hey psych2goers and welcome back
depression does not look the same in
everyone did you know depression can
look different in teens
its manifestation is known to be
influenced by several factors external
and internal one of them being age
the adolescent brain is very plastic
that is teenagers and adolescents go
through a huge developmental period in
their brains during this time
these changes are also paired with life
stress unique to adolescence and a brain
that is not fully developed
this means that some mental health
conditions such as depression may
manifest differently in teenagers versus
adults but it in no way means that they
are any less significant
in this video we're going to explore
some signs of depression in teens so
with that said here are 10 warning signs
of depression in teens
number one
more irritability why do some teens seem
to struggle with their temper the
teenage brain is already prone to mood
swings with so much forming and changing
they can have a hard time regulating
emotions as it is
and with depression these mood changes
can heighten according to an article
from very well mind irritability and
defiance are much more common in
depressed teens than depressed adults
this may be because adults are generally
more equipped to handle stronger
emotions and are therefore less prone to
acting out number two
sensitivity to criticism
do you know a teen who avoids taking
risks in fear of criticism
this may be a result of increased
sensitivity to criticism which is common
in teenage depression
as reported in a study by morin in 2020
it's normal to be a little nervous about
what someone might say however depressed
teens may find themselves so afraid that
they avoid doing something they really
love though the exact reason isn't clear
this may have something to do with the
lower levels of self-confidence and
self-worth that come along with
depression
it's important to notice that teens who
find themselves in this spot aren't just
lazy or insecure there might be
something more to the story
number three
staying in their rooms a lot
do you know a teenager who only seems to
come out of their room for meals do they
seem to disappear throughout the day
this may be a sign of depression
a common sign of depression in adults
and teens is social isolation
for many teens your rooms are primarily
what you consider to be your space and
that tends to be where you isolate it's
not that you don't want to see others or
to be around them but more so that your
depression may be forcing you to only
feel at ease when you're alone
number four selective social withdrawal
do you know a team who seems to withdraw
from certain people but not others
it turns out that depressed teens tend
to socially withdraw more selectively
than adults
typically depressed teens might hold on
to close friendships and relationships
and isolate from family
adults by contrast tend to isolate an
equal amount from almost all of the
relationships in their lives
number five
throwing themselves into work
do you know a teen who seems to bury
themselves in schoolwork
does it seem like they spend a long time
working
there are multiple reasons for this but
among other things this could be a sign
of teenage depression
distraction is a common coping mechanism
for depression and teens often have a
heavy plate of work
thus some of you resort to temporarily
distracting yourself with assignments
even those that might not be due anytime
soon
number six
slipping grades
on the flip side another common sign of
depression in teens is that their grades
might slip
on the outside this may look like
laziness but this could be a sign of
something bigger
schoolwork is demanding and depression
can take a toll on someone's mental
state therefore if a teenager's grades
are slipping it might be because
depression is taking away the energy and
motivation for them to do their best
number seven
harder time focusing
do you or does a teen you know seem to
have a harder time concentrating than
normal with anything from schoolwork to
hobbies a harder time focusing on
everyday tasks could be a sign of
teenage depression
according to smith and others in a study
published in 2020 depression can be very
energy consuming and as a result many
teens find it harder and harder to
concentrate even on things that would
normally capture their attention like
other signs on this list it's important
not to assume laziness if you notice
this in yourself or in a teen around you
difficulty concentrating could be a sign
of not only depression but a number of
mental health issues that are not your
fault
number eight
changes in energy
does a teen close to you appear suddenly
more restless or sluggish both of these
changes in energy could be signs of
depression
according to stanford children's health
sluggishness in depressed teens shows up
in their speech reactions and movement
the same article explained that
depression-related restlessness can look
like fidgeting or acting up publicly
a consistent change in energy or
out-of-character behavior could indicate
an issue beneath the surface
number nine changes in daily habits
do you notice different eating or
sleeping patterns in a teen
similar to adults changes in sleep and
appetite are common signs of teenage
depression whether eating and sleeping
too much or too little teens with
depression often find themselves taking
less care of their health and well-being
every once in a while catching up on
sleep or not feeling as hungry is
totally normal however a consistent
shift to unhealthy habits could be a
sign of something larger and number 10
physical pains did you know that
depressed teens tend to have more
pronounced physical pain than depressed
adults
according to help guide depressed teens
tend to be more impacted by aches and
pains than depressed adults these
physical pains can be anywhere in the
body and seem spontaneous
stomachaches headaches and cramping
throughout the body are all equally
possible
if you or a teen you know continues to
ache without any other physical
condition it could be a physical
manifestation of depression regardless
of age depression is a very real and
very serious mental illness that can
creep onto you silently
therefore it helps to keep an eye out
for its snare
but you don't have to fight it all on
your own don't be afraid to ask for help
nor let the stigmas attached deter you
no matter how bad it gets there's always
hope that things can get better
reaching out to a psychologist or a
counselor and getting the help you need
can not only improve your life but also
encourage others to break away from the
stigmas to seek help
we hope we were able to give you some
insight into common signs of teenage
depression and how it may differ from
depression in adults did we miss
anything what are some other areas it
manifests differently leave a comment
down below and please feel free to share
any thoughts you have as well
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those out there figuring out the
complexities of this disorder don't
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videos and as always thanks for watching