The interpretation shift in the expressions used by adolescents with depression, and their cultural metaphors

From a multi-disciplinary perspective, we examine how adolescent depression manifests itself, shifting from being seen as a pathological condition to something that involves existential interpretations and cultural metaphors. At the experiential level, adolescent depression is characterized by a stagnation of time perception, a weakening of the sense of the future, and a breakdown of meaning. Its underlying mechanisms are shaped by structural social pressures such as individualistic loneliness, competition driven by performance-oriented values, the alienation of consumer culture, and rapid societal changes. Vulnerable self-esteem and instability serve as important psychological factors that convert social pressures into depressive experiences. Depression-related discourse also carries functions such as conveying symbolic meanings, encoding subcultural elements, and serving strategic purposes in shaping identity. Understanding and dealing with adolescent depression requires going beyond simplistic medical or social explanations, and adopting a more comprehensive approach to understanding this phenomenon.