This page will focus on explaining what teenage depression is.

Depression in teenagers is very common. Approximately 4 out of 100 get seriously depressed each year. Certainly everyone feels sad some of the time, but what exactly constitutes depression?

The teenage years are difficult, there is no question about that. There are more pressures and challenges for teens now than ever. As a therapist, I try to provide some insight in helping teens understand more about themselves. I emphasize with them that everyone feels sad some of the time. It is okay to feel sad. Sometimes people feel sad almost all of the time. That may signal that the person is suffering from clinical teenage depression.

The key is for the teenager to look at their life and determine if their feelings of sadness are impact their quality of life. Are their sad feelings having an impact on their home life? grades? friendships?

If someone has teenage depression, there is good news...it can be treated. Once depression is identified, that individual, along with the help of others can take steps to make things better.

Unfortunately, most teenagers who struggle with depression never receive treatment for it, and when it is not treated, it can get worse. This can prevent someone from getting the most out of their life, you are only a teenager once.

How do you know if you are depressed? Think about how you have felt. Have you felt sad a great deal of the time, and these feelings aren't going away? Do you feel that life is meaningless? Do you have trouble getting excited about things, or making up your mind?

It is important for teens to understand that their feelings are valid, and that they are not alone in the way they feel. Most importantly, with the proper help and attention, things will certainly get better, much better.

If you feel that you are depressed, it is very important for you to seek help. It may be that you are carrying around a large weight by yourself. There are others out there that would like very much to help you.

One way that I deal with my feelings of sadness is through music. Through expressing my feelings rather than keeping them bottled up, I have been able to help myself feel so much better. For me, writing and performing music has been a great outlet. It is also possible to use listening to music as a way to express your feelings. When I feel down, listening to "depressing" music helps me to realize that I am not the only one feeling sad. It can be very powerful.

Below is a link to information about artists who have written songs about feeling sad. Included in those is a song that I wrote about my great feelings of sadness from when my grandmother died.

Click here to find out more about music written about feeling sad (including a song that I have written).