Teenage Depression in the U.S.
A short informative video about teenage depression aimed at young people in the U.S.
Artist
Ines De la Morena (2022)
Caption
The effects of depression can be seen in its morbidity. Among teens aged 15-19, depressive disorder accounts for 13% of all years of healthy life lost due to disability (YLD). Depression itself has no mortality rate, but studies show that depression makes adolescents more prone to self-harm. Intense feelings of sadness and loneliness, heightened during COVID, are one of the major contributors to suicide. Depression plays a role in almost half of all suicides in the U.S., which are the second leading cause of death for adolescents. In 2020, there was a 24% increase in emergency room visits for mental health for patients who were between 12 to 17 years old. Gender, race, and age group all affect the likeliness of any one individual being diagnosed with depression. Other social determinants, however, also play instrumental roles. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 26% of YLDs due to depression among teens are attributable to behavioral risks. Most notably these include exposure to sexual abuse during childhood (5%) and being a victim of bullying (19%).
Artist Lens
I remember that when I was in middle school or early high school, the best way to catch my attention in class or while studying was through videos. I decided to create a short, informative video addressed to teenagers living in the United States about teenage depression. I wanted to make the video by hand to make it more interactive and eye-catching. I include statistics and encourage teenagers across the U.S. to treat each other with kindness, recognize warning signs, and know the types of help available to them. I hope that teenagers that watch the video are encouraged to perform random acts of kindness for each other and are more sympathetic and empathetic with their peers and their struggles.
Media
Video