Depression is a condition affecting more than 13 million people at any given time. It is a serious illness, striking adults, children, and adolescents. Symptoms include changes in eating and sleeping habits; feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness; crying spells; loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities; social withdrawal; and thoughts of suicide or death. If several of these depression symptoms are present for two or more weeks, a doctor might diagnose depression. This article is not a substitute for medical advice. Please see your doctor for a diagnosis if you think you or your child might be suffering from depression. In adolescents and children, there may be other signs of depression as well. Grades may drop. There may be angry outbursts at home and school. Adolescents may begin drinking or using drugs in order to self-medicate (actually, adults may do this as well). Other symptoms may include eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia) or self-mutilation (cutting themselves). Depression may appear more as behavior problems than as typical signs of depression. If your teenager suddenly begins to have a lot of behavior problems, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to find out if he or she might be depressed or have some other mental health problem. Adolescent mental health problems are not always treated the same way as adult mental health problems, so it’s a good idea to find a mental health care provider who specializes in teenagers. The recommended treatment for depression is usually antidepressant medication combined with counseling. This can vary depending on the individual and your doctor can tell you what is the best course of treatment for you or your child. Sometimes depression can be caused by stressors in your daily life. This is known as situational depression. Mental health counseling helps you learn how to deal with the stress. In this case, prescription drugs may not be necessary. However, an antidepressant may be prescribed for a short period of time to help you get through the tough time you are going through. Other times depression can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. In this case, prescription medication is required. Mental health counseling can still be helpful, though, to help you learn to deal with the stress of the depression. It is important to watch teens carefully when they begin taking antidepressant medication for depression or anxiety. Many of these medications have not been tested on teens but have been tested only on adults. There is a risk of teens becoming suicidal when taking these medications. This risk can occur in adults as well, so anyone beginning a course of antidepressant drugs should be carefully monitored. Depression is a serious illness, but with proper treatment (either traditional or alternative depression treatment), it has a good recovery rate in both adults and adolescents. Many people do not want to seek depression treatment because they are embarrassed and view depression as a sign of weakness, but the truth is that depression is an illness just like any other illness. If you believe you or your child may suffer from depression, you should not be afraid to ask for help. You deserve to get help so you can live a happy and healthy life again.