
comprehend youth suicide is complicated .in order to reach our youth today, we must be
conscious of what the teenagers are experiencing and going through as individuals. We have to
be able to speak their language and relate to them.
In agreement to the centers for disease control and prevention the suicide rates for males children
aged 15-19 years increased from 12.0 to 18.1 per 100,000 population from 1975 to 1990,
declined to 10.8 by 2007, and then increased 31 percent to 14.2 by 2015.the rate in 2015 for
males was still lower than the peak rates in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s the MDD is slightly
common in girls than in boys (Scott, 2016). The pace is also higher in members of minorities.
Despite increased awareness about Depression in teens and this mental disorder continues to go
unrecognized as well as untreated (Furnham, Ritchie& Lay, 2016)
The article suggested that in this generation teenagers are the ones mainly affected by Depression
and it’s hard to realize because they are overlooked and thought to possibly not having things in
their mind that can cause stress that leads to Depression this is because they are children and
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Depression and Suicide
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parents or guardians provide them with everything they need and they possibly didn't have to
worry on how to pay for their houses or any bills whatsoever .however this is the group that has
to be cared for and protected because they commit suicide due to depressions. According to a
survey carried out in New York, most patients who commit suicide, they are linked with
psychiatric disorders, mood disorders, untreated Depression, drug-induced disorders and also a
family history of depressions and drug abuse (Thomson, 2018).
Evaluations of comprehensive sex education and HIV/STI prevention programs show that they
do not increase rates of sexual initiation, do not lower the age at which youth initiate sex, and do
not increase the frequency of sex or the number of sex partners among sexually active youth.
(Aaltonen, Isometsä, Sund& Pirkola,2019) When appropriately discussed, mental health issues
and suicide will not increase, similar to discussing sex education. Paulo Freire was a leading
Brazilian philosopher who advocated for critical pedagogy. One of his signature concepts was
promoting the importance of dialogue. Students need to be actively engaged in meaningful
conversation to overcome oppression on the issue at hand. With proper training, appropriate
mental health services applied by professionals, and counseling, we can make a meaningful
difference and save the lives of our children who are struggling. Freire believed in learning as a
process of inquiry, rather than just merely depositing information into the minds of his students.
A feminist philosophical model also supports empowering the student and discussing Depression
and suicide: "Students learn how to find connections between their needs and the needs of
others." It acknowledges all perspectives, recognizes the students' voices, and the feminist
philosophy is student-centered. Feminist philosophy is centered on relationship building,
encouraging students to learn from one another, caring for one another, and inclusion of all
voices. Students construct the curriculum based upon their life experiences and awareness of
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