Many say that the best stage in life is during the teenage years. Perhaps this is true. But one cannot deny that it is also the stage when your life becomes one big soap opera. You begin to become self-conscious because of changes in puberty. You become part of a groupie and experience the pressure of trying to look good and fit in. You begin to have crushes and believe you are in love. You get genuinely hurt for the silliest reasons such as your crush not liking you back. You begin to have questions about who you really are and what your purpose in this world is. You begin to argue with your parents as you insist on fighting for your right to be independent and decide on certain things. You begin to feel confused. With all the drama involved, it is not so easy to determine if your teenager is just being what a normal teenager should be or if his or her behavior is already an indication of depression.
Some of the signs which tell that your teenager needs help with depression include sadness, frequent crying or tearfulness, lack of enthusiasm in activities, restlessness, withdrawal from family or friends, anger, irritability, hopelessness, feeling of unexplained guilt, a sense of worthlessness, changes in sleeping and eating habits, difficulty in concentrating, lack of energy, and having thoughts of committing suicide or about death. If you are not sure whether these signs are just normal during teenage life or already symptoms of their need for help with depression management, consider how often these signs have been present, how intense they are and how different from his or her usual self your teenager has been acting.
If the help with depression they need is not given to them, then their depression could lead to more than just an atmosphere of melancholy. Most depressed teenagers would attempt to cope with their sadness and emotional pain on their own. Most often, this untreated depression leads to substance abuse, reckless behavior, problems at school, sensitivity to criticism, violence, running away, self-injury, addiction to the Internet, eating disorders, and even suicidal attempts.
Suicidal behavior can be really dangerous. So it is a must for you to keep an eye on your child if he or she should start behaving or acting suicidal. Some signs include talking about attempting suicide or even joking about it, romanticizing death, stating phrases that send messages about death being the only option, writing stories or poems related to death, intentional involvement in accidents that can lead to injuries or even death, distribution of personal objects and looking for methods of self-injury or inflicting death. If most of these signs happen to your teenager, then surely he or she would need help with depression.
The first thing that you can and must do is talk to your teen. Try to find out what is wrong. Do not talk to him or her as if you are demanding. Rather, talk like a friend. Make them feel that you are not there to judge, reprimand or criticize. Assure your teenager that whatever it is that he or she is going through, you will support him or her and be on his or her side no matter what. If your teen will not budge, do not surrender. Be persistent. You MUST know what is wrong. But be gentle. When your teen finally speaks up, listen. If the reason for the depression is something which you find utterly illogical or foolish, do not scold your teen or tell him or her that he or she is being crazy. Instead, acknowledge the sadness. Remember that while it may seem ridiculous to you, your teenager is sincerely going through pain. If they insist that there is no problem yet they cannot offer any explanation why they have been acting differently, do not believe them. Actions speak louder than words. No matter how they deny, their actions could betray them and reveal the way they really feel.
Also, contact your doctor to let your teen undergo tests to see if he or she is suffering from a medical condition. If it shows that your teenager does not have any medical condition which could have been the reason for the depressed behavior, then seek help from a psychologist. Neither you nor your teenager are competent enough to either rule out depression or determine it is the cause, so seek professional advice.
Some of the signs which tell that your teenager needs help with depression include sadness, frequent crying or tearfulness, lack of enthusiasm in activities, restlessness, withdrawal from family or friends, anger, irritability, hopelessness, feeling of unexplained guilt, a sense of worthlessness, changes in sleeping and eating habits, difficulty in concentrating, lack of energy, and having thoughts of committing suicide or about death. If you are not sure whether these signs are just normal during teenage life or already symptoms of their need for help with depression management, consider how often these signs have been present, how intense they are and how different from his or her usual self your teenager has been acting.
If the help with depression they need is not given to them, then their depression could lead to more than just an atmosphere of melancholy. Most depressed teenagers would attempt to cope with their sadness and emotional pain on their own. Most often, this untreated depression leads to substance abuse, reckless behavior, problems at school, sensitivity to criticism, violence, running away, self-injury, addiction to the Internet, eating disorders, and even suicidal attempts.
Suicidal behavior can be really dangerous. So it is a must for you to keep an eye on your child if he or she should start behaving or acting suicidal. Some signs include talking about attempting suicide or even joking about it, romanticizing death, stating phrases that send messages about death being the only option, writing stories or poems related to death, intentional involvement in accidents that can lead to injuries or even death, distribution of personal objects and looking for methods of self-injury or inflicting death. If most of these signs happen to your teenager, then surely he or she would need help with depression.
The first thing that you can and must do is talk to your teen. Try to find out what is wrong. Do not talk to him or her as if you are demanding. Rather, talk like a friend. Make them feel that you are not there to judge, reprimand or criticize. Assure your teenager that whatever it is that he or she is going through, you will support him or her and be on his or her side no matter what. If your teen will not budge, do not surrender. Be persistent. You MUST know what is wrong. But be gentle. When your teen finally speaks up, listen. If the reason for the depression is something which you find utterly illogical or foolish, do not scold your teen or tell him or her that he or she is being crazy. Instead, acknowledge the sadness. Remember that while it may seem ridiculous to you, your teenager is sincerely going through pain. If they insist that there is no problem yet they cannot offer any explanation why they have been acting differently, do not believe them. Actions speak louder than words. No matter how they deny, their actions could betray them and reveal the way they really feel.
Also, contact your doctor to let your teen undergo tests to see if he or she is suffering from a medical condition. If it shows that your teenager does not have any medical condition which could have been the reason for the depressed behavior, then seek help from a psychologist. Neither you nor your teenager are competent enough to either rule out depression or determine it is the cause, so seek professional advice.
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