Page 3 - Teen_Depression.pdf
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of a teenage child's brain, their be diagnosed with depression if they
hormones, and genetic makeup all play a demonstrate a persistent feeling of
role in determining if they are likely to sadness and/or a loss of interest in their
become depressed. favorite hobbies/activities for the majority
of the day, on most days of the week,
Other factors such as loss of a loved one, within a span of two weeks.
exposure to stress, drug and alcohol
abuse, smoking, physical/sexual abuse, Feelings of sadness, emptiness,
parental neglect, anxiety disorder, PTSD, hopelessness, and frustration and anger
and some prescription medications can are among the most common symptoms
also put a teenager at risk for developing of depression among teenagers. In
depression. Children and teens who addition, teens who are depressed may
experience stress or loss, or who have also exhibit some or all of the following
learning, attention-related, or anxiety symptoms:
disorders also have a higher risk of | Feeling helpless and/or hopeless
experiencing depression, as do teens with | Frequent crying or tearfulness
a family history of depression.
| Drastic change in appetite and
Signs And Symptoms Of unintended weight gain or loss
Depression in Teens | Experiencing social withdrawal
| Poor performance in school
It can be tricky to spot the symptoms of | Frequent complaints about stomach
depression in teenagers because being
withdrawn, irritable, moody, or sad comes aches and headaches
with the territory of being a teenager. But | Excessive sleep or trouble
depression is not the same as regular falling/staying asleep
crankiness, irritability, or sadness. These | Feeling restless, agitated, and/or
tend to go away within a short period of being unable to sit still
time. Depression, on the other hand, is an | Struggling with concentration, focus,
intense feeling of sadness, frustration, memory, and decision-making
and hopelessness that can make it | Feeling guilty/inadequate/worthless
difficult for your teen to get out of bed, and having low self-esteem
focus and function in school, and
participate in regular activities, including | Increased sensitivity/reaction to
hanging out with friends. If you see these rejection and failure
signs, ask yourself how long your teen's | Feeling unmotivated, exhausted, and
been showing them and how intense they lacking energy
are. This will be clue enough to get an | Thinking about self-harm, death, and
expert opinion. suicide
According to medical experts, a teen will Also watch closely for teenage suicide
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