The teens are years of turmoil for just about everyone. You're learning new social roles, developing new relationships, getting used to the changes in your bodies, making decisions about your future. And when your looking for answers to problems, it seems like no one has them. That can make a person feel pretty much alone. You might need some extra support to hold on to.
Depression is a very common illness, even among teenagers.
Your health and grades can be hurt. Worse, people with depression have a high risk for suicide. Half of those who suffer one episode of serious depression will have another one. Everyone has normal mood swings in which he or she occasionally feels down in the dumps, sad or unhappy. That's dangerous, because 15 percent of people who suffer severe depression kill themselves.