Find out information on teen depression.
It is estimated the between three and six million children under the age of 18 are suffering from clinical depression. Everyone, even children, occasionally has periods of sadness or unhappiness. However, if it is severe enough or lasts long enough to cause problems in their normal activities at home or school, it may be more than a case of the blues, it may be depression!
Depression can have severe consequences if it is not properly treated. It can cause a child or teen to do poorly in school, stop participating in activities that they previously enjoyed and stop spending time with their friends and family. The more they withdraw, teachers, other family members or friends may start to tell them that something is wrong with them or that they are lazy or even crazy. As a result of these comments, their self esteem may be lowered. In the most severe cases of depression, the youth may attempt suicide.
How do I know if my teen is depressed?
If your teen is depressed, he or she will probably display two (2) or more of the following symptoms for two consecutive weeks. These should be behaviors that they do not normally display, in other words, it must be a change in their behavior.
> A change in their school performance
> Inability to concentrate
> Irritable or easily angered
> Seems to be persistently unhappy or sad
> Change in eating and sleeping habits
> Withdrawing from people and activities that were previously enjoyed
> Displaying excessive guilt or anxiety
> Complaints of physical aches and pains
> Aggressive, impulsive or risky behaviors
> Talking of death or suicide
What causes teenagers to be depressed?
Doctors aren't sure what causes depression. But, the reasons teens get depressed are varied. It may be something different for each person. It could be caused by stress over school or relationships. Some teen girls become depressed when they go through puberty. Their depression may result out of a difficulty dealing with their changing bodies. By the age of 14, teenage girls are twice as likely as teenage boys to have depression.
What should I do if I think my teen is depressed?
If your child displays the symptoms of depression for longer that two weeks, you should seek medical help. Your pediatrician is a good person to start with. He will probably run some tests to confirm that the symptoms are not caused by an illness or an infection. If your pediatrician feels that the symptoms are serious enough, he may refer your teen for mental health counseling.
If you have never been to a mental health counselor or a psychiatrist, you may be apprehensive about going. Contrary to many myths, seeking the help of a counselor or psychiatrist does not mean that your teen is crazy or that you are a bad parent. It also does not mean that your child will have to spend years in therapy. The sooner the depression is diagnosed and treatment begins, the easier it is to treat and the shorter the recovery time will be.
How will the depression be treated?
Everyone responds differently to various treatments. There are many ways to treat depression, how your child is treated will depend on the severity of his depression and the methods that you and the doctors feel would be best. Some of the treatments include, outpatient counseling, admittance to a psychiatric hospital, medications, group counseling, family counseling and individual counseling.
If you suspect that your teen is depressed, seek treatment as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more severe the depression may become. Contact your pediatrician or local Mental- Health Counselor for more information on depression.
