Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Of Teen Depression

Teen depression is a severe mental health condition. It causes a persistent sense of sadness and lack of interest in life. It has an effect on how the adolescent thinks, feels, and behaves. And it can cause mental, functional, and physical problems. Depression can arise at any stage of life. Symptoms can vary between teenagers and adults. Issues like social pressures, academic standards, and changing bodies will bring many ups and downs to teenagers.

Although for some teens, lows are more than temporary feelings—a symptom of depression.

Teen depression is not a weakness or something that can be overcome by willpower. It can have serious consequences and need long-term therapy. For certain teens, the symptoms of depression ease with therapy. These include medication and psychological counseling.

Symptoms Of Teen Depression

The signs and symptoms of teen depression include a change in the adolescent’s previous attitude and behavior. This may cause severe distress and problems at school or home, social interactions, or other life areas.

Teen Depression symptoms may vary in severity. But changes in your teen’s emotions and behavior may include examples below:

Emotional Changes

Be alert to emotional changes, such as:

• Feelings of sadness can include weeping spells for no clear cause 
• Frustration, or feelings of anger, even in small matters
• Felt hopeless or empty
• Irritable or annoying attitude
• Lack of interest or pleasure in regular activities
• Lack of confidence or conflict with family and friends
• Poor self-esteem
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Fixing past failures or exaggerated self-denial or self-criticism
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or disappointment and the need for unnecessary reassurance
• Difficulty thinking, focusing, decision making, and remembering things
• The ongoing feeling that life and the future are grim and bleak
• Frequent thoughts of death, death, or suicide

Behavioral Changes

Watch for behavioral changes, such as:

• Tiredness and energy loss
• Too much sleep or insomnia
• Appetite changes—decreased appetite and weight loss, or increased food cravings and weight gain
• Consumption of alcohol or drugs
• Agitation or restlessness—for, e.g., pacing, hand wringing, or inability to sit still.
• Slow thinking, voice, or body movements
• Frequent reports of unexplained body aches and headaches, which may include frequent visits to school nurses
• Social isolation
• Poor school results or frequent absences from school 
• Less attention to personal hygiene or appearance
• Angry outbursts, disruptive or risky activities, or other acting behaviors
• A suicide plan or a suicide attempt

Causes Of Teen Depression

It is not known what exactly induces depression. But it may include a variety of issues. This includes the following:

Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that carry signals to other areas of the brain and body. The activity of nerve receptors and nervous systems changes as these molecules are irregular, resulting in depression.

Hormones. Changes in the body’s hormone balance may be associated with causing or triggering depression.

Inherited traits. Depression is most common in individuals whose blood relatives—such as a grandparent a condition as well.

Early childhood trauma. Traumatic childhood experiences may induce changes in the brain. This may make an individual more susceptible to depression.

Learn patterns of negative thinking. Teen depression can be related to learning to feel helpless—rather than learning to feel capable of looking for answers to life’s problems.

Risk Factors Of Teen Depression

Many factors raise the likelihood of teen depression developing, including:

• Having problems that negatively impact self-esteem. These include obesity, peer issues, long-term abuse, or academic issues
• The victim or witness to violence, such as physical or sexual abuse
• Having other mental health problems. These may include bipolar illness, anxiety disorder, personality disorder, anorexia, or bulimia
• A learning disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Ongoing suffering or chronic medical diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, or asthma
• Having certain personality characteristics, such as low self-esteem or being too dependent, self-critical, or pessimistic
• Misuse of alcohol, nicotine, or other drugs.
• Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender in a non-supportive environment

Family history and family or other problems can also increase your teen’s risk of depression, such as:

• Having a parent, grandparent or other blood relatives with addiction or bipolar disorder
• A close relative who committed suicide
• Having experienced recent traumatic life events, such as parental divorce, parental military service

Complications Of Teen Depression

Untreated depression can lead to emotional, behavioral, and health issues. These issues affect every aspect of your adolescent’s life. Complications linked to teen depression may include:

• Alcohol and drug abuse 
• Academic problems
• Conflicts between families and difficulties in relations
• Participation in the juvenile justice system
• Suicide or suicide attempts

Diagnosis Of Teen Depression

Primary care doctors most often diagnose depression in teens. Researchers say that teen depression is frequently under-diagnosed and under-treated.

If teen depression is suspected, a doctor may also start a medical exam that may require blood tests. So, your teen pediatrician will want to rule out all other medical problems that may cause your teen’s symptoms.

Your child will also undergo a psychological evaluation. This also includes a depression questionnaire and a discussion of the severity of their symptoms.

Treatment Of Teen Depression

The guidelines for teen depression in primary care (GLAD-PC) recommend the following in the treatment of adolescent depression:

• To educate youth and families about available treatment options.
• Developing a recovery plan that includes specific treatment objectives that address home and school functioning
• Collaborating with other neighborhood mental health resources
• Developing a safety plan if teens’ symptoms worsen or if they have suicidal thinking
• Consider active support and supervision before the start of such therapies.
• Check with a mental health provider if symptoms are moderate or severe.
• Incorporating evidence-based therapies such as cognitive-behavioral counseling, interpersonal therapy, and antidepressants
• Continuous monitoring of symptoms and functioning during antidepressant therapy. So the clinicians and family members should monitor signs of worsening symptoms and suicidal thinking or behavior.

Coping With Teen Depression

Also, talk to your teen about your concerns. Because there could be a specific explanation that they are acting in a certain way. So opening the contact lines would let your child know that you care and that you can provide support.

Some factors that could help your teen manage the effects of depression include:

• Talking about family and friends concerns
• A healthy support group
• The use of good strategies for managing depression
• Eat a balanced diet
• Get regular exercise
• Finding new things to look forward to
• Joining a community network, either online or offline

The Bottom Line

Speak to your pediatrician or family physician if you are worried about your teen’s depression. Your doctor can discuss the situation with your teen and rule out medical causes. He may also recommend a psychotherapist or prescribe medicine.

Finally, never ignore the signs or effects of depression. Depression is treatable, and there is support for both you and your teen. Also, if left untreated, depression may lead to thoughts of suicide or even to the act itself.

If your teen is talking about suicide or suicide attempts, get help immediately.