Depression will affect between 5% and 8% of people during their teen years - so what exactly is depression?

Depression goes beyond the occasional feeling sad or blue - it is a mental disorder that interferes with a person's daily functioning. A mental disorder means that things are not in order within a person's mind.

In the brain, chemicals called neurotransmitters send messages between the brain's nerve cells and when the neurotransmitters that control a person's mood begin to run low, that person may begin to show signs of stress, anxiety, and depression.

There are two main types of depression -

major depression - short-term depression with more severe symptoms
dysthymia - long-term depression with less severe symptoms

Depression can be caused by -

genetics - depression runs in families
life events - death, divorce, transitions, etc. can trigger depression
family and social environment - a person's family life and social atmosphere can influence their self-esteem and stress level

Depression is treatable!
The majority of people who seek treatment for their depression do improve!

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Adapted from:

"Depression." KidsHealth. Nemours, 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2010. <http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html>