Depression and Emotional Issues

❖ One of the highest risk factors for depression is being a girl. By age 15 girls are twice as likely as boys to experience depression. Girls who live in the suburbs are 3 times as likely to experience depression.

❖ Depression often manifests itself in a nagging feeling of self- condemnation or worthlessness.

❖ Mild depression in girls is often caused by interpersonal conflict, gender role expectations or even relational problems.

❖ Depressed girls are also at risk for anxiety, eating disorders, academic failure and interpersonal relationship problems.

❖ Between 20 and 40% of adolescent girls with major depression develop bipolar disorder within 5 years.

❖ As many as seven percent of teen girls, who develop major depression, will commit suicide.