Research shows that in the past three decades the suicide rate by teenagers has risen by over 300%. A survey of High School students revealed that almost 60% of them had thought about harming or killing themselves and that just under 10% had actually attempted suicide because of feeling so depressed.
While it is normal for a teenager to have “down” days and that nobody feels on top of the world all the time there are some signs to look out for which may signify a more serious condition. If you recognise some of the following signs or symptoms on a daily basis over a prolonged period of time then it should be taken seriously and the help of your family doctor should be sought.
* Lethargy – always weary with no energy
* Moodiness
* Overeating or not eating regular meals
* Feeling dejected
* Withdrawing from friends or family
* Helplessness
* Inactivity – when they were always an active person in sport and other out of school activities
* Constant worry
There are various treatments for depression in teenagers and younger children. Your doctor will be the best person to decide on the correct course of treatment or he/she may refer you to a specialist in the care of teenagers with depressive disorders. You may be offered therapy in the form of counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy or an anti-depressant medication, quite often a combination of both therapy and medication is used. It is important to catch this disorder as early as possible as the sooner treatment commences the better chance of a full recovery, in severe cases of clinical depression medication may need to be taken on a long term basis.