Teen Depression
As a teenager, everybody feels crappy every now and then. Either you did something embarrassing or you failed a test or you broke up with your boyfriend/girlfriend and now you feel horrible. This feeling is normal and will eventually pass as you regain your confidence, forget about the problem, and just move on with your life. However, teens with depression often find it difficult to shake off even the most insignificant issues.
The transition from kid to teen, or junior high to high school can be a really difficult one. Things are constantly changing and everything seems so serious now. You’re in high school and now you have to think about college and classes are harder and your parents are coming down on you and things just seem totally overwhelming. You feel down all the time and everything feels like it’s going wrong. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, irritable, and just generally sad you could be dealing with teen depression.
Teen depression isn’t just the normal bad mood, but is a serious problem, that if left untreated, can have serious consequences and can have a huge impact on your life. It’s important to know that depression does not mean that you always feel sad. If you are dealing with depression, you could also be experiencing feelings of anger and irritability that don’t seem to go away. Teen depression can lead to other problems like teen substance abuse, eating disorders, violence, and even suicide. If you think that a friend or a loved one might be dealing with depression, it is important to recognize the signs of teen depression and to get help.
Some of the signs of teen depression include:
- • low energy
• irritability
• drop in grades or motivation
• drop in social interaction or involvement with friends
• apathetic, doesn’t seem to care about anything
• loss in interest in usual activities
If you feel like you’ve been experiencing feelings like these, it is important to talk to someone who can help you find a solution for your depression, whether it be through therapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
It is important to remember that things are not hopeless and that there are people who want to help you. Being a teenager is hard, and depression only makes that struggle harder. Find someone who can help you deal with your depression so that you can get back to the person you used to be. Life is never going to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be painful.
