Adolescent Depression

Adolescent depression is a growing diagnosis now days. Whether that is because we are more aware of it today or it's due to today's society is creating it. Many believe that depression in teenagers is nothing more then an excuse for behavioural issues, because adolescent depression often manifests in behavioural ways, such as moodiness, and defiance doesn't mean that there isn't an underlying problem that is much more deeper than the surface behaviour.

Some of the symptoms of adolescent depression are:

- depressed or irritable mood

- temper, agitation

- loss of interest in activities

- reduced pleasure in daily activities

- inability to enjoy activities which used to be sources of pleasure

- change in appetite, usually a loss of appetite but sometimes an increase

- change in weight (unintentional weight loss or unintentional weight gain)

- persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

-excessive daytime sleepiness

- fatigue

- difficulty concentrating

- difficulty making decisions

- memory loss

- preoccupation with self

- feelings of worthlessness, sadness, or self-hatred

- excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt

- acting-out behavior (missing curfews, unusual defiance)

- thoughts about suicide or obsessive fears or worries about death

- plans to commit suicide or actual suicide attempt

- excessively irresponsible behavior pattern

Often teens experience some of these symptoms and it is not related to depression. It's important that if you suspect your teenager is exhibiting some or all of these symptoms to get a health care professional to Asses the situation. Studies have shown that 15-20% of teenagers have had a serious episode of depression. Some of the risk factors for adolescent depression are traumatic experiences, death of a family member or friend, physical, sexual or mental abuse, stress, and chronic illnesses. Depression in teens isn't an easy issue for them or parents to live with. Being a teenager is a difficult time as it is, adding an illness to it doesn't make those awkward years any easier.