Being a teenager means a lot of ups and downs. It’s tough to tell if a teen’s mood swings are just normal growing pains or something more serious, like depression. Missing the symptoms of depression in teens and not getting help can be risky. We’ll talk about some possible symptoms of teen depression and where to find support.
Teen depression
Teen depression is a serious condition where a young person might feel sad for a long time and stop enjoying things they used to. Even though anyone can get depressed, the signs in teens can be a bit different from adults.
How many teens experience depression and what it looks like:
The World Health Organization says 1.4% of kids aged 10 to 19, and 3.5% of those 15 to 19, have depression. Teen depression can show up differently than adult depression.
Signs of clinical depression in teens:
Some things that might suggest a teen is depressed include:
- Feeling sad or hopeless
- Being easily annoyed, angry, or mean
- Crying a lot
- Pulling away from friends and family
- Not caring about hobbies or activities
- Doing poorly in school
- Gaining or losing a lot of weight
- Changes in how they eat and sleep
- Being restless and agitated
- Feeling worthless and guilty
- Having no excitement or drive
- Feeling tired all the time
- Trouble focusing
- Pains that don’t have a clear cause
- Using drugs or alcohol
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Hurting themselves
Am I depressed, or is it just a phase?
Being a teenager is hard. It’s that time when you’re not a kid anymore but not quite an adult. Hormones, wanting more freedom, and other life events can make teens feel sad or alone. It’s hard to tell the difference between normal teenage ups and downs and depression. One study says teen depression is often missed.
Related Article: Depressive Disorder And Mental Health: What Are The Five Types Of Depression?
Why is it sometimes hard to spot teen depression?
It’s harder to see symptoms of depression in teens because some of these signs can also be part of normal teenage moodiness, not just depression. For example, some parents know that taking away a teen’s social time for bad grades can make them furious, tearful, and sad.
Am I depressed, or is it just a phase? How do I know the symptoms?
If a teen’s outbursts are usually short-lived, it might not be depression. Teens who aren’t depressed usually snap back quickly. But if this kind of behavior happens often for no clear reason, it could mean there’s a deeper problem that therapy could help with.
Things that affect teen mental health:
Many things can contribute to teen depression or other mental health issues.
Family problems: Trouble at home, with family, or with parents can be a big source of stress for teens.
School and peer pressure: Many teens are juggling a lot of pressure from school, after-school activities, and social life.
Social media: Studies show that being constantly on social media can make existing mental health issues worse.
Money and background: Some say that race, social class, and income matter because they can affect how much a community can get mental and physical health care.
Cyberbullying: This has become common among teens, and cyberbullying increases a child’s risk of self-harm.
Being a teen can be scary sometimes. For many, it’s a time of big changes, peer pressure, school stress, social problems, and more.
Related Article: Recognizing The Warning Signs Of Depression And Bipolar Disorder
Teens’ toughness and social support:
Some teens are tougher than others and seem to bounce back from big problems, like losing a parent. Others might need some outside help or mental health care.
Social activities and good interactions:
Plenty of research shows that when teens reach out for social support and have more positive interactions with others during tough times, they are stronger and better at handling stress.
Ways to get support to help mental health:
Research also suggests that being able to talk about and express feelings can help lower things that lead to depression, like stress or the risk of drug abuse. If teens can’t talk to their parents or teachers, finding other supportive people can be really important for their mental health.
I am depressed: Harsh parenting and teen depression.
Parents might not realize how much they affect their child’s mental health. But some research shows a link between how parents discipline and teenage depression: one study found that harsh verbal discipline from parents led to more depression symptoms in teens.
Related Article: What Is Manic Depression And How Does It Relate To Mental Health?
Help is available for clinical depression in teens.
Talk therapy can really help with clinical depression. The American Psychological Association suggests cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) as good ways to treat clinical depression. But remember, the treatment plan for a teen’s depression is made just for them.
I am depressed: Online therapy for depression.
Teenage years can be hard for both teens and parents. For extra support during these tough times, online therapy can be useful. Parents and teens are often super busy, and since online therapy can be done anywhere with internet, it’s often easier to fit it in. Plus, since many teens are online a lot, talking to a therapist virtually might feel natural for them. If your teen is dealing with depression or other issues, you can look into online counseling.
How well online therapy works for depression and bipolar disorder in teens:
Studies have shown that online therapy is good for many problems, including depression in teens. For example, one study looked at online therapies for kids and teens with depression and/or anxiety. The researchers found growing proof that using computers and the Internet helps in giving treatments for the symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and teens.
Related Article: What is Postpartum Depression, and How to Cope With Symptoms
To sum it up:
The teenage years often have lots of ups and downs and mood swings. This can make it hard to tell if what a teen is going through is just normal adolescence or something more serious, like depression. Learning about the common signs and symptoms of teen depression can help you figure out what’s happening. And for extra support for you or your teen, online therapy can be helpful.