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TEENAGE DEPRESSION

Depression In Teenagers and Adolescents.

The occasional bad mood and short periods of feeling sad are very common in adolescence, but when the feelings of hopelessness persist and start to interfere with the child's ability to function normally it may be a sign that something is seriously wrong.

It is sometimes hard for a parent to distinguish between the more serious depression and teen moodiness, which is caused by hormonal changes. Children who are under a lot of stress, who experience the loss of a loved one or have learning or anxiety disorders may be at a higher risk to develop depression, especially if they are girls.

Depression has become more and more common over the last fifty years. Alarmingly, as the teen depression rate rises so does the suicide rate in teens. It is paramount that parents and caregivers are aware the behavior of depressed teens may differ from that of depressed adults.

Many times the early symptoms of teen depression can be a bit difficult to diagnose because they may seem to appear to be a normal part of adolescence. But, depression may be the culprit if your child experiences a higher degree of these symptoms.

• Lack of motivation
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Changes in personal hygiene or appearance
• Prolonged sadness and crying
• Over reacts to criticism
• Lack of concentration or may be extremely forgetful
• Frequent complaints about physical illness such as headaches and back pain
• Inappropriate anger or rage
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits - eating and sleeping too little or too much
• Seems to withdraw from family and friends
• Significant weight loss or weight gain
• Skipping school, sudden decline in grades
• Low self esteem and guilt
• No longer enjoy activities they once found pleasurable
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Talks about death or suicide

If any of these signs of depression persist, parents and caregivers need to seek help for their child immediately. Parents should also recognize that symptoms such as panic attacks, insomnia and hallucinations could indicate extreme depression, which could mean a higher risk for suicide.

Although there is not one real cause for depression some possible triggers may be:

• Certain significant events - such as death of a loved one, parents getting divorced, transferring to a new school, break up with boy or girl friend, in susceptible teens any major change may bring on depression.
• Nutritional deficiencies - could be a certain vitamin or amino acid deficiency
• Stress - especially if the child is without emotional support
• Medical conditions - hypothyroidism can affect hormone balance and influence mood, also any chronic illness can cause depression
• Alcohol or drug abuse - can cause changes in brain chemistry
• Traumatic experiences in early childhood-experiences such as abuse or incest that are not dealt with in early childhood can leave painful memories that may emerge in adolescence
• Allergies - foods such as sugar, wheat products or milk can intensify the symptoms of depressions
• Heredity - genetics, to some degree can influence if a child will be susceptible to depression

Depression is a serious illness that requires both professional help and support from the family. Treatment will sometimes include both family and individual counselling and in many cases the use of an anti depressant is called for. With early intervention the prognosis is usually good if depression is caught and treated early so it is imperative that the parent or caregiver recognizes the signs and seeks the appropriate help.

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