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 of mood disorders take
on different forms in......
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