How Does Holden Overcome Depression In Catcher In The Rye

Adolescence is an unsettling time for teenagers, with every aspect of their life changing around them. As teenagers experience these rapid changes, they begin to feel “stressed out” and confused, leading to clinical depression. Adolescents experiencing depression show signs such as sadness and hopelessness, anger and rage, and substance abuse. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of the realistic-fiction novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger, is a troubled teenager dealing with depression. Throughout the novel, Holden exhibits a myriad of signs that confirm his depression. Indications of his depression are his infatuation with tobacco and alcohol, his volatile behavior and thoughts, and his feelings of sadness and obsession with death. Many depressed teenagers turn to drugs and alcohol to soften the effects of depression. Holden used both tobacco and alcohol to help him cope with his depression. Holden requires alcohol just to feel normal. For example, when Holden is at a nightclub, he states,”I can’t sit in a corny place like this stone cold sober. Can’tcha stick a little rum in it or something?” (Salinger 91). He tries to use alcohol to temporarily mask his depression and
Numerous incidents throughout the novel indicate that he suffers from depression and continues to get worse. Holden drowns himself in alcohol and smokes away his sadness to try and feel normal. Not only are his volatile behavior and irrational thoughts a direct symptom of his depression, but he constantly thinks of death and committing suicide. He enters a depressive state when he encounters almost anything. Holden is like millions of other teenagers throughout the United States suffering from clinical depression, and although their actions seem inconsequential, they affect them for the rest of their lives Teens, just like Holden, fail to realize they suffer from depression and need to get