From a distance depression can seem like no big deal. After all, who doesn't feel a little down in the dumps sometimes? But depression in America is a big deal and it's projected to become an even bigger and more serious issue in the next two decades. The World Health Organization believes depression will be the most prevalent disorder in the Western world by the year 2020. Ominous statistics like these have caught the attention of researchers and led to a surge in the scientific study of depression

Much of the research that has been done on depression has not focused on adults, but on teenagers, and with good reason. According to research presented by the National Institute of Mental Health, one out of every 17 Americans struggles with a serious mental illness like depression. But what's even more surprising is the recent discovery that one half of these Americans begin to exhibit symptoms by age of 14. Understanding the teenage brain, how it develops, and how depression affects it can help doctors, therapists, and family members stop teenage depression before it starts.

Are Teen Angst and Depression the Same?
Most parents expect to see their children become a little moody, sullen, or rebellious-what many people think of as "teen angst"-when they hit the big "one-three," but new studies about adolescent depression shed a different light on old stereotypes. An extensive research project conducted by the Oregon Research Institute suggests that teenage depression is no different from adult depression. Researchers followed 1709 adolescents with major depressive disorder as they entered adulthood and found that, for most, the major depressive disorder continued.