Teen Depression

I love teenagers. They help me to stay real. They are fun-loving, brutally honest, want to be accepted, live for today, and experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Unfortunately the lows can be serious. I am not a depression expert and have no expertise in diagnoses of teen depression, but I know that every teen gets depressed sometime. Teendepression.org reports that 20% of all teenagers will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood; 10-15% will have some symptons of depression at any one time; and 5% are suffering from a major depression.

Of course, the key is to be able to understand your teen's depression, its seriousness and be able to help them. In my 20-plus years of teaching high school, I have determined four sources of depression in teenagers: 1.) an identity crisis, 2.) too much to do, 3.) too little to do, and 4.) life crises.

Identity Crisis
Sister Susan W. Tanner said it best at the March 2007 General Young Women's meeting,
"Youth often experience an identity crisis, wondering who they really are. The teenage years are also a time of what I describe as “identity theft,” meaning that worldly ideas, philosophies, and deceits confuse us, buffet us, and seek to rob us of the knowledge of our true identity.
One very good young woman said to me, “Sometimes I am not sure who I am. I don’t feel Heavenly Father’s love. My life seems hard. Things are not turning out the way I wanted, hoped, and dreamed they would.” What I said to her I now say to young women everywhere: I know unequivocally that you are a daughter of God. He knows you, He loves you, and He has a plan for you. I know this is a message Heavenly Father wants me to share with you." (Susan W. Tanner, "Daughters of Heavenly Father", Ensign, May 2007)

When your teen is having an identity crisis or an episode of "identity theft", scripture chase! During a Young Women Open House, Sis. Julie B. Beck and Sis. Elaine Dalton asked young women leaders to call out scriptures that could be used to testify to youth of their identity. Leaders called out: Romans 8:16-17, Abraham 3:22-23, Doctrine & Covenants 138:38-39 and so on. Get on your knees and ask for help, get your kids into the scriptures and invite the Holy Ghost to testify to your children of their identity and worth.

Too Much to Do
The next most common cause for depression was too much to do. Some teenagers are trying to do it all. (Does that sound like anyone you might know?) Kids seem like they are juggling everything just fine and then suddenly, all the balls are on the ground and the juggler is crying, sad, withdrawn and/or angry. Home, school, homework, work, extracurricular activities, Mutual, etc. Are your kids overscheduling themselves? Are you overscheduling them? Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "But not everything...is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best." "Men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25) and Satan would like nothing better than for our teenagers to be so busy that they are miserable.

Too Little to Do
Just as teenagers can be too busy, they might not be busy enough. Again the scriptures give us sound doctrine and direction "Cease to be idle" (Doctrine & Covenants 88:124); "Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them" (Doctrine & Covenants 58:27-28). The power does reside in them! There are many things that teenagers can and should be doing: helping with home responsibilities, fulfilling church callings, working in Personal Progress and Duty to God, helping the neighbors, serving their siblings.

Our Heavenly Father also taught Adam that "in the sweat of they face shalt thou eat bread." (Genesis 3:19) Work is good for us and is a crucial part of learning in this estate. In this day and age, finding meaningful work for our children is challenging, but they need it. President Ezra Taft Benson said, "Work is our blessing, not our doom." (Ensign, March 1987)

Life Crises
Life crises in teenagers have a wide range, from a bad hair day to the death of a loved one. However, it doesn't take a major crisis for your teen to experience depression. Remember that their perspective is their reality and work to understand and learn from their point of view. Does having a crisis followed by one or more depressive behaviors help them get your attention or get their way? Or is your teenager experiencing a deep, long-lasting depression that is debilitating, regardless of your attention. Don't hesitate to get professional help. Just as you would seek out medical help for a child with a broken limb, seek help for less visible mental or emotional ones.

Teens suffering from depression are 30% more likely to develop substance abuse problems, engage in risky sexual behaviors, have trouble in relationships, have poor health and are 12% more likely to commit suicide. The following websites are excellent resources.

http://www.teendepression.org/articles3.html

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_teen.htm

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html

In Alma 26, Ammon reviews his recent missionary experiences among the Lamanites where thousands were converted and became the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, the mothers and fathers of the 2000 stripling warriors. He remembers the difficulty at that time, "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold the Lord comforted us, and said; Go amongst thy brethern the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

I testify that you and your teen are on the brink of something amazing in your lives. The Lord will comfort you as you bear with patience this affliction and that the Lord will give you greater success than you could ever know.