It affects about 17.8million people each year, almost half of these being women. Girls are more likely to become depressed twice as much as men, and much of that is due to the society girls live in today. Today's culture is based on capitilism, sexism and lookism (Pipher, 18). Also most girls are brought up to respond differently to situations then men, and are not shown how to express their anger. There also never used to be R rated movies or designer clothes, or sex or graphic violence in the media. Being shapely and healthy looking was beautiful. There was no "Playboy" or XXX movies, drugs were not in every neighborhood. Teenagers would rebel through clothes, hair, and music. Now more than ever teenage girls are in danger and our world is to blame.

In order to even understand why depression is taking over t

Most adolescent girls do not fit into the cultural definitions of beautiful, and they are in more physical and mental trouble than they have ever been. The teen years have always been hard but are now harder because of all the changes in the society over the past decades (Pipher, 233). During these years development and culture put a lot of stress on girls, and so many things are happening that it is hard to sort it all out. An example is that a girl who is suffering from mild depression may kill herself. Not because her life is completely painful but because she is impulsive, reactive, and unable to put small setbacks in perspective. A girls self-esteem will crumble just from a few taunts and rejections, they have not learned reliable coping strategies (depression.com). Of course some young women are suicidal because of biological factors, trauma, confusion and difficult times, but every girl is potentially dangerous to herself and must be taken seriously.

a result from their depression. Some depression symptoms in teenagers go unnoticed because they are different from adults. Common alternative symptoms are: drinking or drug use, rebellious or rude behavior, drop in grades and no concern about it, change of attitude towards everyday life, distance from friends or suddenly changing groups. Many will deal with depression by starving or cutting their bodies, taking pills, drinking heavily or becoming promiscous. Young women lose a realistic view of the universe and all that matters to them is in the hand of others (Ferber, 7).

flicting harm on their body can become cathartic. When there are no better coping strategies, hurting the body becomes a way to calm down.

ill destroy themselves to be accepted socially. They will strive to be fully feminine and inevitably fail because they are not pretty or popular enough (Ferber, 5). Some will make the necessary sacrifices to be almost perfect, and will accept the damage they are doing to themselves. All girls are experiencing some pain or suffering during this time of their lives, its when they blame it on themselves and thei

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Approximate Word count = 1418
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)