Life can be hard for teens. Negative (消极的)feelings such as sadness are common for them. But for some teens, those feelings take a more extreme turn. Their negative feelings don’t come and go. Instead, those feelings can point to a disease called depression (抑郁)—one that may require treatment.
Some kids suffering depression stay away from friends and family members. Some others respond with anger. Some teens may skip school or stop eating or sleeping. Some may start drinking wine or taking drugs. However, teachers, parents or even a teen’s close friends may find it hard to tell whether these kinds of behavior are just part of being a teen or signs of something truly serious.
Each year, about 5, 000 Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 take their own lives. And there is a link between mental (精神的) illness and the teens’ act of killing themselves. That’s according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, based in Washington, D. C. “Most children and teenagers who try to take their own lives have a serious mental health disorder, usually depression,” it says. And as a disease, depression can last for ten years or longer.
Even depressed teens themselves may not realize they have this problem. More than three million Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced depression in 2016. However, most likely went untreated. A 2001 study by researchers at Harvard University and Yale University found that half of all the teens with depression didn’t get help until they became adults. And only one in three had been found suffering depression by their primary care doctor, another study reported. So how can people tell the behavior showing growing mental pains from a sign of the disease? One key is a sharp change in behavior. Another warning sign: persistence (持续)in that new behavior—meaning that it sticks around for two weeks or longer.
Luckily, the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP, has now asked its doctors to start screening preteens and teens for signs of depression. And AAP is also asking its doctors to receive mental-health training. It wants them to become more aware(有意识的)of the signs of depression. Where depression is found, doctors will then work with mental-health professionals to find out how to treat it so that the patients can feel good again. The new guidelines can make it easier for teens to get the help they need.
8. What can we learn about the disease called depression?
A.It is not easy for people to notice it. | B.It usually doesn’t require treatment. |
C.People suffering it usually respond with anger. | D.Teenagers experience it more than other age groups. |
9. What does the author mainly tell us in Paragraph 3?
A.Depression usually ends up untreated. | B.Depression can lead to very bad results. |
C.Depression may cause serious mental illness. | D.Depression doesn’t happen in adults. |
10. If one develops depression, what might he or she experience?
A.Strongly wanting to be with friends. | B.Changing his or her behavior all the time. |
C.Showing new behavior that lasts for weeks. | D.Refusing to receive mental-health check-ups. |
11. What is the American Academy of Pediatrics trying to do?
A.Teach doctors how to treat depression. | B.Train normal people to notice depression. |
C.Help teenagers struggling with depression. | D.Ask every kid to have his or her mental health checked. |