adolescent depression

Finding Out if a Teenager is Depressed

As a parent, healthcare worker, or teacher, you will want to know when and if an adolescent is depressed. Finding out the mental state of a teenager will allow you to ensure that their mental health and well-being are restored. It will also allow you to prevent a potential tragedy in the near future. Fortunately for parents, teachers, and healthcare practitioners, there are many things to look for so that you can determine if an adolescent is depressed.

Look for Differences in Behavior

When looking after children’s mental health, there are a few ways in which you can find depression in children and adolescents. One of the ways of identifying depression is looking for differences in their everyday behavior. Once you find differences in a teenager’s behavior, you will be able to find out if they are truly depressed. Knowing these signs will allow you to take action to help them recover from depression.

Not Talking as Much

One of the behaviors that can help determine if a teenager is depressed is when they don’t talk as much. When a person is depressed, they are usually very quiet and are not as likely to talk about anything. Anytime a child or teenager is very quiet and who keeps to themselves, it is often an indicator that they are not happy.

Sad Expressions

Another sign that you should look for when finding out if a teenager is depressed is when they have sad expressions. If a teenager has a sad facial expression on a regular basis, that is a sign that they are unhappy and may be experiencing emotional difficulties.

Change in Mood

Whenever a teenager is depressed, they will often have a change in their mood. If a teenager looks sad, is irritable and doesn’t want to spend time with anyone, they may be experiencing depression. They might also look at things negatively and have a low level of enthusiasm. If they have these changes in mood, you can determine that they are depressed and may benefit from some intervention.

Pessimistic Attitude

Those who are depressed usually have a pessimistic attitude, Teenagers who expect bad things to happen and who don’t have a positive attitude are likely to be depressed. With a pessimistic attitude, a teenager may have something troubling them and are likely in distress.

Meek Tone of Voice

Whenever you are looking to find depression in adolescents, you will want to evaluate their tone of voice. If a teenager speaks slowly and softly, it can indicate that they are depressed. So it is a good idea to look for a meek tone of voice when determining if an adolescent is experiencing emotional hardship.

Expressing Dread

Many teenagers who are depressed often express dread. Today with the pandemic, many teenagers have expressed some dread about a return to classroom. There is now widespread anxiety about returning to school among many teenagers. As a result, you should find out if your teenage kid is sad and anxious about returning to school. This can be the reason why they are depressed. Another factor in depression is being away from other people. With remote learning, many teenagers have been able to interact with many people and have therefore experienced depression as a result. Therefore, keeping these factors in mind can help you determine if a teenager you know is depressed.

Lack of Interest in Activities

As well as dealing with the dread of returning to school, many teenagers who are depressed lose interest in activities that they once enjoyed. Many people who are depressed eventually avoid doing things that they are usually involved with on a regular basis. If a teenager you know stops doing activities that they once enjoyed, that is a sign that they are likely depressed.

Different Sleep Habits

Another sign of depression among adolescents is a difference in sleeping habits. Whether a teenager sleeps longer than usual or sleeps less, a difference in their sleep schedule is an indicator of depression.

Loss of Appetite

Many people including teenagers who suffer from depression often have a loss of appetite. When a person is depressed, they will not likely eat a lot. The feelings of sadness will often make a person refrain from eating. So whenever you notice a teenager not eating a lot, they are likely to be suffering from emotional distress.

Physical Illness

At times, teenagers who are suffering from depression experience some physical illness. They may have a stomach ache, headache or vomit on a regular basis. When you notice that they are physically ill, you will want to find out the cause and help them overcome feelings of depression.

Suicidal Thoughts

Whenever a teenager expresses thoughts of suicide or mentions that they are contemplating it is one of the surest ways to determine if they are depressed. Many people who experience depression will often consider suicide as a way to escape the feelings of distress that they are dealing with.

Avoiding Family and Friends

Teenagers who experience depression often avoid the company of family members and friends. Whenever a person is suffering from depression, they often prefer to keep to themselves. If you notice that a teenager is staying away from other people, they are likely to be depressed and you should take action to preserve their well being.

Mentioning Negative Experiences

A teenager who mentions negative experiences will often be depressed. If they talk about this on a consistent basis, this is the source of their sadness. It is important to find out what happened and help them cope so that they can make progress towards overcoming depression.

Expressing Sadness

When looking to find out if an adolescent is depressed, you will want to look for expressions of sadness. If a teenager cries a lot or expresses sadness and grief, that is an indication that they are dealing with depression. With this in mind, you will want to consider talking to them so that you can find a way to assist them in improving their emotional state.

 

 

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