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Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health

Key Fact

A recent study found that a quarter of girls and nearly 1 in 10 boys
showed signs of depression at age 14. The lead investigator in
the study from Liverpool University said that ‘teenagers, and
particularly girls, were facing more mental health difficulties
than previous generations’.

Source: ‘Mental ill-health among children of the new century – trends
across childhood, with a focus on age 14’ by Dr Praveetha
Patalay and Professor Emla Fitzsimons

Depression has become a significant health problem in the UK, affecting children
and young people of all ages and social backgrounds. The World Health Organisation
(WHO) describes depression as a leading cause of disability worldwide.

The difference between low mood and depression

Low mood is characterised by feelings of worry, sadness, anxiety or frustration
and many people experience this from time to time. Tiredness and feelings of low
self-esteem may also accompany a low mood. All kinds of life events can leave people
feeling in a low mood, including some illnesses, and relatively simple self-help remedies
usually help, such as getting more sleep, and exercising and socialising more.

Depression is different from a low mood however, in that a low mood will usually lift
after a short time – a few days or a couple of weeks at the most, either on its own or in
response to self-help measures.

Depression on the other hand, can last a long time and be very debilitating for the
person experiencing it, particularly if it is longer lasting with moderate or severe
intensity. Depression may become a serious health condition that affects the
young person’s ability to function at school or at home.

Try the next activity to see if you can tell the difference between feeling low and
being depressed.

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