Psychopathology covers a broader scope compared to the normal teenage angst. Psychopathology may refer to depression and anxiety, sense of helplessness, and narcissism , among adolescents (Gray 452). On the other hand, normal teenage angst may include mood swings aside from anxiety, depression. These mood swings among teens can be considered as normal teenage angst.
In psychopathology, most of the adolescents’ depression episodes are characterized by irritability, combined with anxiety and anger. In fact some of the depression may go undiagnosed due to the failure to recognize the irritability, anxiety and physical complaints such as headaches, stomach aches or body pains, which are symptoms of depression (Wilmshurst 228). The depression among children and adolescents may be brought about by various factors such as family problems, family poverty, loss of a parents or a loved one, conflict with parents or romantic breakup. As a result, they develop bipolar depression, low self-esteem or personality disorders that may increase the suicidal tendencies among adolescents. The depression among adolescents and children may be treated using the cognitive-behavioral therapy programs.
The remedies to treat the defiant behavior of the adolescents may be applied to the normal teenage angst and psychopathology to treat the depressive disorders among the youth by implementing programs that are based on cognitive behavioral and interpersonal approaches. These approaches should include well-defined targets for preventive interventions that are manual-based and delivered with utmost fidelity and deal with cognitive and social-relationship dimensions (Wilmshurst 229). Some of the promising programs being used as therapy for adolescents who experience depression undergo the Penn Resiliency Program, Problem Solving for Life Program and the Interpersonal Psychotherapy Prevention Program for High-Risk Teens (Wilmshurst 229).
The cognitive-behavioral therapy programs will help the troubled teens to develop more adaptive process of thinking, being able to understand certain events, and help them interact with the environment to decrease their depressive symptoms and improve their ability to function (Tompson 173). Such cognitive part of the treatment will help the adolescents to identify and prevent any negative thought, assumption, belief, and to interpret events by allowing them to develop more optimistic manner of thinking (Tompson 173).
On the other hand, another option to treat the depression among adolescents is by through medical management by asking the physicians to prescribe anti-depressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine) and Paxial (Paroxetine). The medications “Prozac” contains the substance known as “fluoxetine”, which is used to treat depressive disorders among teenagers and it is the only medication that is FDA approved for children aged 8 or older.
Works Cited:
Gray, Peter. “The Decline of Play and the Rise of Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents.” American Journal of Play 3.4 (2011). 443-463.
Tompson, Martha C et al. “Identifying and Treating Adolescent Depression.” Western Journal of Medicine 172.3 (2000): 172–176. Print.
Wilmshurst, Linda. “Child and Adolescent Psychopathology: A Casebook”. California:
SAGE Publications, 2015. Print.
