Many adults believe that teenagers cannot get stressed out. Adults think they are too young to even know what stress is or even if they have experienced it for themselves. Teenagers can go through a lot of stress and pressure. Only adults think that paying bills, car notes and mortgages are stressors. But it seems like teenagers deal with a lot more distress than regular stress. Adolescents are under far more pressure than any age group that I know of. They have to deal with school, friends, parents, and bullying. All of these stressors end up leading to one problem, which is depression. Teenagers deal with depression everyday and it affects them in different ways.
Most adolescents may have experienced with minor things like keeping their grades up, pressure from their parents, and friends. But there are also major stressors that can be very hazardous to your health which is: being sexually assaulted or brutally beaten at a young age, illnesses, and even being bullied. Yes, bullying and cyber bullying can lead a teenager into a whirlpool of mental and emotional problems or may be even physical harm. The reason why depression affects adolescents a lot more than adults is because teenagers are still in the process of developing physically, mentally, and emotionally. We are still growing. We still have a lot to learn about the aspects of life. We are so young and naïve that we turn to anything that can make us feel better. It can be both positive and negative. Some teens may go to a friend or guidance counselor to talk about their emotions and feelings. Others can find something positive to do to take their minds off the stress that has been causing them so many problems. And there are the disconsolate ones that immediately need medical attention. They may turn to drugs and alcohol, induce bodily harm or commit suicide, which is the worst state of being in regards to dealing with teenage stress and depression.
Usually when you are depressed, you feel lonely, worthless, and you lose interest in fun activities. You also isolate yourself from loved ones and on some occasions you may think about suicide. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents. We tend to acquiesce to the depressing life that some of us have. Imagine being a seventeen year old African-American female growing up in a low-class environment. At the age of thirteen, you are diagnosed with an auto-immune disease that you constantly have to take enormous amounts of medications and taking endless trips to the doctor’s office. Down the line, you develop more health problems that most people have a hard time dealing with. You suffer from the unexpected loss of your mother and a friend, who died three years and two days apart from each other. Wouldn’t you feel depressed if all of this happened to you when you are a teenager? Wouldn’t you want to give up? I have.
This short, real life anecdote of me simply gives a glimpse as to why depression is a serious issue. Being a victim of depression has caused so much emotional and mental pain for me. I then came to the conclusion that I really do have a purpose of being here. Everything happens for a reason and without that reason, our world would be clueless. No one would understand what they would be facing if it were to appear right before their eyes. I also thought about my family and friends and how much it would devastate them. I have two nieces and a nephew whose little hearts would be broken forever. My future played a role as well. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish my goals and fulfill my dreams.
Worries and concerns from fellow friends led me to the open door of spiritual guidance. I want to continue on with my unpaved path until I reach the end, so when I turn around, I can see that I accomplished my goal. In the years to come, there may be more individuals that will have to walk on the same path I’ve walked on. If you know anyone who is dealing with stress or depression, please be a friend and be there for them. Sometimes, a friend is all a person may need. Saving a friend’s life will change everything down the road. “No matter how many obstacles you face, there will always be a prize at the end of the race.”