Teens these days so sad?

is it just me or are the teens these days even more depressed than they used to be? in my generation, back in the 80's, the teens were so happy go lucky and fun-loving. what happened? and what can we do as parents to ensure that our kids are happier and more peaceful?

Teens these days so sad?
Its because of all the social pressure we're being put through. Pressures to live up to our parents ideas of perfect children, trying to please our friends, trying to look good like those fake people on magazine covers and on t.v. All this gets to us teens, its unavoidable. And all the hormone fluctuations in our teenage years also play a small role but its mostly society and the media. I'm 15 years old and I think I suffer from inferiority complex, I have most if not all the symptoms, and my mother doesn't do anything to help even though I think she still is a really great mom. She notices all the symptoms also.I just don't think that she can stand the idea of her baby girl who always seems so confident can have that. So I guess you can say that the parents of teens need to be a little more open and understanding and helpful. I always feel like everybody is better than me and she just continues to put me down.I feel like I love her but she doesn't love me. Sometimes all we want to hear from our parents is " you're worth it and I love you just the way you are and I would never change a thing about you." All these things cause teens to be sad especially since we're not able to cope properly with the ups and downs of life.
Reply:Not that much has changed in respect to teenage depression except that you have gotten older, and see it more objectively. When you were a teen, you didn't take notice because it was a part of teenage life. Sometimes you can't see the forest from the trees. Now that you are older you can observe teenage life differently than when you were part of it.
Reply:As a teenager, i would say yes.





My gang is basically known for being happy. yet way too many of us have been clinically depressed, suicidal, or generally unhappy for prolonged periods of time.





i believe its a problem, in my best friends high school, a student attempted suicide during school hours, out on the football feild... this event was treated as something of no significance..... a common occurance, because that is what its becoming.





i think part of it is the childs perseption that they must be perfect. when perfection cannot be reached, they feel like a failure. which induces depression.





just to provide an example from my day... today alone.


to provide background... my school is on a block schedule. i have 4 classes every day.


in 3 of my classes, atleast one person specifically mentioned depression. being a failure. or using drugs to escape.





One student, sitting near me in my last hour, asked me to wake him up if he fell asleep, he mentioned that he couldnt fall asleep or else he would fail the test tomorrow and not get into college. he fell asleep, i woke him up. he left the room, mentioning he needed something to keep him awake. he was gone for awhile, and when he came back, you could tell he had been using drugs.





this is the extent students these days would go to to be perfect.





scary... huh.








by the way. i live in a well to do area, know as one of the best areas in the state in which i live.
Reply:GOOD Observation....!





They are Socially PUSHED... into Dating and the Teen Scene... before they are Emotionally and Physically Ready!





Thanks, RR
Reply:The reason why we are sad is 'cuz we realize how horrible our world has become. How corrupted and cruel it is. How sad and depressing it is. We are always emotionally being brought down, no matter who you are. We are chained and not able to express ourselves. Some of us can, some cannot. Perhaps this will answer your question? Let your teen or kid express themselves in art/dance/music. That will help them.
Reply:I agree with you 100%. But teens these days don't like to listen to what we parents have to say to them.They are going to do their own thing no matter what we say or do.And it is really sad because there is so much peer pressure out there that they feel like they have to do everything that the others are doing just to fit in with the crowd.I am always telling my teens to be their selves and they will go very far in life.I tell them just because their friends are doing it dioesn't mean that you have to foolow.I try to teach my kids to be leaders instead of followers.But like I said no matter what we say they are going to do things behind our backs no matter how well we teach them or talk to them.
Reply:Actually most kids were probably misdiagnosed. Also the teenage suicide rate shot way way up in your generation. A cool book to read is "the virgin suicides" its about teenagers in the 70's or 80's being "depressed" and committing suicide. They weren't really depressed, just selfish. I thought it was interesting. I think the media is mostly to blame for teenagers behavior these days. Since celebrities make it glamorous to be mean to people, do drugs, drink, party all night long, dog fights, etc. Just keep in mind that some of us are on the right track. I have all A's and B's, I'm looking at universities, and I plan to be a real estate agent. %26amp; also be the first person out of my family to graduate from college =)
Reply:GIVE US MORE FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





YAY FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:If you really think about it... We are being socially pressured by EVERYONE! I mean If you aren't stick skinny or anorexic you are fat, discusting, If you don't wear your pants saggin' you aren't cool.... I mean, If our parents do enforce their morals on us, we aren't cool either.... So most teens turn emo [[emotionaly depressed]] or they just become depressed! PLAINLY! I mean.. Social %26amp; Peer Pressure rates are the highest have sky rocketed.. as parents.. become friends with us teens.. When we need help become that person we can relate to... Not our old ladies or our old men.... But a person we can depend on....
Reply:what happened is that now we realize what we aren't getting and well we want some things here (and no its not always a sweater or something you're able to see or touch). and also parents give more pressure that peers.... and people stereotype us by thinking that all teens are no good drug dealers who are crazy about alcohol and sex at 14 ... not true. i guess you get the picture here.
Reply:well now a days, we have drugs that are more easy to get to, more violent, and more school stressed, so that adds up to depression. theres also this "new fad" of becoming "emo" so i think thats the problem as well... i see where going with this, and i actually agree, there alot sadder these days.
Reply:i am a teen....and let me tell you, now days it is hard as hell to grow-up in this generation. with all the wars/ lies/ etc! you want to know what happened? CHANGE!!!!
Reply:there was teens in your generation as today's generation





welcome to the 1st decade of 2000
Reply:i'm a teen and i agree with what you're saying even though the 80s is before my time... anyway, i guess as a teen some of my needs include: having an adult to confide in [this also helps me not get into a bad crowd at school], someone that's understanding and patient... basically someone to talk to. also i desire guidance, or at least suggestions of what would suit me career-wise. if i think about it, i think its safe to say that i'm wiser than most teens. because i know about "reality", i know that "the love of my life" probably isnt the love of my life, i know that we've got to fall before we can accomplish things. I guess teens are just blinded because when they break up with someone they take it so seriously, [i'd know better than to think it would last forever], also there are a lot of things that make us question ourselves, the thin models on magazines, etc... i guess freedom helps, but what if you seriously have a child that's not capable of making good decisions? that's out of ur control... but to answer your question, i dont think there's much you can do besides be there for someone, because if you think about it, teens are also stubborn, so we're not going to learn something because u tell us, we're going to learn from experience... therefore we have to learn on our own, and find our own happiness. thank you for being such a caring person though. =]
Reply:I am one of those! I am 19 and very depressed. I hate it, but it was my very rough past that made me this way. I feel like i cant deal with it. Like i just want to die. The only thing holding me back is tha fact that its a sin to commit suicide. I have two baby girls and one on tha way(October), I did want my children, they are not a part of the problem. I just have a rough relationship and a family that is very "messed up". Most of my family members are two-faced, so I cant get any support from them. And since my past was very hard, I have a lot of relationship problems. Its difficult. But thats my life i guess. e mail me if you have any more questions.
Reply:yes. I agree, teens do seem less positive and less willing to look a person in the eye, smile and say, "good morning" or even just smile. it is all pout and sadness, and weariness





could it be all those years of dungeons and dragons, and rap and hip hop and nothing positive coming from the mouths of their peers? I wonder .....
Reply:as a teen i would have to say depression is like a style or trend.