Madison Sparks

Professor Hammett

English 1302

Argument Proposal

February 16, 2023

Word Count:1090

 

The Depression Epidemic in Youth

        The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4.4% or 2.7 million youths have depression and while 78.1%, nearly 8 in 10, of children with depression, receive treatment (Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health.) depression is still an unseen illness that has no cure. It causes a void-like sadness, loss of interest, and general decay of motivation to function. These are not just mental functions; it also includes physical functions:

Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping, changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes, thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts, aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause that do not ease even with treatment, Suicide attempts or thoughts of death or suicide. (Depression)

While this type of illness is frightening, there is hope, but the first steps must be taken by those afflicted.

         One of the options for this first step is medication. However, parents or guardians are apprehensive about giving medication to minors under their care and the side effects they can cause like “headaches, nausea, drowsiness, or severe side effects that may require altering the dose or discontinuing the medication (e.g., suicidal ideation)” (Depression Treatment for Children and Adolescents). Anti-depressant medication that has a history of increased chance of suicidal thoughts is called black box medications. Caroline Miller, editorial director for Child Mind Institute, and Sarper Taskiran, MD, clinical expert says that "these medications have not been linked to attempted or completed suicides, but it’s recommended that clinicians and parents monitor kids taking them for any worsening in depression or the emergence of suicidal thinking as they are adjusting to a new medication" (Miller). Therefore, while some medications have been deemed not as safe as non-black box medication, they can still be helpful to several patients.

        Different types of medication are prescribed to youths, for example, fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro). Caroline Miller also says that "for children and teenagers with depression, the first choice in medication treatment is a group of antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). But, it is important to know that if the first SSRI your child tries is not successful in treating their depression, a different SSRI or another antidepressant medication may be successful" (Miller). SSRIs help people with depression by increasing serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels in the brain. Increased serotonin can help with mood, self-esteem, and social life. The second option is a Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor or SNRI. Caroline Miller's explanation is "since SNRIs affect two kinds of neurotransmitters, they tend to produce more side effects and are usually considered after SSRIs have been tried" (Miller). Medication is planned before use by the doctor, as depression can sometimes be a symptom of an underlying condition like anxiety and ADHD. Yet, many pediatricians agree that medication alone is not enough for a child suffering from depression.

        According to the National Institute of Mental Health Interpersonal Psychotherapy is a type of therapy recommended along with medication. Interpersonal Psychotherapy, or IPT-A, focuses on helping others express emotions to others to improve their relationships. IPT-A helps with grief, interpersonal role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits (Depression Treatment for Children and Adolescents). However, there is a stigma around therapy that often deters people. This treatment starts with an evaluation of the patient's social, emotional, and academic life, including friends, relatives, teachers, or any other relationships. The second step includes finding ways to improve their emotional expression. This includes "... role-playing, affect labeling (e.g., identifying and naming how the adolescent felt when their friend said X), effective communication strategies for difficult situations/relationships (e.g., using “I statements”), problem-solving strategies and creating interpersonal experiments for the adolescent to practice the skills outside of the session" (Depression Treatment for Children and Adolescents). The practices listed above will help lead to better communication between adults and children about depression and the warning signs of depressive episodes. "As relationships with others improve, the depressive symptoms may subside, and the person will hopefully experience improved functioning in multiple areas of their life. On average, adolescents receive 12 to 16 weekly sessions of IPT-A" (Depression Treatment for Children and Adolescents). IPT-A helps youths with their internal emotions and as such gives way to personal growth. There is also a second type of therapy available for youths.

      Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is different from Interpersonal Psychotherapy as it focuses on changing harmful behavior and not relationship habits. CBT can be unappealing to some because of the long wait to get into treatment. The way CBT helps youths is also different from IPT-A over a six to sixteen-week plan. This includes a more internal approach to how the youths feel instead of how they express their feelings. “CBT might also address behavior patterns that contribute to withdrawal and lack of enjoyment with strategies such as helping adolescents identify activities they have enjoyed in the past and planning to engage in them regularly” (Depression Treatment for Children and Adolescents). Identifying negative feelings that give way to depression outside of sessions of CBT is one of the first steps in healing. Over time, tracking these feelings will show patterns that can be addressed and given a long-term solution. However, the treatment also needs the support of the youth's family.

        Noticing symptoms is one of the first steps family and support can do for the afflicted. "For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities, or relationships with others. Other people may feel generally miserable or unhappy without knowing why" (Mayo Clinic Staff). Confusing symptoms with teenage angst are often why depression in youths goes unnoticed. After noticing symptoms, the family can encourage treatment and stay vigilant for worsening symptoms. With depression increasing the risk of suicidal thoughts, it is important to stay observant of the youth.

       Depression is notable and only helped with support from others. Both medication and therapy can be the first step to improving the quality of life for a child battling depression. Because children often do not have free access to medical support, the adults in their lives must be involved in their treatment. "Persuasive evidence indicates that appropriate treatment can measurably and meaningfully improve the lives of afflicted children and adolescents" (Varley). This shows that while depression has no cure-all, there is still hope through treatment.

 

Work Cited

“Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease      Control and Prevention, 3 June 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html.

“Depression Treatments for Children and Adolescents.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Aug. 2019, https://www.apa.org/depression-guideline/children-and-adolescents/.

“Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Depression: Supporting a Family Member or Friend.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 Dec. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20045943.

Miller, Caroline. “Medication for Kids with Depression.” Child Mind Institute, 3 Aug. 2022, https://childmind.org/article/medication-for-kids-with-depression/#:~:text=The%20SSRIs%20most%20commonly%20prescribed%20in%20children%20and,Citalopram%20%28Celexa%29%205%20Fluvoxamine%20%28Luvox%29%206%20Paroxetine%20%28Paxil%29.

Varley, Christopher K. “Don't Overlook Depression in Youth. (Cover Article) - Document - Gale ...” Gale Academic Onefile, Jan. 2002, https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA82510312&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=87500507&p=AONE&sw=w.