What is depression?

Depression is a mental health condition that causes you to feel sad or have a low mood. While it is normal to feel down sometimes, if you feel this way for 2 weeks or more, or your mood gets in the way of your day-to-day life, you may have depression.

This information is about depression in young people; however, many aspects and risk factors of depression are not age specific. Read more on depression in the general community.

How common is depression in young people?

Depression affects 1 in 4 young adults in Australia. Most people experience depression for the first time during adolescence or young adulthood. Rates of depression tend to be higher in young females than young males.

What causes depression in young people?

Depression can be caused by a wide range of factors and every person has their own circumstances. Usually, depression is caused by a mix of factors. Some factors linked with depression are:

• family history of depression
• conflict at home or a stressful environment
• bullying at school or online
• history of anxiety or other mental health issues
• substance abuse, including alcohol
• personality traits and learned ways of thinking such as pessimism, self-doubt, low self-esteem, moodiness and being highly sensitive
• traumatic or stressful events such as physical or sexual abuse, a death or divorce in the family, or big changes in routine or lifestyle

Sometimes, people can develop depression for no obvious reason. Just because there is no clear cause doesn’t mean that you are not experiencing depression.

What are the signs of depression in young people?

Many of the signs and symptoms of depression in young people are like those in adults.

It can be hard to tell the signs of depression in young people, compared to mood changes that are a normal part of growing up.

Signs of depression can include:

• anger or irritability
• extreme feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• withdrawal from others
• difficulty with daily self-care tasks

You may feel:

• sad, moody, empty, numb or unmotivated
• tired
• pessimistic
• everything feels 'too hard'
• uninterested in things you normally enjoy
• difficulty making decisions
• you have problems with concentration and memory

You may also notice physical signs of depression, such as:

• trouble sleeping or insomnia, oversleeping or staying in bed most of the day
• changes in appetite or weight
• physical problems, such as stomach aches, nausea or headaches
• low energy

Almost everyone has some of these signs occasionally. If your symptoms are severe or won’t go away after 2 weeks, you may be experiencing depression.

If depression becomes severe, you may have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Signs of suicidal thoughts or plans are often not obvious. Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people. Young people also have the highest rates of hospitalisation for intentional self-harm.

If you or someone you care about is thinking about suicide, it’s important that you seek help.

Suicide and crisis support: If you or someone close to you is in crisis, or at immediate risk of harm, call triple zero (000). To talk to someone now call Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or Lifeline 13 11 14.

If you need to talk to someone about your mental health, call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

When should I seek help?

If you have signs of depression for 2 weeks or more, or if you are concerned that you may be depressed, speak to your doctor. The sooner you can get help, the sooner you can start to feel better.

Your doctor will be able to assess your mental health and work with you to build a mental health treatment plan. This is a plan written up by your doctor that will help you get up to 20 sessions per year with a mental health professional such as a social worker, occupational therapist or psychologist. The cost is partly covered by Medicare. Ask about fees and out-of-pocket costs when you book your appointment.

Your mental health treatment plan may include different strategies and tools. Your doctor may refer you to other health professionals, such as a mental health worker who specialises in adolescents, if they think they should be involved.

If you have occasional signs of depression or are just feeling sad, you could reach out to a school counsellor, friend or family member for help.

How can I help a young person with depression?

If a young person close to you has depression, encourage them to speak to their doctor. In many cases, young people need help from a doctor or mental health professional to treat depression.

Some people with depression find it hard to have the energy or motivation to take care themselves. They may feel hopeless, or like nothing can help. Supporting them and guiding them towards professional help will make their recovery process easier.

Sometimes people with depression don’t want to seek help. In this situation, the best thing you can do is to explain to them that you are concerned and give them information to read about depression.

It can help to remind them that 1 in 4 young people aged 16 to 24 experience mental health problems, with depression being the most common. Assure them that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about and doctors help people their age with depression all the time.

If seeing a doctor seems too difficult, you can suggest one of the online or telephone support services, such as those listed below.

How is depression in young people treated?

Your doctor can help you build a mental health treatment plan to meet your needs and goals, which will include treatment options and support services.

Your doctor will work with you to use strategies to help you cope. This can include stress management, problem solving and activity planning.

They may also suggest psychological therapy to help you with depression. One of the most helpful types of therapy for young people with depression is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medicines for depression (antidepressants) or refer you to a psychiatrist. It is important that you check in regularly with your doctor if you have started taking medicines for depression. Don’t stop taking your medicines suddenly, or change how you take them without first speaking with your doctor or a pharmacist.

There are some things you can do to help look after your mental health:

• get enough sleep
• eat healthy
• exercise
• limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• practice relaxation techniques

Resources and support

There are many resources and support available to help young people with depression.

• ReachOut can help you learn how to challenge negative thoughts that may be making your depression worse.
• Speak to Kids Helpline about depression on 1800 55 1800 or via webchat.
• Text Lifeline on 0477 13 11 14 for a confidential chat with a trained Lifeline Crisis Supporter.
• The Black Dog Institute hasdigital tools & apps, for your mental health and wellbeing.
• Beyond blue has a guide to what works for depression in young people.
• If you are a parent of a young person with depression, learn about discussing the issue with you child using the resources provided by Beyond Blue.
• Share your experiences on My Circle, a free social platform for people aged between 12 and 25 years and supported by Kids Helpline counsellors.

Looking for information for sexually and gender-diverse families?

If you are experiencing depression related to your sexuality or gender identity (LGBTQI+), Qlife provides a counselling and referral service for LGBTQI+ people. You can call them on 1800 184 527 from 3pm to midnight every day.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

For more information on mental health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with the Black Dog Institute.

The Beyond Blue has information on how depression affects Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

Other languages

Embrace Mental Health is a project run by Mental Health Australia focused on mental health for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, providing access to resources, services and information in a culturally accessible format.