Why Do Some Teens Get Depressed? Understanding the Causes of Depression in Teens

Published: 02/21/2025 | Updated: 12/23/2025

Authored by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology

Edited by: Emma Loker, BSc, PgDip

Being a teenager isn’t easy. All teenagers face a variety of challenges every day: school and peer pressure, changing hormones and bodies, and social media – the list goes on. But why do adolescents become depressed and others don’t?

Depression can be caused by a variety of things. But one thing is certain: Depression is a national health concern. Recent research has shown that around five million teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 in the U.S. have experienced at least one episode of depression. To put it another way, that’s approximately 20% of the adolescent population. This means that this percentage of the population is at risk of developing serious emotional and physical health problems if depression is left untreated.¹

The good news is that depression is a treatable condition, so it doesn’t have to have long-term effects on a teenager’s life. If you’re concerned about your mental health, or that of someone you care about, support and treatment are available. Often, the first step toward better mental health is increasing understanding.

This page can help by discussing:

What depression is
The biological causes of adolescent depression
Environmental factors that can lead to teen depression
The psychological reasons for teen depression
Treatment options for teenage depression
When to seek help for teen depression

Key Takeaways

Teen depression doesn’t have one single cause—it’s multifactorial.
Biological influences include genetics and brain chemistry.
Environmental stressors like bullying and family conflict increase risk.
Psychological factors such as low self‑esteem or trauma contribute.
Awareness of triggers supports early help and effective treatment.

What Is Depression in Teens?

Depression is a mental health condition that can cause symptoms such as^2:

Persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness
Difficulties sleeping
Loss of pleasure
Trouble thinking or concentrating
Constant tiredness
Thoughts about death

When a teenager has depression, they feel these symptoms most of the day, every day, for at least two weeks. However, as everyone is unique, the signs of depression can vary from teenager to teenager.²Some may show outward symptoms, such as irritability or bursting into tears without any clear reason. However, others may disguise how they’re feeling and might seem to be functioning relatively normally.

Our page “Common Signs of Depression in Teenagers” can help increase your awareness of these symptoms, but understanding the causes of depression is also important.

Causes of Depression in Teenagers

There is no single cause of depression in teenagers. Risk factors for teen depression include:

Biological factors such as genetics, brain chemistry, and gender
Environmental factors such as being bullied, academic pressure, and family conflict
Psychological factors such as stress, low self-esteem, and trauma

One of these factors could lead to depression in a teen – or it could be caused by a combination of multiple. Trying to determine what’s causing depression in a teen may feel like untangling a set of wires, but professional mental health support can help. Talk therapy can help a teenager get to the root cause of their depression, learn healthy ways of coping, and feel capable of seeing a bright future.

Biological Causes of Adolescent Depression

The following are biological risk factors for teen depression:

Genetics:

It has long been understood that depression runs in families – studies of twins showed that depression has a 37% heritability. Therefore, if a family member, such as a parent, has depression, a teenager could be at higher risk of developing it. While the exact link between depression and genetics was poorly understood for a long time, researchers are making progress in pinpointing the specific genes responsible for the transmission of depression in families.³

Changes to the Brain:

Brain studies have shown that people with depression have a smaller hippocampus and a larger amygdala than people without depression. This means that the area for processing memories may be underproductive, while the area in charge of emotions might be oversensitive.

This information goes some way toward explaining why teenagers with depression struggle with taking in and remembering new information while also being more aware of negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and guilt. Additionally, inflammation in the brain may affect its ability to absorb oxygen, also potentially contributing to mood and learning issues in teenagers with depression.^4-6

Brain Chemistry:

Depression causes changes to the structure of our brain – but some teenagers might also have brain chemistry that increases the chance they’ll develop depression. We all have “reward pathways” in the brain that allow us to feel pleasure when engaging in activities we enjoy. However, this pathway might not work the way it should in teenagers with depression. This means that chemicals called serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine are either low in supply or not working the way they should be.^7,8

Gender:

The sex assigned at birth may influence whether a teenager develops depression. Research shows that by mid-adolescence, females may be more likely to report depression and this continues up to middle age. In fact, almost twice as many females than males are diagnosed with depression. Although depression isn’t caused by hormones alone, fluctuating hormones in puberty may contribute to females’ experiences of depression and these experiences can continue throughout adulthood without treatment.⁹

Sleep Loss:

While many people understand that depression can lead to sleep loss, what’s less recognized is how sleep disorders such as insomnia can act as a risk factor for developing depression. One study even showed that people with insomnia may be three times more likely to develop depression than those who don’t.¹⁰

Environmental Factors in Teen Depression

The following are environmental risk factors for teen depression:

Academic Pressure:

The pressures associated with performing well in exams, choosing future careers, and getting into a good college can increase the risk of developing depression in teenagers. Teenagers might feel anxious and hopeless about their performance or experience conflict at home for not reaching expectations. Such issues can directly impact self-esteem and sleep patterns, as well as reduce the ability to achieve at school – increasing stress levels and potentially leading to depression.¹¹

Social Influences on Teenage Depression:

Issues such as problems in a teen’s family and social environment can cause them to be at higher risk of developing depression. For example, being bullied can create long-term feelings of anxiety, sadness, and loneliness. Also, difficult family environments, such as ones in which conflict and money troubles are frequent, have been shown to contribute to depression in teenagers.^12,13

Being a Member of the LGBTQIA+ Community:

Teens who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community may be more likely to experience depression. Feeling supported by loved ones can be protective against depression, but not feeling accepted for who they are can put a teen at increased risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. However, being a member of the community can be a source of support for teenagers, which can buffer against depression’s effects.¹⁴

Other Environmental Factors:

Other factors in the environment that may put a teenager at higher risk of developing depression include having a difficult birth, frequent noise pollution, loss of a loved one, and going through a natural disaster. Each of these factors can create long-term stress for a child or teenager, which increases cortisol and can contribute to depression.^15-17

Psychological Reasons for Teen Depression

The following are environmental risk factors for teen depression:

Low Self-Esteem:

Low self-esteem can be caused by depression, but pre-existing low self-esteem in teenagers can also be a risk factor for developing depression. Self-esteem is a teenager’s opinion about themselves and their abilities. When a teen has low self-esteem, they might talk to themselves negatively and feel hopeless or like a “failure.” Such negative self-talk can lead to persistent feelings of sadness and depression.¹⁸

Stress:

“Good” stress can give us the energy to achieve goals, however long-term “bad” stress can contribute to depression. When we’re stressed, our bodies enter “fight or flight” mode which prepares us to either fight against a threat or run away from it. However, a teenager can neither fight against nor flee from many sources of stress, like the family environment or exam pressure. This means that cortisol can build up in the brain and cause a teenager to feel “stuck.”¹⁹

Previous Experiences:

Depression might seem like it comes “out of the blue,” but past events might contribute to it. Teenagers who experienced trauma, such as abuse or violence, have been shown to have a higher risk of developing depression than those who didn’t. When children and teens go through trauma, they might no longer feel like their world and the people in it are “safe” which can affect their outlook on life. This might make a teenager more sensitive to negative events and lead to depression.^20,21

Other Mental Health Conditions:

Pre-existing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and eating disorders, may increase a teenager’s risk of developing depression. For instance, studies have shown that up to 63% of people with an anxiety disorder also meet the criteria for depression. This effect might have to do with the shared neurochemistry of these conditions – how the reward pathway in the brain functions is similar in both anxiety and depression.²²

Developmental Conditions:

Having a developmental condition such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could put a teenager at higher risk of developing depression. Some studies report that this effect could be due to increased irritability (perhaps from feeling misunderstood or frustrated). Also, the more a teen is aware of their differences, the more likely they may be to develop depression.^23,24

Social Media Use:

Recent research has examined the effect of social media use on teenager’s mental health and found that it can increase the risk of depression. Excessively using social media like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook can reduce self-esteem and cause emotional distress in teenagers. Additionally, when teenagers’ access to these sites was limited (by parents or teachers) many became anxious and upset.^25,26

Treatment Options for Teen Depression

Increasing your awareness of the causes of teenage depression is taking a positive step towards better mental health for yourself or someone you care about. However, it can be difficult to cope with and figure out the causes of depression by yourself. Professional mental health treatment for depression can help a teenager figure out where their feelings come from and how to cope with these feelings in healthier ways.

Talk therapy with a trained professional allows a teenager to understand and process their thoughts and feelings in a safe, supportive environment. Effective talk therapies for depression include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can help a teenager understand the cause of their depression and identify negative thoughts. CBT also teaches teens how to challenge their negative thoughts, build healthy ways of coping with emotions, and transition these skills into the world outside of therapy.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

If previous experiences are contributing to a teen’s symptoms of depression, EMDR can help them process these in a safe, supportive environment. EMDR changes the way trauma is stored in the brain and helps a teen build more positive self-beliefs and ways of coping with life’s challenges.

Interpersonal Therapy

This form of therapy helps teens understand how problems in relationships can contribute to their feelings – and healthy ways to work through these issues. Interpersonal therapy can also help a teen figure out the issues behind behaviors and how to manage these for better mental health.

Each of these therapies can be used to treat different types of teen depression in both residential mental health treatment programs and outpatient programs, depending on a teen’s needs. Group therapy can also allow a teenager with depression to see that they’re not alone in what they’re going through – as well as potentially increase their support system.

If the symptoms of depression in a teen are severe, a doctor may prescribe medications such as antidepressants to help get these symptoms under control. However, it’s good to be aware that medications work best when combined with therapy.

When to Seek Help for Teen Depression

With the support of a mental health professional, teenagers can better understand where their depression comes from and identify treatment options that best suit their needs. Opening up about your emotions might seem scary, but sharing your feelings is the start of letting go of the weight of depression.

Mission Prep can help. Our team of trained professionals offers effective, personalized depression treatment for teenagers in various locations – helping them get to the root cause of the problem. The causes of depression can be complex, but treatment doesn’t have to be. Together, we can help a teenager realize that they don’t have to deal with depression alone.

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FAQs About Teen Depression Causes

What causes depression in teens?

Teen depression doesn’t stem from a single source—it’s typically the result of a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Genetics, brain chemistry, trauma, chronic stress, and social pressures all play a role in shaping a teen’s emotional well-being.

Are genetics important in teen depression?

Yes, genetics can significantly influence a teen’s risk of developing depression. If a parent or close family member has experienced depression or other mood disorders, a teen may be more vulnerable due to inherited traits and neurochemical imbalances.

How do life experiences affect depression risk?

Stressful or traumatic life events—such as bullying, abuse, parental divorce, or grief—can profoundly affect a teen’s mental health. These experiences often impact how teens view themselves and the world, contributing to persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

Can social media impact teen depression?

Yes, excessive or negative experiences on social media can contribute to depression in teens. Exposure to cyberbullying, unrealistic comparisons, or social exclusion can increase anxiety, lower self-esteem, and create emotional isolation—all of which are risk factors for depression.

How does Mission Prep support teens facing depression?

Mission Prep provides tailored, evidence-based care that addresses the root causes of teen depression. Through clinical assessments, therapy, and a supportive environment, teens gain tools to manage symptoms and build resilience. Their comprehensive approach helps families understand the “why” behind depression and move toward healing.