New Findings Suggest Depressed Teens May Face Struggles at a Much Younger Age Than Previously Thought

Depression is a problem that affects millions of teenagers worldwide. This is an issue that can bring about many issues in teenagers down the road, but new findings show that depression can affect children much earlier in life than previously thought. Researchers working at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have studied, through MRI scans on preschool students, the effects of depression on the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotions. They found that students with depression exhibited higher activity in this region, showing that depression is a real issue that requires real attention. 

How Depression Affects Troubled Teens

Teenagers dealing with depression may seem very withdrawn. Parents may have a hard time understanding what their student is going through, but depression is definitively a problem that requires the same amount of attention as other problems (such as bipolar disorder, ADD/ADHD, reactive attachment disorder, etc.). Because depression can lead to worse problems down the road, intervention for these problems at an early age can help students build a solid foundation. Troubled teens with depression who learn positivity and problem solving skills in the home can then take these skills into their future lives.

Even if you feel your student is beyond help, they always need your support and care. Many depressed students just need to know that they aren't alone and that there is someone out there that cares about them. Parents may have a hard time relating to their teen and their needs, but they need you to be there for them at all times.

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Depressed Preschoolers Show Brain Changes, Scans Find