Week 0: Introduction

Hi! Welcome to my Blog! I’m Shamei Lu, a senior at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. My senior project will be about the relationship between environment and depressive disorders in adolescents.

The American Psychiatric Association states that depressive disorders negatively affect how you feel, think, and act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Depression can lead to various emotional and physical problems and decrease your ability to function at work and home. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depressive disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide and can significantly impact an individual’s ability to function in daily life. Depression can occur at any age but is particularly prevalent among adolescents. Studies have shown that between 10-20% of adolescents worldwide experience depressive disorders (WHO, 2021). Adolescent depression is a serious concern as it can lead to significant social, academic, and emotional impairments and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Risk factors for depression in adolescents include genetic predisposition, hormonal changes, environmental factors such as stressful life events, and exposure to adversity or trauma (National Institute of Mental Health, 2021). Identifying and addressing these risk factors early on can be critical in preventing the onset and progression of depressive disorders in adolescents.

Therefore, my research question is: How do environmental factors relate to depressive disorders in adolescents? How can we optimize environmental conditions to develop improved strategies to treat depression? To find out, I will conduct literature reviews, summarizing research papers and current findings about depressive disorders. Follow my weekly blogs to follow along with my research!

Bibliography
What Is Depression? (n.d.-b). https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
World Health Organization: WHO. (2021, September 13). Depression. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
Depression. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml