Goth teens 'at increased risk of depression and self-harm'

Goth teens 'at increased risk of depression and self-harm'"Goths are three times more likely to be depressed than other teenagers, with 37% admitting to self-harming," the Daily Mail reports.

A new study looked at mental health outcomes in young people who said they identified with the goth sub-culture. Goths favour black clothes, stark make-up, gloomy music and an interest in the darker side of life.

The study involved 2,000 teens and looked at whether self-identification as a goth at age 15 is linked to depression and self-harm at 18.

After full adjustment for prior mental health and behavioural problems in the child, the study found goths were around a quarter more likely to have depression by 18 and a third more likely to report self-harming.

The obvious question is, does being a goth make you prone to depression, or are people already prone to depression more likely to identify with goth culture?

It's likely the relationship between mental health and self-identity is a complex one that cannot be boiled down to a simple "X leads to Y" statement. NHS Choices