Many students have become adept at crafting excuses to cover for their failures, and depression is of the most commonly abused of these guises.

There are some teens that have legitimate reasons for claiming to be uncommonly sad. Depression is a medically recognized condition, and those who suffer from it must struggle through a myriad of difficulties.

These students certainly deserve the special treatment they receive from their teachers and families as they struggle to overcome the doldrums.

However, the exploitation of the “depressed label” in order to gain special treatment cannot be justified. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the percentage of clinically depressed teens is 8.5%.

Yet some believe the percentage of teens suffering from depression is much higher. In fact, most teenagers would claim to have suffered from this phenomenon at one time or another.

Reasons for such deception vary. Some do it to gain attention, others to justify their low academic performance or to manipulate their parents and teachers. We have all seen such behavior in action, whether at home with siblings, or at school with peers.

The consequences of such irrational behavior are often more extreme than those of an actual medical condition. Students who fake or abuse learning disabilities not only cheat themselves, but also those around them.

Teachers are taken advantage of, hardworking students are neglected and teens that actually suffer from these conditions are often overlooked.

For those who do struggle with depression, hope can be found. By seeking out counseling, medical help and the encouragement of friends and family, this hurdle can be overcome.

Teachers may need an in-service to help them detect clinical depression and/or advice on how to best deal with the issue.

Care certainly must be taken in order to ensure that those who battle depression are aided in their fight. However, careful scrutiny must be made. Students who would adopt the guise of depression must be confronted and made to accept responsibility for their actions.