How common is depression?

Depression is thought to occur in around 1–3% of children and young people.

Anybody can have depression and it happens in people of all ages, races, income levels and educational levels. Teenage girls are twice as likely as teenage boys to be depressed.

What causes depression?

There is no specific cause for depression. It can be caused by a mixture of things, rather than any one thing alone. It may be triggered by stressful life events, for example bullying at school, parental separation or divorce, bereavement or conflicts with family members or friends. It can also run in families, especially if a parent has depression or a mood disorder such as bipolar disorder (also called ‘manic depression’).

What are the symptoms of depression?

When a child or young person is depressed many changes can be seen. They may:

In children, especially teenagers, being irritable and grumpy all the time can also be a symptom of depression, not just of being in a ‘bad mood’.

At the extreme end of depression, some young people can develop ‘psychotic symptoms’ – they may start to have very unusual and sometimes unpleasant thoughts and experiences.

Some children also have periods of high mood (also called ‘mania’) along with periods of low mood. This may mean they have bipolar mood disorder.

What effects can depression have on the young person?

A child or young person with depression can have major problems in not only how they feel, but also how they behave. This may cause difficulties at home, at school, as well as with relationships with family and friends. Some young people may try to cope with their problems by engaging in risky behaviours, such as self-harming (e.g. cutting), misusing drugs or alcohol, having inappropriate sexual relationships (leading to teen pregnancy in girls), dropping out of school, and, at the extreme end, suicide.