“You’re just a child you haven’t been through anything that could make you depressed.”

“It’s your hormones changing.”

“It’s just a phase, you’ll be over this in a few days.”

“It probably has to do with a boy/girl, they’ll be okay in a few days.”

“You’re being a dramatic teenager.”

“You’re not old enough to have any real problems.”

“Stop trying to get attention”

“Quit letting things bother you”

Did you know that 70% of adolescents have some type of depressive disorder by the age of 18?

Adolescents are constantly being told they’re too young for depression, but mental illness doesn’t discriminate on age, sex, race, gender, or ethnicity. Adolescent Depression is just as important as Adult Depression. Depression isn’t caused by experience or maturity, however, it can be caused by something we have no control over, like brain chemistry.

Teenage Suicide is the third leading cause of death in youth ages 10-24 in the U.S. That means that every 100 minutes a teen commits suicide. Those are innocent lives that deserved more time and help. Those lives could’ve changed the world, had we saved them.

Teenagers are supposed to enjoy high school and go to dances. They’re supposed to make friends and have fun. Children and young adults are not supposed to die.

As a society, we need help our youth and notice the warning signs of depression.

Warning signs of depression:

• Feelings of hopelessness or feeling empty
• Being very angry or irritable, even at little things
• Losing interest in activities that you used to enjoy
• Having issues sleeping or even sleeping too much
• Weight loss or Weight gain without reason
• Loss of energy
• Problems with memory
• Trouble concentrating
• Suicidal thoughts or thinking about death

If you or someone you know are experiencing any of these symptoms please speak out, talk to your parents or an adult you trust. People are here to help. There are resources that can help those dealing with depression, like online chats, Text, and Phone Crisis Hotlines, and Doctors. However, some crisis chats will not talk to users under the age of 18.

This is a big problem when a teen is in distress and they get turned away from an online chat that is supposed to help you. Thankfully the Texting Crisis Hotline was designed to help teens that were fearful of actually talking.

Where to find help:

• Go to a parent, trusted adult, or a doctor.
• Call the Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Text “HOME” or “START” to 741741
• Go to http://chat.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx
• Go to https://www.imalive.org/index.php
• Call 911 if you are thinking about suicide or need medical attention

The youth of today are the adults of the future, please don’t let them be consumed by depression.