How to Better Understand Teen Depression

It is normal for all of us to go through ups and downs – teenagers included. A teen’s sad feelings can last several days and during this time they may have trouble eating, sleeping, concentrating well, or feeling motivated. But keep in mind that teen depression is more than simply feeling sad or experiencing moodiness. It is a significant mental health condition that deserves attention.

Differences between everyday sadness and teen depression.

Telling the difference between when your teen is simply feeling down in the dumps and when they are experiencing depression can be difficult. Parents are advised to start with these questions:

Regarding time.

For how long have the emotions and changes to behavior lasted? If your child is displaying sadness or behavior that resembles them when they are overly tired and irritable for more than 14 days, then it may be depression.

Regarding intensity.

How strong are these emotions, and are they present all the time, or do they come and go?

Regarding impact.

Is your teen’s schoolwork, friendships, enjoyment of life, level of participation in routine activities, or physical health being affected by these emotions?

It is important to know that if depression is not treated in your teen can have long-term consequences. If you are worried about your child, then know it is important for you to look for the signs of depression. As with many things, the earlier a professional can intervene the more your child will benefit.

Be encouraged to know that teen depression is often treated successfully. Teens are good at recognizing how new skills can help them manage problems and actively managing the signs of depression make it far less likely that it will come back.

Signs to look out for.

It may be that teen depression is difficult to positively identify. However, there are some changes in the way teens think, feel, and act as well as their physical health that are common signs of depression.

Regarding their thoughts, your teen may:

• Have difficulty focusing and solving problems they would otherwise not have battled with.
• Find it hard to be decisive and come to a decision
• Come across as absent-minded and forgetful, not being able to remember information
• Experience a negative thought life and say things that seem to be difficult to change or ignore for that matter. These thoughts may include topics such as self-harm, death, or even suicide. If your child says a statement such as, “Life is not worth living” or “I can’t do this anymore”, then it is important to act.
• Regarding their emotions and behavior, your teen may:
• Describe their feelings as “empty” or “numb” and feel sad, tearful, sullen, or touchy.
• Lose interest or enjoyment of activities that they used to look forward to doing.
• Experience anger and outbursts that surprise people who know them
• Express feelings of guilt or poor self-esteem by making statements similar to, “It is all my fault” or “I am a failure.”
• Stop or dramatically dial down their social life by no longer initiating contact, meeting up with their friends, or joining in group social events. This can be seen when a teen does not want to attend another friend’s party, or when they express loneliness.
• See changes in the way they perform their schoolwork
• Regarding their physical health, your teen may:
• Experience low energy and a lack of motivation
• Eat too little, or too much, and see a fluctuation in their weight
• Have problems they battle to identify beyond an ache, such as a headache or stomachache.
• Not being able to sleep properly and feeling tired. Perhaps they are sleeping too long, not being able to sleep properly, or not feeling rested after sleep.

It is also possible that your teen has more than one indication of depression, and these may be ongoing or fade in and out of intensity over a period of weeks or sometimes even months.

Looking for help with teen depression.

If you’re looking for additional help with teen depression and for experienced professionals who understand teens and enjoy working with them, browse our online counselor directory at Frisco Christian Counseling in Texas or contact our office to schedule an appointment. The licensed counselors in Frisco, Texas would be honored to walk with you on this journey.