Six tell-tale signs of depression in teenagers

TEENAGE DEPRESSION runs deeper than just occasional mood swings.

It is a serious mental problem that can destroy the very essence of a teen’s personality and cause a devastating sense of despair, sadness, and anger.

A teen who is depressed is vulnerable to alcohol and substance abuse, unplanned pregnancies, violence, self-mutilation or, even worse, suicide.

Here are some tale-tale signs that your teen may be depressed.

1. Difficulty or inability to concentrate and focus. A teen who is depressed may find it difficult to concentrate and focus.

This might make it difficult for him or her to finish school work, be attentive to the teacher, remember lessons, or even pay attention to what others are saying.

2. Disinterest in food, even meals  they previously loved.

Loss of interest in food or development of eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa, which can make a teen either gain or lose weight rapidly, can also be a sign that your teen is depressed.

3. Little energy or motivation for hobbies or activities.

A depressed teen may feel exhausted, tired, and drained most of the time and take longer to complete chores. With such feelings, a teen may have trouble motivating him or herself to care or do anything.

4. Constantly harbouring negative thoughts or exhibiting pessimism.

Depression can blur everything in a teen’s life, making the world around him or her look bleak and turn thoughts into those of helplessness and hopelessness.

A teen may think that the problems they face cannot be solved and that nothing matters.

He or she may believe he/she is not worth anything, even though it is not true. Depression can cause a teen to perceive life as not worth living, which can encourage thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

5. Sadness and hopelessness. Depression can lead your teen to always feel under the weather and this can run for weeks or more.

A depressed teen may feel abnormally sad, defeated, or discouraged. He or she may feel helpless, alone, rejected, or guilty.

All these emotions are part of a depressed mood. However, not all depressed teens feel sad most times.

For others, depression may be characterised by a long-lasting mood of feeling alienated, irritable, or easily annoyed.

6. Social withdrawal. When your teen is depressed, they may tend to lock themselves up.

Because of low energy and feelings of sadness, a depressed teen may pull away from family, friends, or hobbies. This usually can make a teen feel more isolated and lonely, hence making negative thinking and depression worse.

Apart from the above signs, depressed teens may also cry for no apparent reason and change their sleep habits. 

If you are not sure whether a teen in your life is depressed or just “acting as a teenager”, consider how long he or she has been exhibiting the symptoms, their severity, and how different your teen has been acting from their usual self.

Any dramatic, lasting changes in mood, personality, or behaviour could be red flags of a deeper mental problem.