Depression in adolescents: symptoms and prevention

Why are teenagers vulnerable?

Children are very vulnerable during adolescence. At this time, they begin to realize themselves as individuals, try to find their place in the world, understand their role, and begin to reason about what they are living for. This is also the age when children begin to make their first decisions on their own.

Many adolescents are gullible, very sensitive to everything that happens around them. Bad grades at school, trouble in the family, first love, which broke the heart - these are the main tests of life, which leave a mark on the psyche. Some, growing up, painlessly copes with all the problems, successfully forming a future pattern of behavior, and for some, all the disappointments become a heavy stress.

Factors provoking a depressed state

Depression between the ages of 13 and 18 in adolescents can occur for the following reasons:

- Unfavorable atmosphere in the family. When family conflicts are frequent, the child feels unhappy. He has thoughts that he is a burden to his mother and father. Depression can also be caused by overprotection or lack of support from the parents.

- Frequent changes of residence. Each time children move, they have to adapt to a new environment and look for friends. Frequent changes of residence provoke an unstable emotional state.

- Learning problems. The workload of today's students is exorbitant. Weekdays include lessons, electives, class hours, sections, classes with tutors. Not all teenagers can cope with such a load. Because of this, they begin to fall behind in the school program, get frustrated, and feel insecure.

- Availability of a computer and the Internet. On the one hand, modern technology has made life easier for children. Almost any information and book can be found on the Internet. On the other hand, the computer has a negative effect on teenagers. They become addicted to games, virtual communication and thereby become distant from real life, face bad moods and a depressed state.

Among the causes of depression in adolescents, the processes going on in the body at this age should be singled out. During this period, there is a structural and hormonal restructuring. Because of changes in appearance and hormonal background, manners and moods change, and there are outbursts of aggression. Leaders emerge among children who begin to dictate their own rules and a particular way of life. Teenagers who do not meet the established requirements often become outcasts in society. Such a situation also provokes depression.

Symptoms of depression in adolescents

You can suspect the occurrence of depression in a teenager by the following symptoms:

• apathetic, sad state;
• Complaints of loss of strength, a feeling of fatigue;
• forgetfulness;
• Complaints of pain (e.g., headache or abdominal pain);
• restlessness, anxiety;
• rebellious behavior;
• irritability;
• frequent outbursts of anger;
• sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night;
• a decline in school performance;
• loss of interest in familiar activities, events, and favorite pastimes;
• eating disorders (refusal to eat or overeating);
• an obsession with the theme of death.

Symptoms of teenage depression may vary at different periods of life. At the age of 13-14, children try to hide their emotions and worries from those around them. However, depression does manifest itself through inhibited reactions.

The main signs of depression in teenagers aged 14-18 include aggression, irritability, and mood swings. These symptoms most often arise from difficulties in choosing a future path in life. Teenagers think for the first time about the meaning of life, and it often becomes a difficult riddle for them.

Prevention of depression

An important role in preventing signs of depression in adolescents 13-18 years old is to improve the climate in the family. It is recommended that parents:

In the process of upbringing one should try to avoid humiliation and punishment. You can only make a teenager feel unwanted or inferior by your negative actions.

If a child is facing any problems, it is not worth torturing him with moralizing. It is not uncommon for teenage depression to develop because of parental instructions. In difficult times, it is important to listen to the child first. Only then can you give appropriate advice.

Do not keep your child under constant supervision and tutelage. Excessive parental supervision turns a teenager into an insecure and unindependent person.

Don't force you to do what your mother or father wants, and don't force you to choose a certain profession. A teenager is a person who needs a sense of freedom.

Treatment and prevention of depression in troubled teens is not an easy task. It can be solved only with the cooperation of parents with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Only comprehensive measures can achieve a positive result.