Depression in adolescence
Adolescence is an easy stage that becomes even more complicated when depression settles in the lives of the very young.
They say the teens is the happiest moment of life , because it is when a young man who discovers and despite their school obligations enjoy your friends with unique emotions and adventures that will not be repeated. But, like everything in life, everything good carries its bad side, and that is that adolescence is also a time when changes come in a massive and grouped way. It is not easy to deal with all the novelties that adolescence brings us, and in fact for many people this stage of life causes so much uncertainty that they end up in depression.
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THE STATISTICS EXPLAIN IT …
More or less, eight out of every hundred adolescents will fall into depression during this stage of life, in the United States. In Spain , between 3.4 and 4% of adolescents will have depression . However, it is known that depression affects women more than men, and the case of adolescence is no exception: thus, only 4.6% of adolescents will suffer from depression, while 13% of adolescents will suffer it.
HOW TO IDENTIFY DEPRESSION IN A TEEN
All of us who have lived through adolescence know what happens. Excessively abrupt changes in our mood and mood; laugh on the phone for a minute and cry ten minutes later … However, it is essential to know how to identify when an adolescent is suffering from depression, because suffering from this illness does not happen only with a momentary or short-lived sadness, but rather when it prevents the teenager lead a normal lifestyle, and carry out their daily or school activities. Since a depressionAlthough it is very painful, it has a relatively easy solution as long as it is identified and treated, it is very important that parents go to professionals if they suspect that their child is suffering from this mental illness, because the term ‘depression’ is used very easily, when it really is a serious illness that affects mental health and requires therapy to be solved.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION DURING YOUTH: GENETIC OR ENVIRONMENTAL
The reasons why a young person can fall into depression are several, and it is not easy to identify the exact cause of this mental illness, although psychology and psychiatry help to identify them. However, there are several general causes that could help guide us in understanding why a particular adolescent may suffer from depression. Due to the fact that this disease is genetic , in the event that family members have suffered from depression, that person is more likely to suffer from this disease during their youth: it would be more likely than if neither their parents nor their grandparents had ever had depression .
Of course, it is not just genetics that determines whether or not someone will have depression. The environment also plays a fundamental role, since a sentimental break during adolescence or sudden changes such as the divorce of the parents or having to move from one city or country to another , could lead to a mental illness characterized by sadness and impotence, as is depression. These types of shocking lifestyle changes can be the reason for a depressive stage during adolescence.
Other events in the environment can cause depression, such as the death of a family member or friend , or health problems. Family problems or frequent arguments between parents can also be a major reason.
THE DEATH OF A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER, FAMILY AND HEALTH PROBLEMS CAN LEAD TO DEPRESSION
Elena Mató, Specialist in Clinical Psychology, indicates in Mapfre other symptoms of depression, such as reading books or listening to music with sad themes and about the lack of meaning in life. A noticeable laziness when it comes to taking care of yourself can also be a symptom of depression, especially during youth, when it is more common to worry about appearance. Difficulties in making decisions or solving problems can also be common when a teenager has depression.
Adolescence comes with the discovery of who you are, and it also comes with the process of maturing and gaining relative independence. Many adolescents live these types of changes with stress and, in the event that the stress becomes unbearable, depression arrives .
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
To know how to recognize if an adolescent suffers from depression, or if it is only about mood swings typical of youth, we must first identify the symptoms of this mental illness. When a teenager has depression, he is going to feel apathetic . You will not want to do the daily activities that made you happy before, and you will feel so tired, and so lack of energy, that you will hardly be able to do the activities you used to do. You will not be able to concentrate , and this will be especially noticeable in your class notes: they will go down.
Appetite will change significantly with this disorder: he will eat for others , or eat much less than they used to eat in the day. The most common, however, is that you lose your appetite. A depressed teenager, like any depressed adult or child, will adopt an especially pessimistic attitude , which will be present throughout the day. You will show emotions of anger or sadness, and you will have a hard time falling asleep.
They may distance themselves from their friends as well as their parents and the rest of the family, although with respect to the latter case we have to bear in mind that adolescents are generally more separated from their parents compared to how their was relationship with the family during childhood, when they felt dependent. Now, feeling more independent, it is normal for them to withdraw from the family, so this symptom alone can never determine the presence of depression.
An adult can resort to alcohol and other drugs when suffering from depression, and the case of an adolescent is no exception, especially because he is living a stage of life in which he will be surrounded by these types of substances, spending a lot of time with other people of the same age. But, in the case of resorting to alcohol and other drugs not to ‘fit in’ but because, by consuming them, it relieves their sadness momentarily, this can be a symptom of depressive disorder.
DRINKING ALCOHOL IS EVEN MORE HARMFUL FOR PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION
Unfortunately, many people who suffer from depression disorder end up with their inner sadness by resorting to suicide , and for this reason it is fundamental and totally essential that the person who notices that someone around them suffers from depression, turn to professionals to help them as much as possible. fast as possible. Above all, the help should be immediate in the event that an adolescent distributes his belongings among the people he knows, says goodbye to his loved ones, talks or writes about suicide , changes his personality radically, dares to take excessive risks or wants to be completely alone, as Medline Plus tells us.
Depression is not a problem to be taken lightly, because it affects mental health and its severity is undeniable . We have to be aware that, detected and treated in time with the help of psychology or psychiatry professionals, it can be replaced by a fully normal and happy lifestyle.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A TEENAGER HAS DEPRESSION
Never, under any circumstances, is it acceptable to make comments to a young person suffering from depression such as “you have many reasons to be happy” , “it will pass you, what you feel is not serious” or “lift your spirits, which you do not have reasons to be sad. ” Much less criticize your weight loss if you have lost several pounds due to lack of appetite, or qualify as “bland” or other criticism, for being completely listless. Like other mental illnesses, depression is not something that the patient can control. The important thing is to encourage you, listen to him whenever he feels like talking about what he feels or thinks, and make him see that we will always be there when he needs us. It is always essential that a depressed person feel supported and sheltered by those around him.
Elena Mató also recommends showing interest in the life of a teenager who has depression , as well as never ignoring a comment or wish related to death.
PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION NEED SUPPORT FROM THOSE AROUND THEM
GuiaSalud.es indicates that the primary care physician will be the first professional to monitor this disorder, although, if necessary, this physician may refer the adolescent to a mental health specialist . Professionals in psychology and psychiatry can help enormously with these types of mental health illnesses. Because the most common cause of suicide is untreated depression, if a teenager is at risk, it is important to consider the following contact numbers and websites:
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.