The average teen in today’s society holds a burden which many do not understand. This burden of which I talk about cannot be categorised into one group as it could be many things, but it does lead to the same result - depression.

Now you must be sitting there thinking that I am chatting rubbish and that your child or sibling isn’t depressed, but have you ever stopped to notice the signs and the pain?

Now here’s the thing, some people think teenage depression comes from the music they listen to and that is utter nonsense. There is no proof behind it. Music is there for free expression, music is liked as it understands what the listener is going through.

No matter what type of music a teen listens to, they can still be depressed. It isn’t the problem of the influence of a certain type of music, it is the type of life a person is made to live; through peer pressure and family pressure.

A certain type of depression takes form in many ways but in the uprising has been the ‘Emo’. The ‘Emo’ is a group of people, who, due to depression sometimes self-harm or even worse, try killing themselves. This may sound drastic but think about it from their point of view; imagine having nothing in life as it all gets taken away from you in a single instant.

I hear parents often say “Why should you be depressed? I give you everything you want!” But what is the point of material goods if you are not happy in the first place or if you have no one to share it with?

The world outside changes at an alarming rate and there is nothing anyone can do. Half a million teens try to kill themselves a year and 5,000 of them succeed. This just can’t be a trend that is going around. This is because many teens are unhappy with their lives and cannot handle the increasing peer or family pressure.

Teenage depression isn’t just bad moods. Depression is a serious problem that impacts every aspect of a teen’s life in today’s society.

Left untreated, teen depression can lead to problems at home and school, drug abuse, self-loathing — even irreversible tragedies such as homicidal violence or suicide.

Teenage depression, however, can be treated, and as a concerned parent, teacher, or friend there are many things you can do to help.

There are many symptoms to teen depression and these are: Sadness or hopelessness; irritability, anger, or hostility; tearfulness or frequent crying; withdrawal from friends and family; loss of interest in activities; changes in eating and sleeping habits; restlessness and agitation; feelings of worthlessness and guilt; lack of enthusiasm and motivation; fatigue or lack of energy; difficulty concentrating; thoughts of death or suicide.

The first thing you should do is talk to the person in question - find out what’s going on. Most of the time it can be down to being misunderstood. Giving a teen confidence or feeling of being understood will open many doors away from depression.

I know what it’s like to feel like depressed, but thankfully I had the support of my friends to help me through me in so many ways. I was able to be myself again.

Close mates are there to help you through the hardest of times and not fall into that downward spiral.

If anything, please look out for the signs of depression and don’t ignore them! Ignorance may be considered ‘bliss’ to some, but could be equally be the biggest mistake you could ever make, as you could lose someone you very much love.

By Spence Quinn, age 16, Blackheath Bluecoat CE School