Adolescent Depression: the Under Acknowledged Disease Depression is a disease that afflicts the
human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and
themselves. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly
linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to
19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate,
depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school,
work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. How prevalent are mood
disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically
depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and
adolescents is because "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the
symptoms......
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