A depressed teenager: advice from a psychologist on how to avoid trouble

According to statistics, every eighth child suffers from teenage depression.
This figure is terrifying: it turns out that in a typical class, 2-3 people may have depression. And the number of tragic cases due to teenage depression is not decreasing. You should take this problem seriously and take a closer look at your child’s strange or aloof behavior. Perhaps he needs help!

Causes of depression in children and adolescents – is adolescence only to blame?

In addition to serious reasons for depression, it can all start with completely harmless situations:

• Hormonal changes in the body
• Problems with classmates How can you understand without much questioning that a child is in a bad mood, has problems at school, or is experiencing bullying?
• Poor performance
• Non-acceptance of yourself externally and internally
• Problems of misunderstanding

There may be more serious reasons that lead to reactive depression:

• Severe emotional shock.
• Parents' divorce.
• Loss of a loved one.
• Participation in bullying (both as a victim and as an aggressor).

Another possible cause is neurological and endocrine diseases, for example:

• Epilepsy
• Traumatic brain injury
• Neuritis
• CNS infections
• Hypothyroidism
• Hyperthyroidism
• Adrenal diseases
• Diabetes
• Lack of joy hormones in the body (serotonin, dopamine)

It is worth noting that depression in a teenager can appear without any apparent reason.

Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at the behavior and emotional state of the teenager.

Possible reasons

1. Unfavorable family environment, presence of antisocial parents. There may also be a divorce, the death of one of the parents, the presence of addictions, lack of attention, and constant scandals.
2. Hormonal changes. Do not forget that in adolescence, changes occur in the body, which can lead to increased excitability, anxiety, and nervousness.
3. Teenage maximalism, self-centeredness, inconsistency with reality.
4. Personal experiences. Breaking up with a loved one, boyfriend or girlfriend, unrequited love, unsuccessful first sexual experience.
5. Problems in appearance, complex. This is especially true for teenage girls who react too sharply to every pimple and extra kilogram.
6. Social status and material security, lack of opportunity to eat normally, receive all the necessary vitamins and microelements, lack of financial resources.
7. Poor performance, failures in school life, ridicule of classmates, their mockery.
8. Increased demands from parents, excessive control, strict punishments for mistakes.
9. Heredity. If there is a history of depressive disorders in the family, the child's risk of developing depression increases.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression in Your Teen – Pay Attention to Your Child!

During adolescence, all people experience mood swings, and this is normal.

At what point should you start sounding the alarm?

First you need to understand what depression is.

The word comes from the Latin “deprimo”, which literally translates as “to crush”, “to crush”. This is a mental disorder that is characterized by loss of mood and inability to experience joy.

In other words, it's a mood disorder.

Here are some signs of depression:

1. Prostration
2. Lack of mood
3. Constant feeling of guilt
4. Poor appetite
5. Feeling Useless
6. Bad dream
7. Decreased concentration
8. Poor self-esteem
9. Suicidal thoughts

If three or more symptoms are repeated for more than two weeks, then most likely the person is depressed.

Everyone in life has periods of despondency and the so-called “dark streak” - but if they become protracted, then it is better to consult a specialist.

You can suspect depression in a child if his behavior or mood has changed in any way.

Main symptoms:

• Loss of interest in everything that happens in life
• Depressed state for several days
• Inability to have fun

Additional symptoms may include:

1. Deterioration in academic performance
2. Decreased self-esteem
3. Apathy
4. Complaints of fatigue
5. Complaints of headaches or any other pain
6. Feeling of worthlessness
7. Touchiness
8. Aggressiveness
9. Insomnia - or, conversely, drowsiness
10. Reluctance to communicate
11. Difficulty making decisions
12. Lack of appetite or increased appetite
13. Immersion in the virtual world
14. Avoiding friends
15. Talking about death or thoughts of suicide
16. The phrases “I’m tired of everything”, “I’m tired of everything”, “I’m tired of everything”, “Nobody understands me” are increasingly appearing in conversations.

Often, a hereditary factor plays an important role in the development of depression in a teenager.

If one of the parents suffered from depression, then the risk of it developing in the child increases several times.

Video: Depression: Causes, Biochemistry, How to get out

Causes of teenage depression

Every person knows that adolescence itself is far from simple. During this period, children are susceptible to increased anxiety, aggressiveness, inability to control their emotions and suspiciousness. Such emotional outbursts can be considered some proof that the personality is actually actively developing.

Every day of a modern teenager is filled with bright events that cannot always be called pleasant. And the child’s behavior and reactions can only be compared to a minefield. Any careless word spoken by parents or friends can cause severe psychological trauma or become a reason for the development of complexes.

If we talk in more detail about the causes of depression in adolescents, it is worth noting the following:

• Lack of understanding. The most important cause of depression in teenagers can be considered a lack of attention. It is common for a teenager to become deeply immersed in the experience of his problems, and he focuses so much on them that he begins to perceive any ordinary event dramatically. For a child, the transition from childhood to adolescence is in itself a very traumatic period. He has to learn to live by new rules, look for his place in a new world, set new, more complex goals and achieve them. And here the child, in fact, comes into conflict with himself: just yesterday he was a child who had no responsibilities and simply enjoyed life, and today he is a practical adult member of society and is forced to obey its rules and established norms. He feels great that he is responsible for his life, that certain expectations are placed on him. It is difficult for him to cope with the pressure of emotions, he experiences fear of the newly opened world, and it is at this moment that he becomes the most vulnerable and needs the attention and support of his family and friends. Otherwise, a firm conviction begins to mature in him that no one understands him or seeks to understand him.
• Complex relationships with the outside world. Another reason for the formation of depression can be called difficulties in building interaction with the surrounding reality. We are talking directly about the fact that a teenager literally learns to live again. He, so to speak, has moved to the adult league and now he will have to re-build relationships with the people around him, learn to defend his point of view without the risk of getting into a conflict situation. In this regard, it seems to the teenager that everyone around him is against him, that people treat him with a certain degree of hostility. All this is very unsettling, so teenagers often get lost, become apathetic and experience anxiety.
• Relationships with peers. Depression in a teenager can manifest itself in the event of problems with peers. During this period, the child intensively searches for his place in the surrounding reality and often reconsiders his circle of contacts. Teenagers, who are essentially emotionally unstable, may find it difficult to understand each other and find common ground. All this results in misunderstandings, quarrels and conflicts. In this situation, depression serves as a semblance of a way out of a difficult situation.

Adolescent depression in boys and girls - is there a difference?

Symptoms of depression in girls and boys are slightly different:

• Girls become more whiny, pay increased attention to their own appearance, and are very worried about failures.
• Boys become more withdrawn, aggressive, nervous, and can take their anger out on those who are weaker (younger children, animals). In general, depression is more difficult to diagnose in representatives of the stronger sex, since they usually remain calm outwardly. In addition, boys are taught from childhood not to show emotions and pain with the phrases “Don’t cry, you’re a man.”

Scientists studied the brains of depressed teenagers of both sexes using MRI. It turned out that girls and boys react differently to a depressed state - which means they need different therapy.

However, nowadays, both genders are still treated equally.

In general, depression is more common in women, but in men it is usually deeper and often has serious consequences, such as suicide.

Teenage girls are about three times more likely than boys to suffer from depression. Perhaps it's all about increased emotionality.

Teenage depression: developmental features, diagnosis

According to research, many doctors find signs of depression in some children as early as two years of age! And attention deficit disorder in children under seven years of age is directly related to bipolar affective disorder (also known as manic-depressive psychosis) that subsequently occurs in adults. About 50% of adults suffering from depression first encountered it in adolescence, but naturally did not seek help. The consequences appeared only later, when it was too late to try to avoid the disorder or significantly mitigate it.

As mentioned above, a few years ago it was thought that teenagers could not become depressed. Their mood tends to change frequently. They can be capricious and irritable, conflict with other family members (they don’t want to talk to them, they don’t want to participate in family events). Their behavior and desire for “independence” sometimes show signs of a depressive disorder.

What to do if you notice signs of depression in a teenager - instructions

If you suspect your child has depression, first you need to slightly change the model of communication with him.

Other family members should do this too!

1. First, you need to let your child know that you support him and will be with him no matter what happens.
2. Next, you can try to bring him to a frank conversation. In general, try to talk to him more now.
3. There is no need to criticize a teenager, there is no need to lecture or lecture. You can give advice carefully.
4. Take his problems seriously, because for him this is not a joke. Take his feelings seriously.

If you understand that the teenager is in a very depressed state, then it is better to contact a specialist - and do not delay your visit. As with any other disease, there is no need to self-medicate!

However, the child needs to be prepared for this a little. Explain to him that depression is serious, and a doctor can provide real help.

Also, before visiting the doctor, it is worth remembering what medications your child has taken recently - this information may be needed.

It is easiest to cope with the disease at the initial stage. A few psychotherapeutic consultations may be sufficient. Another option is group classes. The optimal type of treatment should be determined by a specialist.

Parents should promote the mental recovery of their child and help him in this. In addition, it is necessary to provide him with proper nutrition and sleep patterns. You need to constantly monitor your child’s emotional state. Try to limit him from alcohol and cigarettes, let him better direct his energy to physical activity.

Preparing for a doctor's visit

If you have diagnosed one or more signs of depression in your child, then you need to seek help from a specialist who will help you solve the problem. We advise you to prepare your child for this event.

• Discuss all the symptoms of the disease with your teenager to get the most complete picture.
• Try to make a list of all the medications your child has taken recently. This is necessary so that the psychotherapist can select medications for treatment.
• Together with your child, discuss all the points that you want to know from the doctor. You can make a list of questions so you don't forget anything important.