The emotions of teenagers are highly ignored because adults don’t believe that thoughts of depression could occur, only because of the child’s age. This is an issue that causes events such as suicide and drug use. If a teenager with thoughts of suicide, depression, or drug use is ignored or overwhelmed by significant people in their lives, it can be detrimental to their well-being, sense of self-worth, and overall mindset on life. This is why adults need to start paying more attention to the signs of depression in teenagers, and be well aware of the symptoms and side effects of depression.

According to the National Mental Health Association, “Experts estimate that 5% of all teenagers will suffer from depression. Unfortunately, only 20% of depressed teens are appropriately diagnosed and treated.” Most teenagers don’t get proper treatment for depression due to them being insecure, or being too afraid to talk to an adult about how they feel.

The National Mental Health Association also mentions that, “…parents or teachers may think that a young person is unhappy or moody because it's a natural part of being young. This is especially true for adolescents, who are expected to be "hormonal" and rebellious. Persistent unhappiness or moodiness is not normal for anyone.” This cannot be anymore true. People in my life have confessed these feelings to me, and told me that they feel abandoned and stranded on their own, without any adult that cares about their feelings. They explain that their own parents just brush it off as being a phase or a stage of childhood. This is the biggest lie that could ever heard. No one should feel alone or unhappy, no matter what his or her age is.

When teenagers do have the courage to tell adults that they are feeling depressed, many adults don’t realize that depression is a mental illness that is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and should be treated accordingly. The following, according to The Balanced Mind Parent Network, are consequences of untreated depression:

• Once a young person has experienced an episode of depression, he or she is at risk for developing another episode of depression within the next five years
• Depression in childhood may predict more severe depressive illness in adulthood
• Depression in children and adolescents is associated with an increased risk for suicidal behaviors

How would it feel to be a teenager who was depressed with no one to turn to? Adults need to be aware of how to deal with depression, and what it’s like when a teenager has this medical illness.