Depression is an umbrella term for a wide range of disorders. Teenage depression can be defined as "a serious mental disorder in which a person suffers long periods of sadness and other negative feelings." Depression affects five in every one hundred teens each year. Thirty to forty-four billion dollars is spent on treating depression yearly.

In March 2001, Teen People published an article called "Surviving Depression" Several teens were interviewed and talked about how having depression affected their lives. Many of the teens interviewed talked about similar symptoms they had which led them to be diagnosed with depression. Some symptoms were loss of sleep, loss of appetite and feeling sad or angry for long periods of time. Researchers say that the loss of a close family member or friend, having a health condition, being under a lot of stress at home or in school, breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or a parent's divorce can lead to teenage depression. Some psychiatrists think that the imbalance of chemicals in the brain has something to do with depression as well.

Many teens that suffer from depression are likely to try and hurt others or themselves. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people ages fifteen to twenty-five. Some facts about suicide include, "most suicides occur in the home between three P.M. and midnight. " Nearly 5,000 teenagers commit suicide yearly. Four times as many males complete suicide then females, and females attempt suicide twice as frequently as males."

"When it happens you may think, ' I have known this person for so long, I should have seen it coming.' That's not true. If a friend is talking about ending their life, please take it seriously" says a column published by "Rant Magazine" 80% of teens who kill themselves have left clues about their problems. Some important clues to watch out for are: withdrawal from friends and family, loss of interest in school or outside activities, loss of concentration in school and feeling as if life is no longer worth living.

The umbrella term of depression includes many disorders, which affect teens. Anorexia, and bulimia are eating disorders that are fueled by depression and poor self-image. As many as 8,000,000 people in the United States suffer from eating disorders, and 90% of them are women. Eating disorders can start at any age, but some disorders can start as young as the age of eight.

A simple definition of anorexia is " a significant weight loss resulting from excessive dieting." Researchers say that an estimated 10 to 20% of teens will eventually die from anorexia. Teens that suffer from anorexia and other eating disorders, sometimes strive for perfection. Most of them "feel" fat when in reality only weigh 80-90 pounds. Teens are trying to live up to the "American Beauty Queen" standards, which in most cases is impossible for the average female teen to live up to. Therefore, she becomes depressed. Men also suffer from eating disorders and depression but in much smaller numbers than females. Teens are especially open to poor self- image and depression because they are still figuring out who they are.

Another example of an eating disorder that is related to depression is Bulimia, also known as binge eating. People with bulimia consume large amounts of food at a time, and then vomit or take laxatives to remove the food from their body. Individuals with bulimia may feel out of control while binging, followed by feelings of guilt. Teens use binge eating to hide their feelings of poor self worth and depression and use food as a form of comfort.

Today doctors are better at recognizing the signs of depression. More treatments have opened up in the medical world. Some of those treatments include anti-depressant drugs, psychotherapy and "self-help therapies." Exercise is an example of a self-help therapy. When people exercise it lets out your bodies "feel good" chemical called endorphin. Another self-help therapy is eating a balanced diet and getting lots of sleep. Psychotherapy can also help some recover from depression. "Psychotherapy means talking about your feelings with a professional who can help you change the relationships, thoughts, or behaviors that contribute to depression."

Some examples of antidepressants are Monoamine oxidize inhibitors also known as MAOI's, and Tricyclin antidepressants also known as TCA's. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are used when a person does not get effective help from another form of treatment. MAOI's aren't used as much now because patients have to follow a special diet that cuts out many important foods that a body needs to function. Tricyclin antidepressants are used most frequently when treating depression. A down side to Tricyclin antidepressants is that they have dangerous side effects including sleepiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, and weight gain. This drug is also the most dangerous when overdosed. All antidepressants whether they be Monoamine antidepressants or Tricyclic antidepressants all have to be taken for at least a week or two before they begin to show improvement in patients with depression. Because side effects may show before the medication beings to work, some patients stop taking the drug before if has chance to take effect. 70% of patients taking antidepressants have recovered from depression, and 30% do not respond to the medication. It is vital that patients continue to take their medication even after they don't feel depressed. There is a 50% chance that a patient will become depressed again within the first six months that the medication is stopped.

Maybe there is more depression now because teens are on the "treadmill" to achieve success in looks, school, and life at an earlier age. Depression is affecting people at younger ages than it was two years ago. Feeling alone, angry and sad should never be a problem. There is help for teens with depression. New medications and therapies are being used successfully. More caring adults, and better adult role models would give teens a more realistic look at themselves. Not every teen is a size two, tall and skinny, and not every teen is athletic, strong, and built. There is hope for teens with depression.