Signs Of Teenage Depression

Although the word “depression” may describe a normal human emotion, it can also submit to a mental health illness. Depression is defined as an illness when the feelings of hopelessness, despair, and sadness persevere and interfere with the ability to function. Depressive illness in a child or adolescent is identified when these feelings of depression continue and get in the way with the capacity to function.

Depression in teens and younger children is common and about five percent of children and adolescents in the general population experience depression at any given point in time. Children who undergo loss or stress, or who have learning, conduct, anxiety, or attentional disorders, are at a bigger risk for depression. Teenage girls are at particularly high risk, as well as minority youth. Depressed adolescents frequently have problems at home, and in a lot of cases, parents are depressed and depression tends to run in families.

Signs of teenage depression differ from the symptoms of depressed adults; the characteristics vary with most teenagers and children having additional psychiatric disorders such as substance abuse problems or behavior disorders. Professionals of mental health advise parents to be responsive of the signs of teenage depression in their children. Parents should seek help if one or more of this signs of teenage depression persist:

Hopelessness
Teenagers may feel that life is not worth the effort or not worth living to even continue their personal appearance or hygiene. They may also believe that a negative event will never change and be gloomy about their future.

Frequent tearfulness, crying, sadness
Depressed teens may show their persistent sadness through wearing black clothes, preoccupation with music that has nihilistic themes, and writing poetry with melancholic themes. They may also cry for no clear reason.

Unrelenting boredom or low energy
One of the signs of teenage depression is the lack of motivation and reduced energy level which is mirrored by not going to school or missed classes. Slowed thinking or loss of concentration which can be equated through a drop in grade averages, also reflects depression.

Social isolation and poor communication
Depressed teens tend to isolate themselves through lack of connection with family and friends, and they may avoid family events and gatherings. Teenagers who use to spend a lot of time with friends may now be without interests and often spend time alone, not sharing their thoughts with others and believing that they are alone in the world and nobody cares or listens to them.

Decreased interest in activities or inability to enjoy favorite activities
Teenagers becoming apathetic and dropping out of sports, clubs, and other activities that they use to enjoy, is one of the signs of teenage depression, with the feeling that not much seems to be fun anymore.

Guilt and low self-esteem
Depressed teens assume blame for negative circumstances or events and feel like a failure, and the feeling of not being “good enough”.

Other signs of teenage depression include: increased irritability or anger; extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure; difficulty with relationships; frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as stomachaches and headaches; frequent absences from school or poor performance; poor concentration; major change in eating and sleeping patterns; talk or efforts of running away from home; thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior; alcohol and drug abuse; and self-injury.

These signs of teenage depression should be given careful attention and should be treated appropriately with the help of professional health providers once observed or diagnosed.