There are multiple reasons why a teenager might become depressed. For example, teens can develop feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy over their grades. School performance, social status with peers, sexual orientation, or family life can each have a major effect on how a teen feels. Sometimes, teen depression may result from environmental stress. But whatever the cause, when friends or family -- or things that the teen usually enjoys -- don't help to improve his or her sadness or sense of isolation, there's a good chance that he or she has teen depression.

1. D E P R E S S I O N I N T E E N S
R I C H A R D B A T T I S TA

2. S Y M P T O M S O F D E P R E S S I O N A R I S E I N P E O P L E O F A L L
D I F F E R E N T S O C I O E C O N O M I C B A C K G R O U N D S , C U LT U R E S ,
A N D A G E S . A D O L E S C E N T S A N D T E E N S A R E N O T I M M U N E
T O I T, E S P E C I A L LY A S T H E Y A R E E X P E R I E N C I N G A R AT H E R

3. T E E N S R E Q U I R E G U I D A N C E F R O M T R U S T E D A D U LT S I N
O R D E R F O R T H E M T O TA K E A F I R M G R A S P O N T H E
E M O T I O N A L A N D P H Y S I C A L C H A N G E S T H E Y A R E G O I N G
T H R O U G H . M O S T I M P O R TA N T LY, T H E Y N E E D T O D E V E L O P A

4. D E S P I T E B E S T E F F O R T S A N D E M O T I O N A L S U P P O R T, T E E N S
C A N A N D W I L L B E C O M E D E P R E S S E D . T E E N S B E C O M E M O R E
S U S C E P T I B L E T O D E P R E S S I O N A S A R E S U LT O F A FA M I LY
H I S T O RY O F D E P R E S S I O N , U N AV O I D A B L E L I F E E V E N T S , A N D

5. I F L E F T U N T R E AT E D , A L R E A D Y- S E R I O U S D E P R E S S I O N C A N
B E C O M E L I F E - T H R E AT E N I N G , T H E R E F O R E I T ’ S E X T R E M E LY
I M P O R TA N T T E E N S R E C E I V E P R O F E S S I O N A L T R E AT M E N T A S
S O O N A S S Y M P T O M S A R E R E C O G N I Z E D .