I recently gave a talk to a local high school about the differences between normal teen angst and clinical depression, and how depression presents differently in girls and boys. Depression is a common form of mental illness, but among adolescents it is often overlooked because sadness, moodiness, and other symptoms of depression are common among teenagers. Hormonal changes along with other pressures of adolescence make this a challenging time in a young person’s life, which often results in mood fluctuations (see my previous post discussing some of the issues facing typical teens). But sometimes this moodiness turns into diagnosable depression, and parents and friends should know when to recognize the signs.