Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depressive Illness

For a long time, it was thought that only adults could be victims of major depression. In fact, there are increasing numbers of teens who are affected by depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), of the 18 million Americans who are depressed, up to an estimated 2 million are teenagers. Some mental health experts think that as many as 20 percent of high school students are very unhappy or suffer from a mood disorder.

Teenage years are filled with change, so it is natural to experience a lot of ups and downs. You suddenly have new pressures to cope with as you try to come to terms with your changing attitudes toward your parents, friends, and teachers. Some of the new things you are dealing with will be confusing. Why do you feel furious when your best buddy starts to spend a lot of time with his new girlfriend? Why does the size of your growing breasts make you so embarrassed that you start cutting school to get out of gym class?

It is important to let people you trust know how you are feeling and what you are going through. Adults sometimes make the mistake of seeing teens as naturally moody. They will say things such as “You are in your terrible teens,” or “You're just going through a difficult phase.” This is why it is often hard to detect depression in teens and why real problems are easily ignored.