10 Common Symptoms That Adolescents With Depression Present
The stage of adolescence involves an infinite number of changes, both physically and emotionally, and also in the aspect of interpersonal relationships.
It is a key stage when it comes to configuring our way of being and focusing on adulthood. Hormonal changes and some social situations can cause the adolescent to be more susceptible and irritable, and It is a stage in which mood disorders can emerge and become evident. One in five young people suffers from some depressive disorder at some point during this stage. Adolescents with depression You can isolate yourself and present symptoms of continuous discouragement.
What are the symptoms of depression among young adolescents?
Several international institutions such as the WHO wave American Psychiatric Association have developed a series of guides that define and describe the various symptoms and signs that warn us that a teenager could be suffering from depression.
Depression in this life stage is the third cause of suicide. Therefore, we must be aware of this reality in order to act to minimize this problem.
Next We list the most common symptoms that can indicate that a teenager may be having a bad time.:
1. Sleep disorders
When a teenager severely changes their sleeping habits, something may be happening. In some cases, It may be one of the first physical signs of depression. When the young person sleeps too few or too many hours, the underlying disorder could be depression. In any case, the existence of a symptom does not mean that the person suffers from depression, but it is a warning sign.
When a teenager who previously had fun and had hobbies and activities that he was passionate about loses interest in those things, we should start to worry. We can observe how the young man will appear elusive and bored, and will prefer to spend a lot of time without the company of friends or family..
3. Changes in eating behavior
It is often said that extremes are never good. Well, this case is a clear example of this. When someone completely loses the desire to eat, or on the contrary, overeats, something is wrong.. Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa, can be closely linked to depression.
4. Anger and sobbing for no apparent reason
Spontaneous displays of anger and sadness are quite common among patients suffering from depressive symptoms. When we talk about teenagers, Anger attacks or crying may appear without an observable cause or reason. If this situation becomes frequent, we should think about seeking help.
5. Progressive abandonment of friends
A notable aspect among adolescents with depression is that They progressively distance themselves from their friends, showing little interest in having a social life and preferring to isolate themselves from contact with other people..
6. Poor ability to concentrate and decline in academic performance
The young man who is going through a period of low mood usually has a poor ability to concentratein addition to several problems when it comes to memorizing things and making decisions. These factors, together with a lower motivation to study, usually result in worse school results.
7. Low self-esteem and a negative self-concept
Low self-esteem is a very common trait among young people in general, but When it becomes persistent, it can end up generating derogatory comments towards yourself and can be a sign of depression.. An excessive feeling of guilt, exaggerated criticism and emotional dependence on other people should also make us notice that something is happening.
8. Aggressive behavior and flirting with illegal substances
If the adolescent begins to be frequently involved in fights or brawls, to bully one of his classmates or to hang out in bad company, he could be suffering from some serious underlying problem. Besides, risky sexual behavior or flirting with alcohol or other drugs would be factors to take into account.
9. Escapes and other calls for attention
Running away from the family home is one of the possible signs of depression. Sometimes, It can be a defense mechanism for the adolescent, seeking to attract the attention of parents.
10. Suicidal thoughts and ideations
This is an unmistakable sign that the teenager is suffering from a serious mental health problem. **This type of recurring thoughts about death are verbalized with phrases like “I don’t want to continue living”**. In more advanced cases, the adolescent may self-harm or attempt suicide.
Five tips to treat depression
Now that we know the different signs that we can observe in an adolescent with this disorder, We are going to explain how we should act (as parents, friends or family) in case a young person in our immediate environment may suffer from depression..
1. Talk to him/her
The first measure we can take to find out why the teenager is behaving strangely is talk to him to try to find out the causes. In fact, there are symptoms that may occur but may not imply an underlying disorder.
In any case, it is important to talk to the teenager to find out if he is aware that his behavior has changed and to reach out to him if he asks for help. If suicidal ideations are evident, it is a good idea not to approach this topic as a taboo. The family, in these types of cases, can play an essential role in coming together to help the adolescent feel better..
2. Go to the doctor
We should not be afraid to go to the family doctor. If the symptoms shown by the adolescent are increasingly worrying and complicated to manage, we should go to a specialist in this type of case, for example a psychotherapist. The mental health professional will be able to offer a reliable diagnosis of each case and develop treatment if necessary.in addition to guiding parents to manage the situation.
We live in a society that tends to cure everything with drugs. Sometimes Treatment with medications is necessary, and in the case of depressive disorders there are antidepressant drugs that can be of great help.
Anyway, The ideal is for the young person to learn to manage their emotions and channel their motivation appropriately.and a pill can’t achieve that. In cases of mild depression (for example, in cases of dysthymia), pharmacological treatment is not necessary. What is truly healing is finding a way to express feelings and emotions, and this is easier to achieve with the therapeutic support of doctors and psychologists.
Educational psychologists can also be very useful when detecting and treating these types of cases. They can help decisively to make the adolescent aware that her situation can and should change. Furthermore, sare professionals with the ability to adapt the teaching environment as much as possible to the needs of a student with this disorder.
4. Change habits and routines
Adolescents suffering from depression They tend to have very disturbed sleep schedules and are apathetic about routine activities.. For this reason, it is advisable to help them develop a well-planned schedule, not very strict but ambitious, in which, for example, we establish a time to go to bed and various activities that the young person feels motivated to do daily.
Being able to share time and space with people who support you can be a dose of positivity.
5. Playing sports, the oldest therapy
Practicing physical exercise is very positive for anyone, but especially for a young person with depression. Finding an activity that suits the characteristics and needs of the young person can be a fantastic way to channel stress and anxiety, in addition to a source of good feelings to minimize your negative emotions.
If this activity is done in a group and outdoors, the positive effects can be even better.
