Teenage Depression Symptoms
Fortunately, A.J. got help before he got hurt. Not all of his fans will
be so lucky. At least one out of every 20 teenagers has a major clinical
depression. And when left untreated -- particularly when a teen
self-medicates with alcohol or drugs -- depression can be life
threatening.
"That pairing of depression and use of drugs or alcohol leads to a high
risk of suicide," Karen Dineen Wagner, MD, PhD, tells WebMD. The
substances can cause adolescents to do something impulsive -- including
harming themselves.
Everyone knows that teenagers can be moody and uncooperative at times.
So how do you know when a teen really is suffering from depression?
Psychologist Michael L. Peck, PhD, a Los Angeles therapist specializing
in the treatment of adolescents and young adults, says that depressive
behavior is far different from normal teen sulkiness -- but that the
symptoms are not always what one would expect.
"Most adolescents go through what the layperson thinks of as depression
-- a down mood for a short period -- but this is not clinical
depression, which is a prolonged, persistent period of time where the
person's mood changes," Peck tells WebMD. "For adolescents -- boys
particularly -- depression is not always that hangdog, turned off,
quiet, sad mood we usually think of as depression. There can be anger,
edginess, and irritability, sometimes to the point of fighting.
"Another kind of warning sign is not responding to friends, not
responding to phone calls, not doing things that previously were
interesting -- like sports, shopping, or being on the computer," Peck
continues. "All the interest may have gone away and the person engages
more and more in solitary activity or diversion-type activities. I am
not talking about occasional moodiness but a dramatic change."
Other warning signs are a sudden and prolonged decline in school
performance, and a change in eating and sleeping habits. And while
depressed adults often stop eating, depressed teens often eat much more.
They may also want to sleep much more -- especially during the daytime.
If the depression has been going on for some time, the teen may begin
talking about suicide or taking an excessive interest in death and
dying. Peck and Wagner say this is a cause for serious concern.
"They become preoccupied with ways to kill themselves -- and if they
come up with a plan, that is time to worry," says Wagner. "Sometimes
they confide in friends -- if they still have friends -- so a concerned
parent might ask these friends if they have noticed any changes or if
the child said anything that worries the friend. And sometimes a child
will confide in a teacher or school counselor, so the concerned parent
should ask them, too."
Depression tends to run in families -- so if a parent or grandparent has
suffered from depression, their teen may be at increased risk. This
isn't always a bad thing, Wagner says. Often a parent who knows what it
is like to suffer from untreated depression as a teen, can be
particularly helpful to their own child.