Depression, a common mental disorder that manifests as depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, guilt or low self-esteem, disturbances in sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration. This mental illness proves to affect adolescents as much as it affects adults. Studies show that 20% of teenagers experience teenage depression before reaching adulthood. When dealing with depression, you often have difficulty living a normal life. The book "The Young Assassin", written by JD Salinger, tells of the main character Holden Caulfield, a hostile and negative person, who suffers from severe depression. Adolescence is, without a doubt, the most confusing and difficult years of a person's life as they prepare to enter adulthood. A wave of anxiety during adolescence leads to an anxiety-filled adulthood, followed by a variety of prescription drugs and therapy sessions. Throughout the novel “The Catcher in the Rye,” Holden shows several signs of depression in various areas of his life such as lying, suicidal thoughts, and constantly repeating the word “depressing” in himself. Lying usually becomes second nature to those suffering from depression as they feel the need to protect themselves from the world. Holden presumes to lie to every adult he meets so he can obscure insecurities and protect his lack of inspiration in life. Holden is "the greatest liar you've ever seen" (16) when it comes to people who want to help him find his way in life. His frequently used technique was to push people away by telling them "don't worry about me...I'll be fine, I'm just going through a phase" (18) when in reality Holden is screaming, hoping someone will...a half of the paper... it's full of its life but it's time to stop. Depression is a major concern today and takes a toll on everyone, not only the person diagnosed but also their family. It's not always obvious when someone is depressed. Everyone handles depression differently in their own way, but depression is a medical problem that should be managed professionally. Unfortunately, Holden let his depression escalate, leading him to live a life full of emptiness, guilt and compulsive lying and thus his way of dealing with his problem. Today, teenagers and Holden share a multitude of problems such as the loss of a loved one, drugs, alcohol and peer pressure that lead to depression and we need families to take notice and do something to stop the depression adolescent. Works Cited Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.