Although they should be fooling around, explore life and be without real sorrows, a growing number of teens suffer from teen depression. The really bad news however, is that teen depression causes problems in a period when life is as challenging as life can be, with teens being insecure, confused and vulnerable. But there is some good news too. Teen depression isn't necessarily permanent. Teen depression can be cured.
Teens suffering from depression can be helped. The patient should not despair. Neither should their parents, brothers, sisters and friends. Teen depression isn't rare anymore and therefore there are a numerous professionals out there who can help. Both medical and educational professionals. They all have been building up experience with young people suffering from depression.
Adult depression and teen depression have many similar symptoms. That's why it is important to know that many of these medical professionals - if not all - also have experience in working with adults who have or are still suffering from depression. A professional dealing with teen depression is hardly ever a rookie health care professional.
We have all been one, so we all know that being a teenager means going through many expected and even more unexpected changes. But still, parents are often confused when their sons or daughters habits or even their personality suddenly starts to change in something they've never witnessed before. Teens are known to moodshift from cheerful and happy to apathetic and sad almost overnight. The question to ask is, is this just a matter of teenage hormones fooling around or is this the first signs of depression? The trick often is to be alert for other symptoms as well. Symptoms like a change in eating or sleeping patterns. Another clue to watch out for is a gain or loss in bodyweight. Most common sign of teen depression however, is a withdrawal from everyday live, both in school and at home. Teens who excelled at school can suddenly turn into being lazy. Kids who were enthusiastic about a hobby, can become uninterested for no apparent reason whatsoever. If you as a parent feel trouble in school or at work is just a matter of time and you see a combination of these symptoms, it's about time you consult your doctor and school.
Unfortunately there is not a single cause of teen depression. And therefore, there is not a single treatment that will help every patient. Psychotherapy is often pretty successful. But again, there is no single treatment. Drug treatment is another option. Bottom line however, is that you should talk to a professional before you start thinking about a treatment. He or she is trained to diagnose the symptoms and to come with a solution.
Facts on Depression #1
The most common signs of depression are feeling sad, blue, helpless, guilt, empty, worthless, frustrated, lost, angry and miserable - often in combination, for prolonged periods of time and interfering with every day life. |
Facts on Depression #2
Almost 20 million people in the US suffer from depression. That's one out of every 15. About 70% of all patients are women. The costs of depression are close to $20 billion each year. Just one out of every three depression patients seek proper treatment. |
Facts on Depression #3
To make an accurate diagnoses of depression, health care professionals often use a depression scale. There are several depression scales available. Most of them can only be used by or with the help of trained professionals, but some are designed to be used and even analyzed by the patient itself. |
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