Face it: Being a 20-something isn’t easy. On the one hand, the period between ages 18 and 29 is the best ever. It’s that time when you get to develop a sense of independence in college, start a new job, scout out the dating scene, or head off to new cities. On the other hand, it’s a time often characterized by financial debt, romantic misadventures, loneliness, and a sense of uncertainty about who we are and why we’re here. So it’s not surprising that people in their late teens and 20s are especially vulnerable to feelings of depression.
The positive news is that these emotions are pretty common and typically pass by the time people hit 30. But depression can still be a serious issue that often requires some kind of treatment. Here’s how to address those feelings when they pop up.
What You Need to Know 
At one time, most people didn’t experience their first depressive episode until their late 40s or 50s; today, depression typically first appears around age 25. And while about nine percent of the American adult population suffers from some type of depression, that number is closer to 11 percent among people ages 18 to 24.
Today’s 20-somethings are going through a number of psychosocial and biological experiences that make them espe…