You say Colorado. I say Columbine. But with these new reports about teen mental health it now all makes sense. As reported in a recent Colorado Daily Camera article ("Study: Colorado Leader in Teen Depression" March 8, 2008), Colorado has a higher percentage of youth age 12 to 17 reporting symptoms of major depression than any other state in the nation. Similarly, while suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth age 15 to 19 nationally, it is the second leading cause of death for this age group in Colorado.
While the disturbing state trends are difficult to explain, the reasons behind the general increase in teen depression may not be as elusive. Local mental health professionals working with adolescents are seeing large numbers of teens suffering from depression as a function of stress from academic, social and family challenges. It is disturbing that for achievement-oriented youth a 4.0 grade point average is no longer enough. Social acceptance, always of key importance in adolescence, is even more difficult, with documented increases in bullying. Families are under more collective strain, which only intensifies anticipated parent-child conflict normally seen in adolescence.
The good news is that depression is very treatable...
Here is the rest of this story by Jan Hittelman at the DAILY CAMERA.