For many parents, life with a teenager can be a complete roller coaster. Schedules are busy, there is a sudden demand for privacy, and emotional ups and downs are a daily occurrence. Sometimes it can feel like each day is a new challenge. The teen years are the second most important period of development as their bodies, brains and personalities are rapidly undergoing change. Their brains in particular are growing and changing at an incredible rate, and we often don’t give them credit for it! With all these changes comes emotional stress, causing occasional mood swings or emotional dips. You may be wondering, “How can I know if my teen is suffering from more than just mood swings?” or “What if I miss the signs of something more serious because I assume they are ‘just teenagers’?” These are wonderful questions because depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States among teens and adults. My hope is that the following information will give you clarity about what is normal and when to seek professional help.

Some facts:

About 10-15% of teens will have some symptoms of depression at some point but only about 5% will struggle from a major depressive disorder.
According to a study done by the National Institute of Mental Illness (2014), an estimated 2.8 million adolescents ages 12 to 17 in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This number represented 11.4% of the U.S. population ages 12 to 17.
Females are more likely than males to suffer from depression and rates of depression increased between the ages of 12-17.
Teen suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death is those ages 10-24 in the US
Teenage depression does not have one single cause, but is impacted by multiple psychological, biological, and environmental factors.

Although depression can be a short-term disorder and there are many effective treatments, including medication and therapy, it is important to recognize and diagnose depression before it leads to thoughts of self-harm or suicide. The following information is a guide to noticing the signs of teen depression so you can seek support when needed:

Loss of interest in activities: Are they avoiding activities or commitments that used to bring them joy? Are they cancelling plans and preferring to stay at home
Withdrawing from friends and family: Are they avoiding friends and social events?
Sadness or hopelessness for a majority of the day
Changes in patterns of eating or sleeping: Is your teen eating less than normal? Are they sleeping more or less than normal habits?
Frequent crying
Inability to focus and stay on task: Has school work become more challenging or are they falling behind on their assignments?
Increased feelings of worthlessness or guilt: Do they have a lot of negative self-talk? Does their self-esteem seem to be lower than normal?
Irritability and anger
Low motivation: Are they struggling to take initiative? Is it challenging ortto even get ready for the day?
Thoughts about death or suicide

It is important to remember that teen depression can look very different than depression in adults. Many adults make the mistake of assuming their own experience of depression or someone close to them is exactly what their teen might experience. This often is not the case. For example, teens often exhibit more irritability than sadness when depressed. Depressed teens also experience physical pain such as headaches and stomach aches that cannot be explained by any physical ailment. Depressed teens are more sensitive to criticism as they are already feeling increased worthlessness and guilt. And finally, depressed adults often isolate themselves from most people in their life, while depression teens will usually keep in contact with a few close friends.

If you have been noticing any of these symptoms in your teen’s life, the first step is to set up an appointment with their primary care provider and start looking for the right counselor. With the right help, your teen can work through this challenging time and develop the tools to cope with future seasons of sadness or depression.

Credits:

National Institute of Mental Illness: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/major-depression-among-adolescents.shtml