Depression

Symptoms

People with depression have many of these symptoms:

• Feeling sad all the time
• Not able to find joy or happiness
• Loss of interest in daily activities that used to bring them pleasure
• Loss of energy (tired all the time)
• Loss of drive, doesn't complete school work
• Feeling hopeless
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Not able to focus or make choices
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping a lot
• Easily upset or angry
• Makes less eye contact than usual
• Talks less than usual
• Spends more time alone
• Withdrawal from social contacts
• Neglects personal grooming
• Severe depression: thoughts of death or about hurting oneself

Causes

Stresses in life can trigger a bout of depression or make it worse. Causes can include:

• Death of a loved one
• Loss of a close friend or romance
• Bullying
• Failure in a class at school
• Loss of a job
• Major life changes, such as moving to a new town or starting college
• Long term, severe illness that is not getting better
• Genetics: depression can run in some families

Suicide in the US

• Depression is a risk factor for suicide. It’s a small risk, but a real one.
• Suicide attempts, threats or plans must always be taken very seriously. Thoughts or talk about killing or hurting oneself also need evaluation on a timely basis. So do comments about "no reason to live." Emergency rooms are often your best resource.
• Suicide is the second most common cause of death in teens. Motor vehicle accidents are number one.
• About 7% of teens attempt suicide.
• Suicide deaths in the 15 to 24 age group are about 5,000 per year.
• Suicide risk starts at age 10, upon starting middle school.
• These rates have gone up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Depression and suicide are a mental health crisis in the US.