Although the average age of a first-time sufferer of major depression is 25, depressive disorders seem to be on the rise among the young. The per-capita suicide rate is about three times what it was in 1960. Basically, I interpret this to mean that too few people out there are getting help.
Depression is a treatable illness.
Don't let it ruin your life. Part of the problem is that depression in teenagers often is dismissed as mere moodiness associated with adolescence. Clinical depression, however, is much more serious than that. It can be linked with alcohol and drug abuse, poor academic performance, and other long-term problems. For a lot of high school students, depression is manageable, one way or another.