Types of Depression
II
Depression in Women
II Depression in Men
II
Childhood Depression
II
Adolescent Depression
II
Depression in the Elderly
II
Clinical Depression
II
Major Depression
II
Dysthymia II
Atypical Depression
II
Bipolar Depression
II
Cyclothymia II
Seasonal Affective Disorder
II
Postpartum Depression (PPD)
II
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
(PMDD)
II
Holiday Depression II
Workplace Depression.
Teen / Adolescent Depression.
It’s not unusual for a teen to experience the blues or feel
down in the dumps. The teenage years are marked with the many
physical, emotional, psychological and social changes that
unsettle the adolescent. However, when the teen's moods disrupt their ability to
function on a day-to-day basis, it may indicate adolescent
depression.
Teenage depression can be difficult to diagnose because moody
behavior is typical in the adolescent years. Also, adolescents do
not always understand or express their feelings very well. The
teenage person may not be aware of the symptoms of depression and
may not seek help. Teens often need an attentive and caring adult
to help guide them to the best course of treatment.
The teen under stress, the adolescent who experiences
loss, or the teenager with attentional, learning, conduct or anxiety
disorders are at a higher risk for depression. Teenage girls are
at especially high risk, as is the minority adolescent. As the
rate of depression rises, so does the teen suicide rate.
The rate of suicide for this age group has nearly tripled since
1960. Each year, almost 5,000 young people, ages 15 to 24, kill
themselves. The number of attempted suicides is even higher. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents, the
second leading cause of death among college-age youth and the
sixth leading cause of death in children.
Depression is serious and, if left untreated, can worsen to the
point of becoming life-threatening. Do not ignore the symptoms if
you suspect that the teen in your life might be suffering from
depression. Antidepressant medication is not recommended for
children under the age of 18 because the side effects can be
especially severe. Additionally, there are few studies that show a
benefit to using antidepressants for adolescent and teenage
depression. Deprex is a safe and effective alternative to
antidepressant medication for adolescent depression.
Teen depression continues to increase at an alarming rate.
Depending on the report quoted, one in five to one in eight
adolescents may have depression. These symptoms may indicate
depression in your teen, especially when they last for more than
two weeks:
Signs of Teenage Depression:
- Poor performance in school.
- Withdrawal from friends and activities.
- Sadness and hopelessness.
- Lack of enthusiasm, energy or motivation.
- Anger and rage.
- Overreaction to criticism.
- Feelings of being unable to satisfy ideals.
- Poor self-esteem or guilt.
- Indecision, lack of concentration or forgetfulness.
- Restlessness and agitation.
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
- Substance abuse.
- Problems with authority.
- Suicidal thoughts or actions.
Teens may not come out and say, "I am depressed. My life is not
worth living. I need help." Instead, teens typically show their
sadness in pervasive ways. Teens may experiment with drugs or alcohol or become sexually
promiscuous to avoid feelings of depression. Teens also may
express their depression through hostile, aggressive, risk-taking
behavior.
More Signs of Depression in the Teenage Adolescent:
- Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying.
- Crying for no apparent reason.
- Wearing black clothes, writing poetry with morbid themes, a
preoccupation with music with dark themes.
- Decreased effort in maintaining their appearance or hygiene.
- Decreased interest in activities.
- Decreased involvement in clubs, sports, and other activities
they once enjoyed.
- Persistent boredom, low energy, lack of motivation.
- Social isolation, lack of connection with friends and family.
- Difficulty with relationships or decreased effort in
maintaining friendships.
- Frequent complaints of headaches, stomachaches,
lightheadedness, dizziness, being nauseous, back pain, menstrual
problems and other physical complaints.
- Frequent absences from school.
- Poor performance in school.
- Poor concentration.
- Talks about or attempts to run away from home.
- Expresses thoughts of suicide or exhibits self-destructive
behavior.
- Self-Injury.
