How to Tell if Your Teenager is Suffering from Depression

Depression may well be the leading cause of deaths in the next two years. Today, heart attacks and cardiac failures can strike people in their 20s also. This just goes to prove stress is a part and parcel our lives. There is nothing wrong with stress because it is now a synonym of life but what matters is our reaction to stress. Teen treatment programs show to people of this age group about how nicely they can manage their stress and prevent it from reaching the limits of depression.

Here are some of the signs that are generally associated with people who are suffering from depression

  1. Being aloof from activities: Teens who are suffering from some serious problem which is making them depressed will stay aloof from activities.  Their behavior will change and they may turn into recluse.
  2. Not eating food properly: If you are depressed, generally you do not feel like eating food. So watch out for signs of remorse or looking lost while a depressed person is having food. In most cases, she or he will not finish the food and just leave it mid-way.
  3. Lack of enthusiasm: There is no motivation in such a person's life and nothing funny or interesting can really put her or him into the mood.
  4. Anger: Since worry and anger go hand in hand, you can be sure that the teen may just get angry and become volatile when spurned.
  5. Indecisive: Teen rehab centers say that a teen tends to panic and feel anxious when asked to do something. At other times, she is clueless about what is to be done because her thoughts are mostly centered on something that affected her in the first place.
  6. Inability to sleep: The person who is depressed is not able to sleep properly. She may be tossing and turning around in sleep, crying in sleep or getting nightmares.
  7. Guilt:  The teen may just slash her wrists or harm herself if she is feeling guilty about something
  8. Memory loss:  Memory loss is also one of the common signs of depression.  So caught up is the person with her or his problems that she or he tends to suffer from memory loss and an inability to recall things.

All of these signs that are associated with depression among teens should be carefully noted and addressed at the earliest possible time.   Any kind of change in behavioral pattern that is towards the negative and the fact that he or she is not in a joyous mood as she was, should make you understand that there is something wrong.

You can ask your teenage child what the problem is and if you could be of help in any way. You may also suggest that she visit a teenage recovery program to find a solution to her problem. Though she may be averse to it, you have to build confidence in her that everything will be alright because there have been many cases of teens getting back their zeal and getting on with life positively because of the encouraging and motivational therapy.