Teen Depression Counseling
Teen Depression Symptoms
Teen depression is a mental disorder that is characterized by abnormally low moods that persist for two or more weeks. Depression prevents individuals from functioning normally in their day-to-day activities. Although a depressive episode may last only a few weeks, it often lasts much longer.
Teen depression symptoms are commonly mistaken for sullenness, rebellion or a bad attitude. As a result, teen depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated. In such cases, teen depression can worsen becoming much more severe.
Symptoms of depression in adults are similar in many ways to symptoms of teen depression. However, some signs of depression are much more prevalent in teens. Knowing the signs of teen depression can help you as a parent, teacher or loved one, detect it in someone you care about.
Some of the most common teen depression symptoms include:
- Aggression
- Anger or hostility
- Anxiety
- Apathy and lack of energy
- Being bullied
- Changes in appetite and/or weight fluctuations
- Changes in sleeping patterns (i.e. oversleeping or insomnia)
- Complaining about failure to meet goals and/or your ideals
- Cutting or other forms of self-injury (although you may not see any wounds, wearing long sleeves on a hot day may indicate self-injury)
- Fatigue
- Feelings of guilt, self-blame, and worthlessness
- Feelings of sadness and/or hopelessness
- Frequent crying spells
- Increased sensitivity to criticism
- Indecisiveness
- Inexplicable pain (headaches or back pain)
- Irritability
- Lack of concentration
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
- Low self-esteem
- Memory problems
- Poor academic performance
- Restlessness or agitation
- Sluggish actions or speech
- Talking about death and suicide (expressing the wish to be dead)
- The presence of other anxiety disorders, eating disorders, or behavioral disorders
- Use of alcohol and drugs
- Violent or risky behavior
- Withdrawal from family and friends.