Awareness might be increasing but it isn't doing much good because the trend is not improving. Teen depression and suicide cannot be viewed as a small-scale problem; it is very much large scale and affecting all parts of society. .
This paper will examine the different perspectives of this social issue including functionalist, conflict and symbolic interactionist. The functionalist perspective will look at how parts of the teenager's lives feel unstable and not in order, which cause other parts to fall apart. This create dysfunction within their lives and affects parts of society. Conflict perspective will discuss the power struggle between the teenager's mind and their body, society and the teenager and other groups in society that make them feel powerless. Symbolic Interactionist perspective will analyze how these teen's behaviors are based on how they see the environment and how their perceptions and interactions all have a symbol. This paper will also look at agencies that can help prevent and eliminate teenage depression and suicide as well as help aid those who are depressed and/or suicidal. To complete the paper, there will be a personal response on how to truly understand these social issues and learn how to help others on a primary, secondary and tertiary level. .
ANALYSIS.
FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE.
Dysfunction starts out in many places in society such as home life, schools, day cares and social settings and this is where the problem begins. Children are in the developmental stages from conception to adolescent hood and in this time period, many dysfunctions are being installed into their brains. Children who are being brought up in unstable households are developing attachment issues such as severe attachment or severe attachment disorders. Schuengel, Schipper, Sterkenburg, & Kef (2013) state, "Human infants develop a functional attachment behavioral system under virtually all environmental conditions.