For some teens, striving for perfection has led to harming their own health and wellbeing such as living with depression and suicide. Teenagers today are relying on what they see in ads, T.V., magazines and on the internet for their input on appearances, the way they think not only comes from media sources, but from family and friends.
Just how does family and friends play a role in depression and suicide? Families and friends play a great role in our existences. If parents show signs of depression, and suicide the predisposition is that, their child may develop one is greater. Parents who suffer from underlying conditions that is not treated or rarely treated also plays a role in how a teenager will treat and care for their own condition. Biological factors that play a role in depression are genetic factors; biochemical factors; low activity of serotonin, high levels of cortisol, and deficiencies of brain-derived neurotropic factor. Brain anatomy and brain circuits; prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and brodmann area 25 areas is not functioning fully meaning the circuit filled with serotonin transporters. Immune system, deregulated due to stress leading to lymphocytes lowering and increased production of C-reactive protein.
We tend to navigate toward people of similar interests and behavior. An unhealthy living environment whether it is emotional, physical or sexual abuse takes a toll on anyone. However for teenagers it is harder for them to cope with all the stress and stressors of life, they tend to navigate toward drugs, alcohol, and sex as a way to escape the pain, troubles of life for a while, they fall deeper into a depression state, and they may turn to suicide just to get out. “Individuals with a history of sexu...
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Suicide is one of the youth’s ways out of their problems, not only in the United States but the world. What does drive teens to suicidal thoughts and actions? What are the ways communities help prevent teenage suicide? Perhaps there are signs can be pointed out that would indicate a problem. In two surveys in 1996, both reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health, both also asked relatively the same questions of the violent actions that some people may see in life’. Surprisingly, the numbers for many of the questions were the same, such as teens who witnessed a shooting first hand; they both were about 37% (Pastore, Fisher, and Friedman 321-2). Using information such as this, one cannot blame the recent rise in teenage suicide with the violent problems of life, but more along the lines of depression caused by multiple things, for instance body image. According to many researchers, alcohol is many times a solution to a teen’s problem with life and the hardships people face in it. Many people in the United States overlook the major problem of teenage suicide; this is a mistake
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In conclusion, suicidal behavior can affect not only the adolescent but their family as well.
People that are born into families with a history of mental illness or suicidal thoughts are at a higher risk for developing suicide ideation themselves. However, while there is a genetic component to suicide ideation, not everyone who has a family history will develop suicide ideations, nor do all those who have suicidal thoughts or mental illness have a family history of the disorder. The effects of genetics on suicide are due to inheriting mental illness and by inheriting traits. Several mental illnesses have genetic influences and increase the risk of suicide. These include depression, bipolar disease, schizophrenia, and some types of anxiety [Suicide Prevention Hotline]. Genetics have a large influence on suicidal thoughts and mental illnesses, although it's not something you can prevent, you can protect yourself and others in your family that have suicide
The suicide rate for adolescents has increased more than 200% over the last decade.[2] Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer. Recent studies have shown that greater than 20% of adolescents in the general population have emotional problems and one-third of adolescents attending psychiatric clinics suffer from depression.[3] Despite this, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed, leading to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which often continue into adulthood.
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Depression can affect anyone, being rich, poor, young, old, race, or religion (D-1). Because depression is a medical condition dealing with the functioning of brain chemicals and emotion, that make any person susceptible. Common causes for depression include death, romance divorce, or moving (D-2). Pain is caused from a displeasure from something that is important to the person suffering. Divorce rates are rising, making it no surprise that people are suffering due to a relationship problem. Being overweight can be a degrading trait, especially to teens and young adults because of them importance of appearance (D-3). Obesity in America is becoming more prevalent, therefore making the chance of depression and suicide much higher for many more pe...
Edited by Raymond J. Corsini. Encyclopedia of Psychology, Second Edition, Volume 1. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Teenager depression can be a major obstacle to teenagers actualizing their dreams and goals in life. This can have several negative effects on the life of teenagers and their families. The causes of teenager depression may be grouped mainly into two categorizes; they are psychological and environmental causes. The psychological factors/causes deals with the less physical but mental causes of teen depression. While the environmental factors/causes deal mainly with the more physical and obvious causes.