Annoying and failing grades...The number of children and adolescents with depression surged 84% in four years, why?
Sep 17, 2025
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#. Ms. B, a second grader in high school, stayed in her room while her grades dropped sharply and avoided relationships with her friends. The parents took their daughter to the hospital after she had repeated irritation and extreme words, and it turned out to be an early depression.
The number of children and adolescents suffering from 'mind disease' is increasing rapidly.
According to the National Health Insurance Service, the number of depressive patients under teens and teenagers surged from 40,808 in 2020 to 75,232 in 2024.
This is an increase of about 84.3% over the past four years. It is more than 2.3 times the growth rate of patients in their 20s (35.9%) during the same period.
It is estimated that the actual scale will be much larger if potential patients are included.
◇Related to genetic and environmental factors...I'm showing symptoms that are different from adults
The cause of childhood and adolescent depression is 60% environmental, and the remaining 40% is known to be genetic.
As environmental factors, ▲ excessive academic burden ▲ peer relationship problems ▲ conflict at home ▲ excessive use of smartphones and SNS ▲ trauma such as child abuse is representative.
There is also an analysis that social disconnection and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and comparative culture in SNS have had a big impact in recent years.
Experts explained that "Children's ability to properly express or resolve emotions is not yet sufficiently developed, so even small conflicts and stress can easily lead to depression.'
Depression in children and adolescents is different from that of adults. In the case of adult depression, if lethargy, self-reliance, and sadness are the main factors, children and adolescents are often revealed as ▲ outbursts of irritation and anger ▲ decreased concentration ▲ changes in sleep and appetite ▲ physical symptoms such as headache and abdominal pain ▲ plummeting performance.
Sometimes adolescence and depression symptoms are confused, and during puberty, there are usually ups and downs of emotions, but depression shows continuous emotional changes.
◇ Drugs and psychotherapy at the same time...Maintenance treatment is important considering recurrence and chronicity
Treatment depends on the degree and cause of symptoms.
In mild cases, medication and psychotherapy are primarily combined.
Psychotherapy is conducted in the form of interviews, and supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and interpersonal therapy are relatively widely used and have been changed from the current health insurance system to general counseling records and are being applied. In other words, it is possible to claim health insurance, but it is not classified as a disease.
Inpatient treatment is recommended if extreme accidents such as suicide are severe or accompanied by mental symptoms.
Drug treatment includes antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and antipsychotic drugs. In addition, auxiliary treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using magnetic fields, electrical cramps, and phototherapy are also used.
Professor Cho A-rang of the Department of Psychiatry at Gangdong Kyunghee University Hospital emphasized that it is important to continue maintenance treatment as long as possible even after acute treatment to prevent recurrence and chronicization.
◇ A child's changed behavior should not be regarded as a simple puberty
There is no way to completely prevent childhood and adolescent depression. Early detection and careful attention are best.
Professor Cho A-lang said, `When irritation increases, lethargic, refuses to go to school or academy, or complains of being sick often, this should not be regarded as mere puberty.'
At home, it is basic to have a warm conversation and form a stable attachment.
Professor Cho said "Parents' depression, marital conflict, and domestic violence have a great adverse effect on children's emotions, so care should be taken."It is also important to give praise and encouragement to children, focusing on the process and effort, and to help them express their feelings in language. "
It is also important to support positive peer relationships and not place excessive learning burden.
In life, it is good to sleep regularly, eat properly and balanced meals, and exercise steadily.
Professor Cho said "There are reports that excessive use of digital devices such as mobile phones reduces patience and increases anxiety and depression, so controlling the use of mobile phones and finding healthy play activities (drawing, writing, music activities, etc.) to replace them also help prevent depression."," he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends aerobic exercise (running, biking, swimming, jumping rope, etc.) for about an hour a day and more than three times a week.
However, he explained that regular habits such as morning stretching, walking for 30 minutes after school, and climbing stairs are more important than sticking to exercise.
It is important to avoid instant and high-fat and high-sugar foods and eat them evenly on a regular basis.
It is recommended to eat breakfast and eat 200g of vegetables (400g, about two paper cups), 200g of fruits (one apple, one banana, a handful of grapes), a handful of nuts, 100g of meat (based on lean meat), and 1 cup of yogurt at least twice a week (one slice of salmon, mackerel, tuna) and 200-300g of fish (one slice).
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
