At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.
Teen depression is a serious medical problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how your teen thinks, feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. Although mood disorders, such as depression, can occur at any time in life, symptoms may be different between teens and adults.
Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings — they're a symptom of depression.
Teen depression isn't a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires long-term treatment. For most teens, depression symptoms ease with treatment such as medication and psychological counseling.
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Teen depression signs and symptoms include changes in your teen's emotions and behavior, such as the examples below.
Be alert for emotional changes, such as:
Watch for changes in behavior, such as:
It can be difficult to tell the difference between ups and downs that are just part of being a teenager and teen depression. Talk with your teen. Try to determine whether he or she seems capable of managing challenging feelings, or if life seems overwhelming.
If depression symptoms continue or begin to interfere in your teen's life, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional trained to work with adolescents. Your teen's family doctor or pediatrician is a good place to start. Or your teen's school may recommend someone.
If you suspect your teenager is depressed, make a doctor's appointment as soon as you can. Depression symptoms likely won't get better on their own — and they may get worse or lead to other problems if untreated. Depressed teenagers may be at risk of suicide, even if signs and symptoms don't appear to be severe.
If you're a teen and you think you may be depressed — or you have a friend who may be depressed — don't wait to get help. Talk to a health care professional such as your doctor or school nurse. Share your concerns with a parent, a close friend, a spiritual leader, a teacher or someone else you trust.
If your teen is having suicidal thoughts, get help right away. Take all talk of suicide seriously. Here are some steps you can take:
If you think your teen is in immediate danger of self-harm or attempting suicide, make sure someone stays with him or her. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Or if you think you can do so safely, take your teen to the nearest hospital emergency department.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
It's not known exactly what causes depression. A variety of factors may be involved. These include:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.
When teen depression is suspected, the doctor will generally do these exams and tests.
To be diagnosed with depression, your teen must meet the symptom criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association. This manual is used by mental health providers to diagnose mental conditions and by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment.
Symptoms can be based on your teen's feelings or on the observations of someone else. For a diagnosis of major depression, the following symptoms must occur most of the day, nearly every day, during at least a two-week period, and be a change or worsening in the teen's usual attitude and behavior.
Your teen must have at least one of the following:
Your teen must also have four or more of the following:
To be considered major depression:
Other types of major depression include:
There are several other conditions with symptoms that can include depression. It's important to get an accurate diagnosis so that your teen gets appropriate treatment. Your doctor or mental health provider's evaluation will help determine if the symptoms of depression are caused by one of the following conditions:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Untreated depression can result in emotional, behavioral and health problems that affect every area of your teen's life. Complications related to teen depression can include:
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There's no sure way to prevent depression. However, these strategies may help. Encourage your teen to:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Avoid replacing conventional medical treatment or psychotherapy with alternative medicine. When it comes to depression, alternative treatments aren't a substitute for professional care. But some mind-body therapies may help.
Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe the mind and body must be in harmony to stay healthy. Examples of mind-body techniques that may be helpful for depression include:
Relying solely on these therapies is generally not enough to treat depression. But they may be helpful when used in addition to medication and psychotherapy.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
You are your teen's best advocate to help him or her succeed. Here are some steps you and your teen can take that may help:
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Showing interest and the desire to understand your teen's feelings lets him or her know you care. You may not understand why your teen feels hopeless or why he or she has a sense of loss or failure. Listen to your teen without judging and try to put yourself in his or her position. Help build your teen's self-esteem by recognizing small successes and offering praise about his or her competence.
Encourage your teen to:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Many factors increase the risk of developing or triggering teen depression, including:
Family history and issues with family or others may also increase your teen's risk of depression:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
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