Clinical Signs of Depression in Teenage Girls

Clinical signs of depression in teenage girls can vary just as in adults. The symptoms of depression in girls are both psychological and physical. Many parents confuse the way their teen is acting with normal teenage behavior.

The consequences of this can be devastating. There is a five percent prevalence of depression in children and adolescents and one out of 10 teenage girls suffer from depression. Teen girl clinical depression is severe and needs attention. The suicide rate among teenage females is rising. More of these girls are becoming depressed and finding ways to end their life.

Preventing suicide is learning the clinical signs of depression in teenage girls. Clinical depression diagnosis for teen girls occurs when they experience five or more depression symptoms for at least two weeks. These symptoms will interfere in their normal every day activities. If you are unsure how many symptoms the teenager is experiencing and for how long, a psychiatrist or other healthcare professional can perform an evaluation. This evaluation will determine the severity of the depression.

Causes of Clinical Depression in Teen Girls

Risk factors in determining if an adolescent will suffer from clinical depression provide insight into the symptoms an adolescent girl is experiencing. Social surroundings and home life are two major factors contributing to the risk of depression.

• Genetics: Many medical and mental health issues are rooted in genetics. An adolescent is more susceptible to clinical depression if depression runs in the family. Just like adults, teenagers can be predisposed to depression.
• Other disorder: Other disorders may precipitate depressive disorders. Teenagers who have a behavior, attention, learning or conduct disorder are much more likely to suffer from clinical depression.
• Social awkwardness: Girls who have difficulty in social situations especially at school with peers are vulnerable to depression. These girls have difficulty with intimacy or fear rejection. This fear or inability comes from experiences with other caregivers and/or peers.
• Recent traumatic event: Sometimes teen girls have a hard time coping with traumatic events. When young adults lack effective coping skills, they internalize feelings and become depressed. Clinical depression in teenage girls is usually a result of a major unresolved event.
• Substance abuse problems: Adolescents who start using drugs are more susceptible to clinical depression. Substance abuse in adolescents causes difficulty in school, friends and home life. When a teenage girl is addicted to drugs, she will not be able to control her drug use and her life. With these additional stressors, substance abusing teenage girls can suffer from clinical depression.

Clinical Signs of Depression in Teenage Girls

Looking at the possible causes of clinical depression in young female adults is not enough to determine if she has depression. The signs of clinical depression along with possible causes are good determinants. The following is a chart of the most common signs of clinical depression.

Treatment for Clinical Depression in Teenage Girls

The most effective treatment for adolescent girls suffering from clinical depression is psychotherapy. The most common causes of depression girls are experiencing a traumatic event or social awkwardness. Working through these situational causes is possible with the help of a therapist. Many times, teenagers feel unheard by adults. A therapist will listen to her empathetically for support. The therapist will provide the clinically depressed girl coping strategies for her depression symptoms. Therapists teach teenage girls coping skills for traumatic events and social awkwardness as well.

The safety of antidepressant use among teens under 18 years of age is under debate. Some antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts in depressed teenagers. If psychotherapy is not effective, doctors only prescribe clinically depressed teenage girls an antidepressant as a last resort.

Learn more about assessing depression, visit LTK's informative slideshow on the 10_Signs_of_Depression.

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