Is Your Adolescent Child Depressed?

With all the biological changes, social pressures and academic challenges happening in your teen’s life, it is easy for them to be overwhelmed. While a stereotypical teen is moody, you have to make sure that the moodiness is not a manifestation of depression.

Statistics show that about 5 percent of adolescents suffer from a major episode of depression and 10 to 15 percent (or an average of 12 percent) struggle with depression at any one time. Depression should not be underestimated. It can drastically reduce a teen’s potential to handle, even the most basic functions, by 50 percent.

How would you know your teen child is just exhibiting typical moodiness behavior and not depression? Know the signs and symptoms of depression and pay attention to your child’s manifestations.

The following are some of the usual signs of depression. If these manifestations are exhibited occasionally, it can be moodiness, but if these last for two weeks or longer, the teen could be suffering from depression and needs professional help.

  • Unexplained sadness and feeling of hopelessness and helplessness
  • Irritability and bad temper
  • Withdrawal from family, friends and social activity
  • Loss of energy and interests in things that used to give them pleasure, including school
  • Changes in sleeping and eating habits/patterns resulting in weight loss or gain
  • Doing repetitive behaviors, such as pacing back and forth
  • Complaints of headaches, stomach aches and other physical pains
  • Being overly sensitive to comments
  • Behavior problems at home and school

As a result of withdrawal, your teen may also experience solitude and struggle in silence. Excessive weight gain or loss may also diminish his/her self-esteem. Not being able to sleep well can cause the teen to be more irritable and cranky. Your child will also have difficulty waking early to go to school, to stay awake in class and focus on the lessons. These can impact the adolescents’ performance in school.

Take note that all these manifestations can be occasionally observed in teenagers, so it is possible that you read the signs and symptoms wrong. To be certain, it is recommended that you take your teen to Carolina Counseling
Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC, so a trained, licensed independently contracted therapist can make a precise and proper diagnosis. The sooner you call the earlier it will be for your child to get back into the mainstream of teen life. Imagine what he/she may lose, passing through teen hood in a blur. Make the call now; your teen will appreciate that you did this for her/him.

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