The Reasons Why 25% of Girls Are Depressed
A new study published by the University of Liverpool revealed that by the age of 14, 25% of teenage girls and 9% of teenage boys suffer from depression.
The study focused on 10,000 children born in 2000-01. At ages, 3, 5, 7, and 11, parents reported on their children’s status of mental health. When the children reached 14, the children were themselves asked to answer questions regarding their mental health. Based on the children’s responses to the questions, researchers were able to determine that by the age of 14, 25% of teenage girls and 9% of teenage boys suffer from depression.
The parent’s reports of emotional issues were about the same for both boys and girls early in the study. Still, by the time the children reached age 14, emotional troubles became much more prevalent in girls.
Something to note is that the 14-year-olds’ own reports of their emotional issues did not match their parent’s evaluations of their own children. This lends credence to the importance of considering young people’s views of the world and their own mental health.
Why are 25% of girls depressed?
- Women produce less Serotonin. Serotonin is the positive, “don’t worry, be happy” neurotransmitter in the brain.
- Social Media is a constant distraction that can be dangerous. Young children, especially girls, tend to compare themselves to others in a negative way.
- Poor diet and Lack of exercise. Children today are consuming too much sugar and not enough of what their brain needs (blueberries, red bell peppers, yellow squash, Saffron).
- Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) are thoughts that come into your mind and ruin your day. Sometimes we let these thoughts dictate our feelings and our self-worth, but we need to combat these thoughts and regain control of our lives.
