4 Troubled Teens Blog

Randy Cameron was shocked, as was his whole family, when his teenaged niece committed suicide. Even though she struggled with depression, no one thought suicide was a possibility.

"Teens possess a lack of, or inadequate, coping skills in handling depression, MacDonald said. In her profession, she sees 16-year-olds living the lives of 20-year-olds. They may be going to school, but they are working jobs and in relationships... It's a difficult task to get teens to admit their own feelings..."

Joyce MacDonald is a high school counselor who has seen her share of troubled teens. She emphasizes the important of recognizing the signs of depression, like a sudden change in grades or mood. Source: Leduc Representative

Labels: depression, treatment_programs, symptoms

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Some studies have found that teenagers, more than any other age group, are prone to chronic depression and suicide. Parents should know the risks and signs of depression in teens.

“Chronic depression has been shown to be at least partially genetic. Depression is a chemical condition. When an individual is depressed, their brain fails to produce certain chemicals that would normally allow for a happier state of mind. These chemicals are controlled by structures in the brain that are passed down the family line.” [Source: Jacksonville Parenting Examiner]

In addition, women are more prone to depression than men; especially severe depression. Other factors include a child’s personality (how does she handle stress?) and stressful life events like the death of a loved one or even a poor test grade.

Labels: suicide, depression, symptoms

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 2 Comments