The Signs Of Teenage Depression
Teenage depression is something that is hard to see. You look at them and their moodiness that comes just from being teenagers and try to figure out what moodiness is normal and what moodiness is not normal. This can be very hard to tell at times because teenagers are just moody by nature.
Yet, as parents, you have a sense when it is different and you need to take it seriously. Many teenagers die from untreated depression and, more often than not, you hear people saying, “they never saw it coming.” This is not something that needs to happen. If you feel something is wrong, have them checked out and make sure that it is nothing before you assume that it is nothing to worry about.
There are some signs that you can look for that will help you figure out if it is something to worry about or not. The first thing that you should be thinking about is how long has the moodiness been going on. Sure, they may be moody a lot of the time but you may have noticed that it has changed. Normal moodiness lasts for a day here and a day there, but the moodiness we are talking about is the kind that goes on for days and stops them from functioning as they would normally.
Look for changes in their behavior, such as how they are around their friends and family members. Have they stopped doing anything that they used to enjoy doing? Are they giving away things that have meaning to them? Has the amount of sleep or food they eat suddenly changed? Have they lost weight or gained weight lately and we are not talking about a 5-pound gain or loss.
Are their grades slipping in a class they have always done well in? Are they not hanging out with their friends like they used to? Have they dropped out of any clubs that they were active in? Have they gotten into an argument or broken up with a significant other recently? Are there any problems going on at home, like a pending divorce or the death of a family member?
Knowing what is going on in the life of your teenager is hard enough but if you suspect that they may be suffering from depression, it is critical to know what is going on. The knowledge you gain can help figure out if depression is going on and it may also help to identify what has caused it. There may have been an event that has triggered it and it will be very helpful to know this.