Question
Why are teenagers so often depressed?
Answer
Excellent question! By and large, teens today have not been exposed to the deep spiritual work needed to be uplifted and happy. As the masters have taught us (Rabeinu Yona on Proverbs), the world is filled with distress and dismay. The only way to rise above it is to either be foolish and drunk, or to develop a healthy way of perceiving life and its challenges.
Teens have often not been introduced to this work, and they are honest enough to proclaim themselves as being unhappy.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Azriel Schreiber