Category: Blog

Coping with depression can be a daily struggle, even if it’s just getting out of bed in the morning.

It can seem as if the symptoms will never go away and you may question whether you will ever feel like your regular self again.

The answer to the question, “Does Depression Ever Truly Go Away?”, is a complicated one that involves several factors.

Factor #1: Your Genes

One important factor to consider is your family history. Do you have a parent, sibling, or relative that has struggled with a mental health problem either currently or in the past? Research shows that between 40-50 percent of people who have depression had a genetic link from a family member.

If you believe that this is true for you, don’t give up hope! Keep reading, as genetics are not the only thing to consider as to whether depression will ever truly go away.

Factor #2: Your Life History

Another thing to keep in mind if you are coping with the daily struggle of depression is your personal life history. Even if you don’t have a genetic link, depression can arise from experiences that you have had that were difficult, either in childhood or as an adult.

For example:

• Being neglected as a child
• Experiencing a loss, such as the death of a parent or other loved one
• Either experiencing directly or witnessing a violent act
• Feeling isolated, alone, or disconnected from other people

Remember that you did not choose to have these things happen to you, but they did anyway.

When we experience a trauma or multiple traumatic events our brains need to heal as well. Depression can be the warning sign that something is wrong.

Factor #3: Personal Choices

A third factor for why you may be experiencing depression is certain life choices that you have made. In particular, using drugs and alcohol, which over time can cause devastating results to the brain and affect your mental health.

However, oftentimes those who experience the daily struggle of depression use drugs and alcohol to cope with those feelings and to escape from them, too. Yet, these substances only cause more harm and do not get to the root cause for why your depression is happening.

So Can Depression Ever Truly Go Away?

That depends.

Granted, you cannot control your genes so you may always be susceptible to depression.

However, there are many things that are in your control with which you can ensure depression stays at bay and does not creep into your life.

For example:

• Maintaining healthy connections with people who care about you, especially family and friends
• Staying physically active, which stimulates endorphins and improves mood
• Eating a healthy diet
• Participating in activities that you enjoy and are mentally stimulating
• Learning how to cope with stress appropriately
• Recognizing what causes your depression to arise so that you can address it before it gets out of control

Getting Support Through Therapy

Another important tool for combating the daily struggle of depression is actively participating in therapy with a trained counselor who is familiar with depression treatments.

Because the roots of depression often involve deep underlying issue, working with a therapist can be very helpful. They can provide an emotionally safe place for you to talk freely in order to explore your issues more deeply. Together, you can better understand why your depression occurs and learn how to address it.  Then, you can take positive steps so that you can live the life you want and manage your depression rather than let depression manage you.

Indeed, depression is a difficult condition, but it does not have to be a daily struggle!

Usually, when talking about depression, the emphasis is around creating awareness for those who have this mental health condition.

However, what often doesn’t get discussed is what depression looks like to others in your life.

Your friends, family, or colleagues may notice subtle signs that something is off, but may not be able to connect the dots.

Here are six signs that you don’t have it all together, even if you pretend you do.

Depression Sign #1: Distractedness

Now, let’s face it, everyone gets distracted occasionally; and for some, that’s more often than others. However, if you are the type of person that normally can stay focused, but now are struggling to stay on task at work or pay attention in a meeting, that could be a sign that something is wrong.

Depression Sign #2: Anger

Anger is another sign that you might be struggling with depression, yet others may not realize that this the case. If you blow up at your spouse and have an argument, what depression looks like for them is:

• You’re hurting their feelings
• You’re responding inappropriately
• You intimidated or scared them into not continuing the conversation

Why is anger such a common sign of depression? Depressed people often feel helpless, scared, overwhelmed, or dejected. This creates feelings of powerlessness. When we feel powerless we try to reach out to regain some of that power, which often manifests itself in anger.

Depression Sign #3: Food

How you eat, or not eat, can be a sign to others in your life that something is wrong. Whether it is overindulging in food or restricting yourself, changes in eating patterns can be noticeable.

For example, let’s say that you go out to dinner with friends. Everyone chooses a meal from the menu, but perhaps you only opt for something very small, or even nothing at all. When you’re depressed you often either lack the motivation to eat or, on the other hand, you overindulge in food to cope with your feelings.

Depression Sign #4: Social Media

Social media platforms are everywhere and easily accessible on your devices. Most people use social media, but if you are depressed you could easily end up overindulging.

For instance, you may get lost scrolling through your feed. Or perhaps you even feel more depressed because it looks like everyone else is happy and having fun. Yet, you don’t realize that you are losing time at work to get projects done, or are isolating yourself at home from your family.

Depression Sign #5: Alcohol Use

Have you noticed that your alcohol use has increased lately? If you are the type of person that normally only has a glass of wine occasionally or a beer during dinner but are now drinking more, that can be a sign of depression.

You may have even had people mention to you that they noticed you are drinking more often or are getting drunk. Remember, the number of drinks per week which is considered excessive drinking is 8 drinks for women and 15 drinks for men.

Depression Sign #6: Emotional Distancing

It used to be that you and your partner talked about everything—hopes and dreams, the kids, plans for the weekend. At work, you were actively engaged with your colleagues and socialized during lunch.

Now, though, something is wrong. You keep your distance at the office and when you get home you just go to the basement, your study, or your bedroom and close the door. When you are not connecting with the people most important in your life that is a sign something is off.

Even if you think you have it all together, the reality is you don’t. What depression looks like to others is very different from what you feel deep down inside. They may not realize you are depressed, but they probably have figured out that something is wrong, no matter how hard you try to hide it.

Addiction is more than simply making a single poor decision.

Nobody wakes up one day and decides that they are going to become addicted to substance abuse. Instead, this disease is often rooted in deep-seated issues that you may not even realize you are struggling with.

You may not be able to see it, but over time you may slip ever-so-slowly downward into the spiral of addiction.

Addiction: The Early Influences

Growing up, were you exposed to healthy influences or unhealthy influences? These experiences are important because they can shape how you make choices later on in life.

Some examples of unhealthy influences and experiences are:

• Having easy access to alcohol
• Seeing others, such as friends or family, use substances
• Being exposed to physical or mental abuse
• Experiencing a traumatic event, or multiple such events
• Trying alcohol or drugs

When you combine these factors with poor or non-existent parental guidance, it can easily set you up for a lifetime of addiction.

Making a poor decision like substance abuse—when put into the context of early influences—helps you to better understand how addiction can happen in the first place.

Addiction: The Adult Years

Still, it is possible that you have grown up in a well-adjusted household and still struggle with addiction as an adult. Why? Because life throws you curve-balls all the time.

Think for example about things like:

• Losing your job
• Accident
• Surgery
• Dental work
• Experiencing the death of a loved one
• Illness
• Not fulfilling your goals
• Believing your life doesn’t have meaning
• Experiencing or witnessing a violent or traumatic act

When these curve-balls get sent your way, it can be tempting to cope with the feelings associated with those events through drugs or alcohol. Often, it is easier to “numb” those feelings than to have to face them head-on, because doing so would cause more pain and suffering. Something you would much rather avoid.

Yes, it may be a poor decision to use substances to cope, but it may happen anyways. Understanding why you use is important for getting the help you need.

Addiction: The Genetic Factor

There is still one other factor that contributes to addiction: genetics.

Obviously, there is no “magic gene” that is the big red warning light that signals addiction. Rather, there are many genes that can influence whether or not someone is susceptible to substance abuse, especially if the gene is present, missing or defective.

Some examples of genetic influences include:

• When the Htr1b gene is missing, one is more like to be addicted to alcohol and cocaine.
• A defective Per2 gene can mean a predisposition for consuming more alcoholic beverages than normal.
• Those who don’t smoke likely have the gene CYP2A6, which can help prevent them from picking up the habit.
• People with the A1 allele of the DRD2 gene may struggle with cocaine or alcohol use.

Of course, we have many genes and genetic traits in each of us. Your genes don’t have to doom you to addiction.

Yet, genes can help provide context and explain why addiction is occurring. This is especially true if you have a history of substance abuse in your family.

What to Do When You Struggle With Addiction?

As mentioned above, there can be several causes of addiction: early experiences, life experiences, and genetic issues. In fact, all three can be a factor at the same time for whether or not someone makes a poor decision to drink or use drugs.

However, instead of throwing up your hands and writing-off your addiction as hopeless, you can do something proactive about it. Take the step and work with a therapist who is trained in addiction counseling. By working with a counselor, you can better understand the roots of your addiction and its causes, get the help you need, and work towards living a healthier life.

Hard to believe, yet many people have common misconceptions about mental illness.

That is, they believe that people suffering from problems such as anxiety or depression choose to be that way.

However, that is far from reality for millions of people.

Why Would Someone Choose This?

It’s a fair question. If mental illness is somehow a “choice,” why would someone choose anxiety or depression over being healthy? It certainly means avoiding all of those dark, dreary days when you feel alone or experiencing a spike in panic and fear because of anxiety.

The truth, of course, is that these and other mental health problems are not choices at all. Rather, they occur for several different reasons which, when you take a step back, actually make sense.

The Role of Genetics in Depression and Anxiety

One of the most common misconceptions that people have is they don’t understand that mental illness can be an inherited trait. However, for people prone to depression, their brain chemistry is actually different.

This is because of epigenes, a chemical tag that can turn off neurotransmitters in the brain. Other chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine also play important roles in how our brains function. When those chemicals are not doing their jobs properly we experience problems, including depression and anxiety.

The Only Way to Cope

When we experience a significant life event, such as a traumatic incident, a personal loss, or similar situation our brains don’t always know how to cope. Instead of having lots of energy, we become slow and sluggish. Rather than being calm, we become uptight, nervous, fearful, and anxious.

We get stuck in these thought patterns and it becomes difficult to get out of them without professional help. Many people struggle for years with depression and other mental health problems because they did not have a proper diagnosis or the treatment they needed.

A Person’s Actions

Another misconception that leads people to think depression and mental health problems are a choice are one’s actions. If you choose to sit around the house all day and watch TV, the perception might be that you are lazy.

But what if it is not laziness at all and instead feelings of being disconnected, worthless, even unloved? These are very powerful emotions that feed into themselves, making it harder for someone struggling with depression to “snap out of it.” The reality is that they need professional help.

What Can be Done?

There are several things that can be done to address depression or anxiety. If you know somebody who is struggling let them know that you want to help, even if it is simply being present and listening.

Also, do your best to avoid judging their actions. There are often darker forces involved that are influencing the situation and that are out of their control.

On the other hand, if you are the one struggling, take heart. There are people out there who do want to help you get better.

Getting Help for Depression and Anxiety

Certainly, there are many common misconceptions about mental illness. As noted, issues such as anxiety and depression are not choices that people make. Instead, they are the results of a myriad of issues that could be affecting them, including genetics and life experiences.

However, there is hope. Ultimately, those who are struggling with depression, anxiety, or other issues need professional counseling. Through counseling and help from those who care about them, they can live fuller and richer lives.

If that is your case, a therapist can help you as well to understand what is happening to you and why. Plus, therapy can teach you how to better manage your symptoms so that you can be more in control of your own life.

Do you remember the classic government public service advertisement that warned, “This is your brain on drugs!”, followed by an egg frying in a pan?

We now know a lot more about how drugs can affect the human brain, which helps us in better understanding addiction and getting people the treatment they need.

What have we learned about how a brain works when hooked?

Missed Messages and Drugs

Your brain is filled with neurons that communicate with each other by sending neurotransmitters (message) via synapses to receptors. These messages tell neurons and, in turn, our brains to let our lungs know to breath in and out, as well as how to do complex math.

What drugs do when introduced into the brain is to trick neuron receptors into believing the drugs are neurotransmitters. This means that instead of the egg frying in the pan, the metaphor should really be mis-delivered mail. The neurons are actually getting the wrong messages.

Activation of the Pleasure Center

Another way drugs affect the human brain is by activating the pleasure centers of the brain. These include:

• The Frontal Cortex
• Ventral Tegmental Area
• Nucleus Accumbens
• Cerebral Cortex
• Hippocampus

When you feel pleasure, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released. This can happen when you eat a meal, enjoying a move, and of course, having sex.

If drugs are introduced into the brain the levels of dopamine can greatly increase. Through understanding addiction, we know that these increased dopamine levels create that euphoric feeling that drug users crave and seek to obtain.

Addiction and Extensive Use

As you continue to use drugs, the brain becomes accustomed to the spike in dopamine created by the substances. Therefore, it takes greater quantities of drugs in order to experience the same sensations as first experienced. The problem is that if you take too much of a drug it can cause serious brain damage or even death.

The Consequences of Drugs and Long-Term Use

From understanding addiction better, we know that drug abusers often report that they feel the need to take drugs in order to feel “normal.” This could be because long-term drug use can lower dopamine levels in the brain in general.

That means that even when an addict is not using, it is harder to feel pleasure in things that once brought them joy. They end up feeling depressed instead.

Also, neurons can die-off completely with extensive drug use. Brain scans show in vivid color the difference in dopamine levels in a healthy brain versus a drug user’s brain.

Recovery and Cravings

Drugs can chemically change the composition of the brain, affecting the reward centers and dopamine release. This makes it very hard for the user not to want the drugs when trying to quit. Cravings occur because the brain learned that it wants the drugs and activates those reward centers.

Also, the brain learned cues that are associated with drug use. When these cues arise, that’s when the cravings occur.

Situations that cue drug use include, for example:

• Being at a party with friends
• Experiencing a stressful situation
• Seeing drug use in a movie or TV show

Why Relapse Happens

Understanding addiction helps us to better treat people who are in recovery, and also when they relapse. According to Harvard Medical School between 40-60% of people relapse when in recovery. However, they also note that the numbers are similar for those who don’t have an addiction but see a return of symptoms for other chronic illnesses.

Science has helped greatly with better understanding addiction and how it affects us on the cellular level. We can use this knowledge to treat people who struggle with addiction more effectively, as well as develop solutions for addiction as a society.

When we think of addiction what often comes to mind is how our compulsive behavior affects us. This includes issues such as health and mental well-being.

What we forget is that addiction has a tremendous impact on our relationships and the important people in our lives.

Consider a few ways addiction can be damaging to these relationships.

The Extent of the Consequences of Addiction on Your Relationships

#1: Loss of Trust

One way that addiction and compulsive behaviors affect your relationships is the loss of trust. Whether it is a close friend, your family members, or your partner, no relationship can be successful without trust.

For example, some of the things that can undermine trust are:

• Lying to others about where you have been or what you were doing
• Stealing money to buy drugs/alcohol
• Selling possessions that are not yours to get money
• Saying that you are getting help when you are not

Unfortunately, when your brain is affected by drug use, the ability to make good choices diminishes. Even if you want to make the right choice, the addiction will always come first. Over time, those close to you will separate from you because they can’t trust you.

#2: Seeking Drugs Any Way You Can

Another way addiction destroys relationships is the constant search for drugs. This means that when your resources are expended to obtain drugs, you begin asking others for money.

You may say that you need cash to buy food or pay the rent. Yet, the reality is that you end up using the money to buy drugs. Over time people will catch on and will not want to be with you because they know you will keep asking them for money.

#3: Addiction-Driven Anger

If you are unable to get what you want from others to obtain drugs, you will get angry at them. You may even yell or scream at them in hopes that they will cave in to your demands. The anger could be for show as a way to manipulate them, or you could feel genuinely angry that they are not helping you.

On the other hand, if you have not used drugs recently, then you may be feeling the effects of withdrawal, which includes irritability. Either way, no one likes to be around somebody who is always angry.

#4: Physical Violence Becomes Uncontrollable

A compulsive behavior that has serious consequences for relationships is physical violence. If you have an addiction, your brain will be less capable of making positive choices and more prone to anger. This combination means you are more likely to lash out at others, even those whom you genuinely love and care for.

Of course, nobody should tolerate having to experience violence, even if it is a loved one. Also, the emotional damage done by lashing out at others can last for years and, in many cases, destroys relationships.

#5: Developing Codependent Relationships

Finally, one other way your addiction can impact those close to you is by creating a codependent relationship. This is an unhealthy relationship where one person provides support and even enables the other person’s addiction.

They may have the misguided notion that they are helping, or that without them their addicted loved one would be worse off. However, these kinds of situations only create an imbalanced relationship that cannot last.

It’s no surprise that the 9th Step in the 12-Step recovery process is to “make amends.” This is because the compulsive behavior of those who are struggling with addiction creates a lot of damage to relationships. Those who love you will need time and, in many cases, need to go through their own therapeutic process in order to recover and be willing to have you in their lives once again.

Understanding the science of addiction has expanded greatly, yet we still find ourselves struggling with questions about some of the aspects of addiction.

First and foremost perhaps, is addiction really a disease?

Let’s analyze the matter.

How We Used to See Addiction

Previously, society had a much different viewpoint on addiction. Addicts were seen as lacking personal control. Their behavior was classified into a moral context.

Lamentably, this meant that people who truly needed help didn’t get the appropriate care. They were judged, shamed, and considered weak.

However, we now have a much better understanding of the science of addiction thanks to a lot of new research.

How Addiction Works

Thanks to this research, we now know that addiction causes changes to a person’s brain at the chemical level. Specifically, when a drug is ingested, the chemical affects how neurotransmitters in the brain work.

The drug is able to trick the brain into thinking that it is a neurotransmitter, much like the ones that the brain makes on its own, such as dopamine. It can then attach to neurons in the brain, creating the euphoria often experienced by drug users.

We also know that over time it becomes harder for the brain to experience the same euphoria as before. Thus, an addict will need more and more of the drug to get the same high. They will crave that high until they reach the same level of euphoria again.

Over time, taking in these chemicals dramatically alters how the brain functions. It also has damaging effects on one’s physical and psychological health. Once addicted, it becomes very hard to break free.

Changing Perspectives on Addiction

Groups like the Mayo Clinic and the U.S. Government’s National Institute on Drug Abuse refer to addiction as a disease. The obvious advantage of classifying addiction this way helps to take away the stigma of addiction.

It lets us separate the drug use from the person and who they are. In turn, this allows a clearer focus on how to give these individuals the best treatment they need.

However, more recently, those who study the science of addiction are beginning to take a second look at this classification.

More Research into the Science of Addiction

Researchers are beginning to raise questions about view addiction as a disease. Some of the observations leading to a dispute over the classification include:

• One study following Vietnam Veterans addicted to heroin during their service documented low relapse rates of between 1-2%.
• Another study using rats addicted to morphine found that when given alternatives, such as a mate, the rats stopped taking morphine.

Also, Gene Heyman of Harvard University writes that addiction is more of a disorder of one’s choosing. This is as opposed to considering addiction strictly a disease alone.

He notes that many addicts are able to beat their addictions by their 30s. This is because they are provided other incentives, such as having a job, which become more important than drugs.

Factors Contributing to Addiction

There are various factors that can influence whether someone becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol. For example:

• Family history
• Stability at home
• Access to health care
• Traumatic experiences
• Mental health history

People who use drugs or alcohol often use these substances to cope with serious issues affecting their lives. Some of these are in their control, but many are not. The results of their drug use can take a toll on both their physical and psychological health.

In the end, research into the science of addiction is showing us that the condition appears to be more complicated than we initially thought. Although classifying it as a disease helps to remove the stigma, it also ignores a person’s ability to overcome their addiction. Moreover, it ignores many factors that can contribute to addiction.

With time, more research and study may help us to form a more nuanced understanding of addiction. Wherever it leads us, it must aim to better serve those who are struggling with addiction and help them find the path to recovery.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of the common addiction questions is, “What are the most dangerous addictions?”

Although it sounds like a straightforward question, the answer is more complicated than you may realize.

What is Considered an Addiction?

When you think of the word “addiction” either drugs or alcohol most likely comes to mind. Yet, it is possible to have an addiction to a broad range of things.

For example:

• Caffeine: drinking multiple cups of coffee in a day
• Sugar: always craving sweets
• Adrenaline: the need to put oneself in dangerous situations
• Work: putting in long hours at the office while neglecting your family
• Relationships: not being able to tolerate being by yourself
• Video games: sacrificing “real world” relationships and responsibilities in order to play the game

All of the above could be considered addictions that are dangerous, in one way or another, to the user.

Societal Impact of Addiction

If you consider the most dangerous addictions are the ones that have the greatest impact on society, consider these thoughts.

In 2013:

• 24.6 million people in the U.S. used illicit drugs
• 55.8 million people smoked cigarettes
• 17.3 million people in the U.S. suffered from alcohol dependence or abuse

Meanwhile:

• In 2010, tobacco use caused $168 billion in health care costs and alcohol totaled $27 billion
• In 2007, health costs for illicit drug use totaled $11 billion

These numbers reflect not just how widespread the use of substances has become but also the significant financial cost it causes. Individuals, taxpayers, society, and the economy as a whole struggle with both the financial personal toll of addiction.

Multiple Addictions

Perhaps the most dangerous addictions out there are those that combine more than one addiction.

For example:

• A college student who wants to belong may choose to drink alcohol in excess and use party drugs, like ecstasy
• The lawyer who works 80 hours+ a week unwinds by drinking alcohol at night
• Someone who is depressed smokes cigarettes and drinks heavily

If you noticed, there is also another danger from addiction. That is, an addiction can develop as a means to cope with much deeper emotional and psychological problems.

However, even though it is easier in the moment to “numb” to those feelings, in the long term, they always come back. This usually leads to a long, painful journey that causes a lot of damage.

Addictions Dangerous to Relationships

You could also look at how dangerous an addiction is in context to the pain and hurt it causes to relationships.

Addiction can drive away people who care about you and want to help. That’s because the choices you make to satisfy that addiction, make it hard for people to stay. The result is that you become more isolated, alone, and disconnected from other people.

In turn, this makes it more difficult for you to form a support network to help you. It also means that you become more susceptible to mental health issues such as depression.

Qualities of the Most Dangerous Addictions

If you had to break down the qualities of the most dangerous addictions, they would include:

• An overwhelming need to fulfill the addiction
• Poor decision-making that prioritizes the addiction over all others (stealing, lying, etc.)
• Ignoring or damaging important relationships for the sake of the addiction
• Pursuing an addiction even though it is dangerous to your health
• Not feeling that you can “live” without the addiction

Obviously, there are many dangerous addictions—all in their own way. So, when you ask such addiction questions as, “What are the most dangerous addictions?”, you must consider the broader picture.

Don’t just be content with “substance abuse” as the answer. Rather, consider what you prioritize to be important and ask yourself, “Do the things add quality and meaning to my life? Or do they cause damage, especially to my relationships?”

If you have more addiction questions you would like to have answered, please contact me. I’d be happy to help you.

When dealing with PTSD, it is important to recognize that it is a combination of factors.

These include trauma and depression.

Combined, these conditions can have a devastating effect on people who are really hurting and need help.

Consider the connection.

What is Trauma?

Understanding PTSD means having an understanding of trauma and its effects. Basically, trauma is an event or series of events in one’s life that causes emotional or psychological distress. These are not things that are easily shaken or forgotten about.

Traumatic events may include, for example:

• Witnessing a violent act, like a robbery
• Getting caught in a natural disaster, such as a flood
• Experiencing bullying at school when a child
• Participating in combat
• Losing a loved one, either from natural causes, a disease, or from violence

Of course, we all experience traumas throughout our lives. However, for some, the damage from trauma is so great that it affects their mental well-being.

Understanding PTSD

The result of experiencing a trauma may be that you develop what’s called post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. It is often associated with, but not limited to, those who have been to war.

Whatever trauma you may have experienced in your life, it could have been so psychologically scarring that you remain “stuck.” Your brain continues sending out messages saying, “I’m not safe.”

Even though, logically you may realize that you are no longer in danger, psychologically you are in danger.

What are the Symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Nightmares
• Flashbacks
• Avoidance of situations that are stressful
• Difficulty sleeping
• Trouble staying focused
• State of constantly being “on guard” for potential threats

These symptoms exist because your mind has not fully processed and absorbed the trauma. Hence, the effects of the trauma come out sideways and negatively impact your life.

Over time this is very draining and causes changes in mood that are particularly troubling.

Depression and PTSD

It is commonly known that people who have been diagnosed with PTSD are at a greater risk of depression and suicide. Why does depression affect those with PTSD? There are several reasons why:

• The experiences they faced are very troubling and painful
• There is guilt and sadness over the loss of someone close
• It feels as if nobody else understands
• Staying vigilant for potential threats is emotionally exhausting

The combination of a heightened awareness of danger plus the belief that no one else understands what is happening is unsettling. It leaves one to feel isolated and alone. As with PTSD, depression can last for years unless properly treated.

The Impact of Trauma, PTSD, and Depression

The impact of these conditions combined together is devastating. It is hard to feel “normal” when there is something wrong. Being able to hold down a job becomes difficult. Personal relationships with family and friends suffer.

Perhaps worst of all is that one becomes much more susceptible to substance abuse. This is because sufferers may see alcohol or drugs as a way to cope. However, substance abuse only further complicates the situation and damages mental health.

Getting Help for PTSD

For understanding PTSD, it is important to realize that it is not an isolated condition. As you can see, the combination of trauma and depression can not only create PTSD, it can make the symptoms even worse. However, there is hope through treatment and counseling.

Therapy can help PTSD sufferers find closure from the trauma, but it will not be an easy task because of all the complicating factors. Yet, once achieved, it causes the brain to reclassify those memories as being in the distant past. Thus, whatever happened back then no longer poses a threat.

Yes, with patience and guidance, it is possible to resolve PTSD and to gain control over these issues.

Both adults and teenagers are susceptible to depression.

Even though there are similarities between the two, there are also distinct differences.

Knowing teenage depression facts can help you, as a parent, better understand how depression may affect your teen.

Adult vs. Teenage Depression Facts: Similarities

First, let’s look at the similarities between depression in adults in teens.

This includes, for example:

• Feeling sad or empty inside
• Irritability
• Low self-esteem
• Feeling guilty
• Believing that you are worthless
• Thoughts of suicide and death
• Trouble thinking clearly
• Difficulty sleeping

These are important signs to recognize, regardless whether or not it is an adult or teenager who is suffering from depression. Remember, if you are worried that someone you know is in immediate danger, get help quickly.

Adult vs. Teenage Depression Facts: Differences

Changes in Behavior

One way that teenagers differ from adults when it comes to depression is their behavior.

That may involve:

• Not wanting to go to school
• Claiming they are sick
• Behavior issues at school/getting into trouble
• Having a negative attitude

It’s important to note whether or not you are seeing changes in your child’s behavior. This is especially true if they used to be more motivated at school and had a more positive perspective.

Sometimes it is hard to notice the changes until you take a step back and get a bigger perspective.

Reasons for Depression

Another difference between adults and teens is why teens experience depression. Teenagers have many stressors in their lives that can be a depression source.

For example:

• School/academics – Experiencing pressure to perform and get good grades, either from themselves or parents.
• Bullying – Being picked on or harassed by other students.
• Peer pressure – Feeling that they need to look or act a certain way in order to be accepted.

Although experiencing pressure and not being socially accepted are issues faced by adults, they manifest themselves much differently in teens.

Parental Divorce and Life Changes

Another way that teens are susceptible to depression is due to divorce. When parents separate, it creates a dramatic and usually unwelcome change in the lives of teenagers. All of a sudden what was once a certainty, even taken for granted, is now gone. Thus, your teen must deal with a “new normal” that they were not expecting.

Other dramatic life changes that can cause depression include developing a major illness or the death of a family member.

Hormonal Changes

Being a teenager also means experiencing hormonal fluctuations. Teenage bodies are changing from adolescence to adulthood, both physically and biochemically. This can be confusing and frustrating for teens as they deal with these changes.

Also, as they experience puberty, they may begin to compare themselves to their peers. If they don’t think that they are somehow meeting what they think is ideal, that can also be a depression source.

What Can Parents Do?

Just knowing the teenage depression facts mentioned above is a good start. What is also important is knowing your teen and having a relationship with them.

Talk with your teen, and let them know you want to understand them as a person. Support your teen by listening to them and their concerns. Avoid judging them or comparing your childhood to theirs, as everyone is different. Be conscious of how major life changes can affect our teen.

In addition, be mindful of any family history of mental illness and whether that could have an impact on your child.

Obviously, although both adults and teens experience depression, there are some differences. This short list of teenage depression facts makes it clear that teens struggle with stressors from both the outside and within. However, by having a relationship with your teen and being aware of the signs, you can better support your child if they face times of depression.