How to Know If Your Teen Is Feeling Depressed 

When you think about your teen years, you might remember feeling moody. You may have felt your parents didn’t know what was happening in your life or the world. Everything seemed urgent and important. Breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend was the end of the world and left you feeling depressed.

Today’s teens haven’t changed that much. However, they face new obstacles, like cyberbullying and social media. In addition, teens experience life through heightened emotions and don’t always make the best judgments.

When your teen is feeling depressed, how do you know if it is the normal “down in the dumps” or a depressive disorder? Learn the signs of teen depression and how you can help your child.

Why teens think and behave differently than adults.

Our brains process information using both rational and emotional areas. However, the region of the brain that processes emotions, the amygdala, is still functioning at a higher level than the rational-processing region, the prefrontal cortex, in teens. This is because the prefrontal cortex takes longer to develop.

We can thank the prefrontal cortex for our good judgment. But in teens, this area often develops at a different rate than the other brain regions. This is why we say hindsight is 20/20 – we think much more rationally as adults and are less impulsive.

With the amygdala calling the shots, teens struggle to overcome emotional hurdles as quickly as adults. Sadness and depression can feel never-ending and impossible to endure. If your teen is feeling depressed, pay close attention to the signs. If you suspect your child is having suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately.

Signs that your teen is feeling depressed.

Knowing what to look for in teen depression might help you receive an early diagnosis. The issue in teens is that depression can mirror normal behavior. For example, many teenagers appreciate privacy and may retreat to their rooms for most of the day. As they discover their own strengths, weaknesses, and interests, they may make new friends and spend less time with friends from their younger years.

Unfortunately, isolation and new, worrisome friends are common in teens who feel depressed. But every child is different. You know your teen better than anyone. Do you have the type of relationship in that your child can come to you with his or her problems or if he or she is feeling sad? Let your teen know you are available to listen and won’t dismiss his or her emotions.

If communication between you and your teen is nonexistent nowadays, reach out to a counselor today. A counselor can introduce both of you to communication skills and conflict-resolution strategies.

The following are common signs of teen depression:

Feeling “blue” and empty.

Teens, just like adults, have moments of sadness. Perhaps they didn’t receive the grade on a project they expected, or a friend moved away. Feeling blue happens to everyone, but persistent sadness and sensations of emptiness or dread could signify depression. Your teen may have no idea why he or she feels as if a dark cloud is following him or her, but this hole in his or her heart runs deep.

Traumatic events, family mental history, genetics, and environment can also trigger depression. For example, if your child recently lost someone he or she loved, was a victim of abandonment or abuse, or whose parent suffers from a mental health condition, he or she may be at a higher risk for developing depression.

Unexplained physical ailments.

Does your teen complain of headaches or stomach aches? Yet, when you take your child to the doctor, are the results undetermined? Stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to physical manifestations of illnesses. It’s not that your teen is lying. He or she feels pain or discomfort in his or her body, but the cause may be tied to mental health.

Have your child’s pediatrician or family physician rule out any physical conditions that could be causing pain. Then consider counseling as an effective way of managing these symptoms.

Inability to focus.

Depression makes concentration difficult. Your teen’s mind might seem foggy, and he or she may have trouble recalling facts or focusing long enough to complete tasks. For example, does your teen seem to forget to do chores or leave the house key at home? Are you constantly repeating yourself? It’s not your imagination or your child’s unwillingness. Instead, he or she may just be having trouble with concentration and memory.

This inability to focus also creates challenges at school. For example, trying to finish an assignment or college admissions essay may be more than your teen can do until he or she has a handle on depression. Help your teen by encouraging him or her to avoid multitasking for now and focus on just one task at a time.

Talk of self-criticism and rejection.

Teens feeling depressed may self-blame and criticize themselves over everything. For example, if someone is mad at your teen or he or she makes a mistake, your teen may take on the blame and self-label as “dumb” or “stupid.” Teens can also take labels created by others as their own personal narratives. For example, if an adult or classmate tells your teen he or she is worthless, this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. This story feeds your teen’s negative thoughts and emotions.

Rejection hits harder as a teen. It can feel like the end of the world. Combined with depression, the inability to overcome rejection can be dangerous to a teen’s mental health.

No longer cares about hygiene.

Depression makes people lose interest in the activities that bring them joy. Even day-to-day tasks seem challenging. Is your teen neglecting hygiene, like showering, brushing their teeth, and wearing clean clothes?

Depression brings fatigue. Your teen may not have the energy to do simple, basic tasks. If his or her depression is severe, he or she may not even care. Encourage your teen to take care of himself or herself physically with basic hygiene and regular exercise, and mentally with counseling to overcome depression.

Available treatment for depression.

Counseling for teen depression has come a long way. Your child’s counselor will create a plan combining the best from psychology with faith-based principles. The format and number of sessions will vary depending on your teen’s needs.

Psychotherapy (talk therapy).

Talk therapy is an effective treatment that serves several purposes. In individual sessions, your teen will learn to trust the counselor, find his or her voice, and analyze his or her thoughts and feelings. In addition, a counselor can help the teen navigate the adolescent journey and the pitfalls of middle and high school. Peer pressure, conflicts, and anger management are common topics in teen counseling.

Classmates may persuade others to try alcohol, drugs, sex, and other risky behaviors. Christian teen counseling aims to teach your teen how to stand up for what he or she believes in and say no to behaviors that can hurt himself, herself, or others.

Talk therapy is available in person at a wellness center or virtually from the comfort of your home. The counselor and your teen may opt for individual, family, or group therapy sessions. Each session is confidential. In family therapy, you will learn how the actions of one person affect the family and how to recognize the signs of depression and help your teen through it.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used in various mental disorder treatments. It is effective in helping people recognize negative thoughts and emotions and adopting strategies and affirmations to change their behaviors.

When the narrative in your teen’s mind feeds him or her negative thoughts and beliefs, depression can deepen. CBT aims to change this narrative to the truth about who your teen is and the person God created him or her to be.

Is your teen feeling depressed?

Do the signs of teen depression sound a little too familiar for your household? Is your teen feeling depressed? Contact a Christian counselor today to schedule an appointment. Your counselor will assess your child’s symptoms and create a detailed mental health care plan with your input. You will be included in your child’s mental healthcare.

Call us today to get started.