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Adolescence is a difficult time of life for many teenagers.  It is a time when incredible changes are taking place, both physically and emotionally.  It is a time when adolescents  are being wrenched out of childhood and thrust headlong into their adult lives whether they are ready for the change or not.  For many teens their lives seem out of control already, but when additional stress is added into the mix – the loss of a loved one, a change in schools or moving to a new town, the rejection of a sweetheart, to name just a few examples – then life can become so overwhelming as to cause a deep-seated clinical depression.

Find Someone to Talk To

First, you’re hardly alone.  It may feel as if no one else in the world has the same problems you do and that no one else’s problems could possibly be as bad or as insurmountable as yours – but the truth of the matter is, teenage depression is extremely common and the problems that teens face are, by and large, quite similar all over the world.  Sometimes it seems like talking about your feelings of depression or sadness can only make them worse, but that’s not the case.  Talking about your problems, even just finding someone to vent your problems and frustrations to, will often make you feel better.  This is especially true if you can find a professional who has been trained in different ways to guide you and to help you through your ordeal.

Signs of Depression in Teens

Teens are often angry and sarcastic, but when the feelings of anger just won’t go away, when everything and everyone irritates you beyond belief, when life feels completely empty and meaningless, then it is time for you to seek help.  Some of the specific signs of teenage depression include:

• Sleeping a lot or hardly sleeping at all.
• Feeling angry or irritable at everyone all the time.
• Feeling that there just isn’t any purpose to life.
• Frequent headaches or other physical symptoms.
• An inability to concentrate; your grades may be plummeting but you don’t care.
• You find yourself crying at anything and nothing.
• You feel worthless or that something is wrong with you.
• You have thoughts of ending it all.

Don’t wait until you find yourself thinking thoughts of suicide or cutting or other forms of self abuse.  You don’t deserve to be punished, what you need is someone to talk to, someone who is sympathetic and who will listen, someone who won’t judge you.  Such people exist.  Talk to your doctor.  Talk to your religious adviser.  Talk to your counselor at school.  Whatever you do, talk to someone.  Do not keep your feelings bottled up – find a way to express those feelings in a positive light.

When you are in the depths of depression it can seem as if you are totally alone – and the feelings of being alone can push you deeper and deeper into despair.  The truth is, you are not alone.  There are warm, loving, caring people who want to help you, people who will do whatever they can to lead you out of the valley of despair.  Don’t give up, because help is there for you – just reach out for it.

TSC Sources & Recommended Resources

• Dealing With Teen Depression
• Ways to Reduce Teen Depression
• When to Seek Help for Teen Depression

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