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 Would you know if your teenager was depressed?
Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental health problems experienced by young people, but symptoms often go unrecognised and untreated.
Adolescence is a challenging time, and what may seem to be a small problem to an adult may be very important to teenagers and should be taken seriously. 24% of teenagers suffer a major depressive illness.
Teenagers suffering from depression will generally feel sad, or miserable most of the time, and will find it difficult to cope. You may find they stop enjoying life, playing sport, achieving at school, or spending time with friends and family.
Risk factors - Family history of mental illness
- Anxiety as a child
- Family arguments, separation, divorce
- Abuse
- Poor self esteem
- Not coping and feeling stressed
- Not having people to talk to
- Bullying and not doing well at school
Depression is a serious illness which can lead to increased alcohol and drug use, low self-esteem, risk taking and even suicide.
The good news is that depression can be treated, and there are a many options available to help manage the illness. These include learning how to deal with stress, talking through unresolved issues from the past, and changing the way you handle problems.
Remember: If your teenager won’t go for help and you are worried, seek advice from your GP on how to best handle the situation.
Source: Depression in teenagers http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/(Pages)/Depression_and_teenagers?OpenDocument
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