Clinical Depression In Adolescents

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One of the first thoughts that comes to mind when the word “depression” is heard is sadness. Most people experience bouts of sadness from time to time. It’s a normal feeling. Separation from a loved one, a sad movie, or losing a valued item are all events that can get people teary-eyed. But depression is more than just mere sadness; it is a serious mental condition that can affect day to day living. Everyone is susceptible to it, even adolescents. In fact, adolescents that experience depression in their earlier years have lasting effects that follow them in their adult lives.
If depression isn’t just feeling sad, what exactly is it? Depression is classified as a “dysregulation of the brain function that control emotions (or moods). It is a mood disorder characterized by intense and persistent negative emotions.”1 The term “depression” is actually a catch-all; it can refer to a number of different disorders. The one that is referred to when people talk about depression is major depressive disorder or clinical …show more content…
The circadian rhythm is a 24 hour cycle that the body experiences in order to tell it when to sleep and regulate other functions.7 It is what is commonly known as our body’s internal or biological clock and it is affected by factors like sunlight and temperature. The hormone melatonin regulates sleep and wake cycles and the hormone serotonin affects mood. High melatonin levels make it easier to sleep and “high serotonin levels result in more positive moods.”8 Lack of sunlight turns serotonin into melatonin, causing decreased moods and increased amounts of sleep, which are both symptoms of depression. During the winter, daylight hours grow shorter and night grows longer and “the sleep phase may be delayed or advanced”9 due to changes in hormones. These factors are what are suspected to be the cause of
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