Kids Who Join Youth Gangs Prone to Depression

Youth who join a gang are much more likely to have mental health issues and then being in the gang actually makes it worse.

Kids who join youth gangs are more prone to mental health problems, depression and suicidal thoughts. The feelings get worse if they do not leave the gangs.

Gang membership is associated with greater levels of depression as well as a 67 percent increase in suicidal thoughts and a 104 percent increase in suicide attempts.

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Adolescent depression is an ailment that occurs during the teenage characterized by persistent melancholy, disappointment and loss of self-esteem.

‘Youth from poor families join gangs to escape hardship for money, protection, status or a sense of belonging they are unable to get at home, school.’

"Youth who join a gang are much more likely to have mental health issues and then being in the gang actually makes it worse," said Chris Melde from Michigan State University.

"Kids join gangs for reasons but when we try to find the benefits - whether it's for protection, a sense of worth, whatever -- we're finding it actually makes an already significant problem in their lives even worse," Melde added in the paper published in the journal Criminal Justice and Behavior.

Several youth -- particularly from poor families -- join gangs to escape hardship for money, protection, status or a sense of belonging they are unable to get at home, school or elsewhere.

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Depression is a common disorder and many worldwide suffer from depression. Early recognition of symptoms and signs of depression can help in taking a holistic approach to the management of depression.

However, they found no discernible benefits as the rate of substance abuse and violent victimisation only increased after kids joined gangs.

"If you think of gang membership as a coping mechanism, it doesn't work," Melde stated, adding that it does not act as an antidepressant for youth.

Depression - Symptom Evaluation
Depression occurs due to alterations in the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain.

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Depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting approximately 340 million people in the world. No one is immune from depression - it occurs in people of all social classes, all countries and all cultural settings.