About 1 in 10 US teens face major depression

Nearly one in 10 American teenagers experienced major depression last year and fewer than half were treated, according to government statistics released on Thursday that doctors say confirm the problem is still overlooked among young people.

Overall, 9 percent of teenagers, or 2.2 million, were depressed, with older teens more at risk than their younger peers, said the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA.

About 12 percent of youths aged 16 or 17 faced severe depression in 2004, compared with about 5 percent of those 12 or 13 years old. Among those aged 14 or 15, 9 percent experienced a major episode.

“These new data serve as a wake-up call to parents. Mental health is a critical part of the overall health and well-being of their children,” said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 30 Dec 2005
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