Recognizing when a teenager has a mood disorder is tricky. Teens are notorious for dramatic mood swings, silent treatment, and withdrawing into periodic isolation. None of this is fun to be around, but it doesn’t automatically mean they are depressed. But they could be, and since early intervention is crucial, this can put parents in an awkward position.
Therefore, it is vital that you carefully monitor your teen’s behavior before sounding an alarm. If you witness palpable changes that last for at least two weeks, it makes sense to have a talk with your child. With that in mind, let’s dig deeper so you know what to look for and why.
Is Your Teen Depressed?
You know your child well, so, of course, you must parse out the signs and symptoms listed below as objectively as you can.
- Losing interest in activities they once enjoyed: Sure, teens will outgrow some of their interests, but this is more about not caring. They don’t get excited about doing anything, and the effort they put forth is minimal. This can include spending most of their time alone.
- Having problems at school: From socializing to grades to behavioral issues, your teen seems to no longer be trying.
- Physical issues: Examples include sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and unexplained aches and pains.
- Negative emotions: Teens with depression can be prone to irritability and angry outbursts. They’re also very self-critical and are unable/unwilling to look for the positive in any situation.
- Risky behaviors: This may relate to the previous mention of not caring. A depressed teen is more likely to engage in substance abuse, violent behaviors, dangerous driving, unsafe sex, and self-harm.
- Talking about death and/or suicide: If you witness such behavior, gently ask about it. In the meantime, watch for major red flags like writing songs or poems about death or if they begin to give away their personal possessions.
What Not To Do
When dealing with a teen who might be depressed, you want to connect with them and help them feel safe opening up to you. Therefore, you want to avoid:
- Judgment: Let them know you’re concerned and only want to help. This goes double if your teen is self-harming.
- Criticism: If your teen acted out at school, sure, you’d likely reprimand and perhaps punish them. When you sense depression is present, you must demonstrate that you understand that your child is struggling and needs help.
- Defensiveness: You’re only human. There will be times when you feel targeted and feel hurt. However, depression is a diagnosable mental health disorder. As painful as this is for you, it’s not a personal attack.
The key is to get your teen to speak with a professional. Therapy is a time-proven choice for addressing and managing depressive episodes.
How Does Therapy Help With Teenage Depression?
It goes without saying that every case has unique elements, but, generally speaking, therapy can offer your teen many benefits. For example, they learn valuable information about depression and what it means in their life. From there, they can work together with their therapist towards goals like:
- Identify, express, and name their emotions
- Being able to open up and talk about what matters to them
- Develop coping skills for when moods shift and emotions get overwhelming
- Feel energetic and motivated again
- Put a stop to unhealthy behaviors
- Restore relationships and feel closer to others while knowing how to set boundaries
- Recognizing their strengths and building on them
- Improving their outlook on daily life to feel joy and hope again
You are not expected to have this all figured out. If you think your teen might be depressed, you can contact me through this website or you can book an appointment.
