Page 32 - Resource-PartB_v3

Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health

Section 3: Depression in children and young people

This section will explore the following:

• Defining depression

• The difference between low mood and depression

• Possible causes of depression for children and young people

• How to recognise signs that a child or young person could be depressed

• Examples of how depression may affect children and young people.

Defining depression

As with stress and anxiety, it’s important to firstly clarify what depression is.

Everyone feels sad or unhappy at times as a normal reaction to life events, perhaps
because of a death in the family, an illness or the breakdown of a relationship. When
feelings of sadness persist for a long time, they can begin to interfere with daily life
and some people who experience depression may reach a point where they feel
that life is not worth living and they want to die.

Here is a definition of depression:

D Definition: Depression

Depression is a common mental disorder that causes people to
experience depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings
of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy,
and poor concentration.

Source: The Mental Health Foundation; www.mentalhealth.org.
uk/a-to-z/d/depression

Depression is one of the most common types of mental illness and is thought to
occur in around 1% to 3% of children and young people, affecting anyone from any
background, race, and educational level and of any age. It is common in children and
young people and rates of incidence rise in adolescence, with girls more likely to be
affected than boys.

30