Depression

This resource is for young people aged 12–25 and their family and friends. It is designed to answer common questions about antidepressant medication and may also help during conversations with your healthcare professional so that you can make informed choices about your treatment.

Depression is more than feeling sad or down, it is a mental illness that is unfortunately common. Among Australians aged between 12–25 years, depression causes more burden than any other illness, either physical or mental. Around 1 in 6 young people will experience depression during adolescence and the rates are higher among young females than young males.

Adolescence and young adulthood is a period of great change and personal growth.There are a number of challenges that come along with this life stage — school and work stress, increasing independence, growing social demands and relationship break-ups are just some of the things a young person may grapple with as they move into adulthood. It is therefore unsurprising that, like all of us, young people can have the occasional mood swing, feel irritable or feel sad.However, sometimes these feelings persist and develop into something more severe, like clinical depression. Perhaps given the increased demands of adolescence, young people are also at an increased risk of developing depression.

Difficulties with thinking skills (or cognitive skills), like concentration and memory, are common in young people experiencing depression. This fact sheet provides basic information about cognitive difficulties in depression and some strategies that young people can use to help support their attention/concentration, memory and problem-solving skills.