13 Signs of Teen Depression You Need to Look for in Your Child
More and more teenagers are being diagnosed with depression, and as a parent, it is important to know the different signs of depression that might be present in your child, to be able to help them in time. Teen depression is more than just being sad, and many people misinterpret depression as just adolescent boredom or rebellion. Yes, understanding what is going on inside a teenagers mind is not an easy task, and the constant mood swings are not helping. But sometimes teen sadness and lack of motivation go beyond just being a teenager, and are in fact signs of depression.
How to Determine if Your Child Has Teen Depression
Being a teenager does involve a lot of mood swings, lack of energy and a general laziness. But if your child is exhibiting several of the following symptoms, he or she might be going through a depression and needs to consult a healthcare professional.
Symptoms of Depression
- Increased need for sleep
- Insomnia or drastically changed sleep rhythm
- Sadness lasting longer than 2-3 weeks
- Anxiety and social anxiety
- Trouble concentrating in school that may result in lower grades
- Trouble remembering
- Headaches
- Apathetic behavior
- Change in appetite, either loss of or increased appetite causing weight loss or weight gain
- Decrease in social activity
- Uninterested in hobbies they normally enjoyed
- Feeling lonely and not good enough
- Dark thoughts of suicide or death
These symptoms does not all have to be present in your child, as every person is different. If you see some of these symptoms in your teen, then make an appointment with a healthcare provider, to get a professional assessment. Your child may just feel a bit sad at the moment, but if your child has a depression, it is extremely important to get the help of a professional team to make sure your child gets the help he or she needs as fast as possible.
Treating Depression
The treatment of depression will be constructed specifically for the individual child. It can consist of medication, therapy, group or family therapy sessions, group treatment from various professions, and more. It is up to the health care providers to figure out what will be the best solution and how severe the depression is.
So if you think your child is going through more than just adolescent mood swings, and suspect teen depression, then don’t be afraid of consulting your doctor or other health care professionals. They are trained and able to give an objective assessment of the situation.
Love and Light!