Many people think of their teenage years as one of the hardest times in their life, full of tremendous highs and lows. What most people don't know, however, is that depression is not only very common among teens, but also that there are many school services students can turn to for help.

According to the National Institute of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 15 to 20 percent of teens have experienced a serious episode of depression. However, according to Gunn psychologist George Green, many students will have less severe feelings of depression at some point.

Various factors contribute to feelings of depression: relationship or friendship difficulties, family stress, pressure from school and a loss of a close friend or family member can all cause a student to feel overwhelmed and sad. "Depression is common in this age group because so many things are going on," Adolescent Counseling Service (ACS) Site Director Roni Gillenson said. "You're growing and there are changes in hormones, you're individuating from parents and there's peer pressure."

There are two major types of depression, different in severity. Dysthymia, a mild but long lasting depression, can be recognized by any extremely out-of-the-ordinary behavior. The condition's symptoms include insomnia or hypersoma, undereating or overeating, fatigue and poor concentration. In clinical depression, feelings of sadness and despair last for only two weeks, but are much more severe. These feelings may include unnecessary guilt, withdrawal from social activity, significant weight loss or weight gain and recurring thoughts of death.

A teen suffering from depression is also at a much higher risk to develop other serious problems, such as substance abuse, struggling friendships and risky sexual behavior. Untreated depression is also the number one cause of suicide.

In 2003, Palo Alto High School (Paly) student Steven Wertheimer took his own life, and the following year fellow classmate Ben Tachibana did the same. Recently, a passing motorcyclist saved a Gunn student in a suicide attempt from the San Antonio overpass on Highway 101.

Because the student who attempted suicide was new to Gunn and the country, the administration took immediate action to make new students feel more welcome to the school and the community, though a few events were already in place such as the new student luncheon. One or two new students join the student body every week with the exception of the first few weeks of school and the beginning of second semester. The administration recently asked the Student Executive Council (SEC) to spearhead a program to create care packages for students new to Gunn, which would include Gunn apparel and a student-written handbook. The program would also pair SEC members with new students. SEC members would act as mentors and friends, showing new students around campus, helping them to understand the rotating schedule and spending time with them during lunch and brunch.

However, there are already existing services for stressed students who are not new. Gunn has two mental health services on campus for students: guidance counselors and ACS. Though many thing guidance counselors are solely responsible for helping students with academic planning, they can also help students who are feeling down and make referrals to ACS or private counseling services. "We are very worried about the mental health of students," Assistant Principal of Guidance Kim Cowell said. "In the past few years we've made more referrals to ACS and outside counseling."

ACS is a free resource that began in 1980 and made its way to Gunn nine years later. It provides graduate and post-graduate counseling interns who help students deal with numerous issues, ranging from peer relationships to family conflicts to sexuality. Last year 150 students utilized ACS's services, and 75 students have already visited the ACS offices this year.

Along with its on-campus counseling program, ACS has other branches. The Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program helps students with drug or alcohol problems, Caravan House provides shelter and support to teenage girls who are dealing with conflicts at home and the Latino Outreach Program connects Latino students to schools.

ACS counselors have different ways of deciphering a student's situation if they have mentioned suicidal thoughts. They assess the intent of the thoughts, talk to the student to help find ways for him to take care of himself, contact the student's family if appropriate and recommend hospitalization if the student is in very serious danger.

Green emphasized that counseling can be effective in treating depression or suicidal feelings. "One thing to remember is that suicide is a temporary state of mind," Green said. "It is important for people to know that counseling can be very helpful when they feel that way."

Some teens are predisposed toward depression because of their genes—20 to 50 percent of teens who experience depression have a family members who also suffers from the illness, according to the Center for Mental Health Services, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Green said that when students internalize emotions and begin putting themselves down in school, their level of happiness plummets. "Especially when students feel they aren't living up to their own expectations, stress can lead to anxiety," Green said. Green's main role is to refer students to outside therapy and remain in contact with outside therapists.

Though Gunn is a high-pressure school and many students feel stressed, help is waiting. "I think there is more stress in environments like Gunn and Paly, but there are also more resources for help," Green said. Students who would like to utilize ACS should ask their guidance counselor to refer them or stop by Gillenson's office to the library.