Teen DepressionTeen Depression: Drugs and Alcohol 
Parents often assume that teens try alcohol and drugs to rebel or to "fit in" with their peer group. However, teens with undiagnosed emotional or behavioral problems often use drugs and alcohol as a way to relieve their frustrations. A depressed teen may self-medicate with alcohol and drugs to escape the terrible sense of hopelessness. Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs will only accelerate the problem. Drugs like
ecstasy and other club-drug uppers
may even make them feel "normal" when for weeks they have felt miserable. The impact of such drugs on serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, chemicals in the brain that regulate mood can be devastating for children and adolescents. The damage they do to receptors in the brain can make the road back from depression even harder. 
Young people who have a major depressive episode of two weeks or longer are twice as likely to use drugs for the first time or take their first drink than those who are not depressed. A study of teens 12 to 17 years of age revealed that 2.2 million young people face major depression each year. Of the teens studied who had never drank alcohol before, 29.1 percent who were depressed took their first drink in the past year compared with 14.5 percent who did not have a depression episode. Of those who had never used drugs before, 16.1 percent with depression started using drugs for the first time, compared to 6.9 percent of the non-depressed teens. A Major Depressive Episode Is Defined As: A period of two weeks or longer during which there is a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure. There are five other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as:
2.7 Million New Drinkers 
Signs And Symptoms Of Teen Depression: It is difficult to understand, when teenagers suffer from depression. As they grow, they try to find who they are and what they believe in. Such changes in behavior are normal. However, problems arise when an adolescent feels helpless and hopeless much of the time. If a teen faces any of the following signs of depression for more than 2-3 weeks, he or she may be depressed.
Some of them could be:
Treatment Of Teen Depression: 
It is extremely important that depressed teens receive prompt,
professional treatment.
Depression is serious and, if left untreated, can worsen to the point of becoming life-threatening. If depressed teens refuse treatment, it may be necessary for family members or other concerned adults to seek professional advice.Drugs And Alcohol Can Bring About Depression 
Many teens have the mistaken notion that drugs won’t hurt them. The fact is, although they might feel "good" while taking them, they can make it difficult for the teen to feel good naturally without drugs or alcohol. The longer a teen abuses substances, the more difficult it will be to achieve successful treatment. Helping A Depressed Teenager If you suspect that a teenager in your life is suffering from depression, take action right away. Depression is very damaging when left untreated, so don’t wait and hope that the symptoms will go away. Even if you’re unsure that depression is the issue, the troublesome behaviors and emotions you’re seeing in your teenager are signs of a problem. Whether or not that problem turns out to be depression, it still needs to be addressed. Talk To Your Teen 
The first thing you should do if you suspect depression is to talk to your teen about it. In a loving and non-judgmental way, share your concerns with your teenager. Let him or her know what specific signs of depression you’ve noticed and why they worry you. Then encourage your child to open up about what he or she is going through. If your teen claims nothing is wrong, but has no explanation for what is causing the depressed behavior, you should trust your instincts. Remember that denial is a strong emotion. Furthermore, teenagers may not believe that what they’re experiencing is the result of depression. If you see depression warning signs, seek professional help. Neither you nor your teen is qualified to either diagnosis depression or rule it out, so seek outside help from a psychologist or
treatment facility.
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