Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents. A Psycho-spiritual Approach and Statistical Contextualization

Abstract

At the beginning of the third millennium, depression is under a lot of debate and specialist studies, literature, artistic manifestations and people's testimonies highlight this form of mental disorder that is growing and giving rise to complex and various problems. Depression means a state of pathological sadness and, at the same time, is a permanent negative state, an emotional pain overwhelming an individual in moments almost normal of life, but which are perceived disproportionately. Besides sadness, cognition, thought process, will and decision-making power are also impaired. Usually, depressive states do not have an organic cause, but some existential causes, linked to the absence of perception of life meaning and the connection to God.Depressive disorder is a real public health issue, with a major impact on the cognitive, psychological and social development of adolescents. Therefore, this work aims to identify, from a theoretical perspective, the factors that generate a context favoring the triggering and amplification of some forms of depressive or anxiety disorders in adolescents, and also to highlight some multidisciplinary methods of understanding and intervention proposals.