How to Recognize and Treat Depression in Adolescents: Symptoms and Warning Signs

Depression in adolescence is a disorder that pervades every sphere of life. Here are the symptoms to recognize.

It’s not just about mood. Sadness and melancholy are not signs to be underestimated in adolescents. It is essential that the individual himself, with his family or friends, recognize the problem so that it is treated in the earliest possible way. Unfortunately, diagnosis is complicated. Recognizing the signs of depression in general is difficult. In adolescents, it is probably even more so. While people with depression tend to ask for help because they can’t bear the pain of emotional distress, depressed adolescents, on the other hand, may convince themselves that it’s not possible to do so. So they believe it is useless to ask for help and react.

The symptoms of depression in adolescents are different than in adults. It manifests itself through some more frequent signs, but not all of them are always present. Sadness or despaireverything for the depressed teenager seems an insurmountable obstacle. Irritability, anger and hostility, towards adults, but also towards peers. Frequent crying as real emotional crises. But also the detachment from friends and relativestogether with loss of interest and enthusiasm.

Sleep and appetite disorders should not be underestimated. Also, it is frequent state of agitationthe difficulty staying still, or on the contrary slowdown in movement and thought. Finally, they are very worrying and real alarm bells thoughts of death and suicidal ideas.

Even physical pains are symptoms that should not be ignored

Unexplained headaches e pains of various kinds, not justified by medical evidence, could be a symptom of depression. The parent must therefore ask himself whether the disturbances that his child manifests are occasional events linked to the period of growth, or whether they are symptoms to be referred to the attention of a specialist.

It is important, for this type of evaluation, the duration of symptoms. If they occur on a daily basis and protracted over time, then it is good that you consult a doctor. Furthermore, it should be assessed whether the symptoms are present in the various social areas of the subject’s life, i.e. in the family, at school or among friends. If the symptoms pervade every area of ​​the boy’s life and are frequent, it is possible that it is a depressive episode.

Unfortunately, the risk of suicide is linked to concrete facts and successful attempts. To understand if your child’s state of mind could be such as to lead to an extreme gesture, you need to understand what are the signs that indicate thoughts of death. If the boy expresses it, for example, or jokes about it, the problem is concrete. Be careful even if he greets friends and family as if it’s the last time he sees them.

The presence of the family is essential and dialogue can be the only way out to avert a drama. Friends and family remain the most valid point of reference in the life of the adolescent. Attention to children’s problems represents the only true preventive cure to ward off the risk of depression.