Signs of depression in teenagers: symptoms, how to help, how to get out on your own

Adolescence is one of the first difficult periods in the life of every child. This is when hormonal changes in the body occur. Due to physiological processes, some mental changes occur. Unfortunately, under unfavorable conditions and other complications against this background, the development of mental illness may occur. Moreover, at different ages, the manifestations, as well as the causes, are different. In the article I will talk about the first symptoms and signs of depression in adolescents (girls and boys) at 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 years old.

Definition of the concept

This depressed depressive state is considered a psychological disease. It can manifest itself in different stages. At the initial stage, self-medication is possible - maintaining mood and psycho-emotional health by eliminating problems. But the most effective and efficient option is to consult a psychologist. The specialist has a delicate approach to the child, so he will help cope with the disorder and will not create consequences.

As in adults, in adolescents this condition is characterized by depression, loss of strength, and indifference. The passive public position is complemented by protest, which is natural for this age. Usually this is a refusal to study diligently, conflicts with parents and peers, which take place in a hidden form.

Since this is a mental illness, it needs therapy. For most children, this period passes independently due to the support of loved ones, parents, friends, understanding of teachers and a general prosperous environment. But if the symptoms do not go away or even get worse, you need to promptly contact a professional.

Complex relationships between a child and mother can not only affect the well-being of the younger member of the conflict, but also the woman. If you feel that you are at the limit, ready to snap and can no longer provide sufficient support to your daughter or son, I recommend signing up for my consultation.

"Empathy" - studio of practical psychology

Children and teenagers with various emotional problems come to Empathy. We help them overcome difficulties. To do this, our team has specialists who have been working with children and adults for 14 years, helping to deal with internal problems.

Adolescence is a period of personality development. And our task is to help the child not go astray. We help teenagers and parents find and maintain the harmony in which everyone can live and develop comfortably.

“Empathy” runs psychological groups for teenagers, where kids can share important experiences, get support and feedback, learn how to build relationships with peers and find friends. Here a teenager can share his problems, and we will help him understand and understand himself. In this format of communication, support, respect and trust in peers are formed, and the prerequisites for the development of depression in a child go away on their own. Of course, we cannot talk about a universal panacea, but psychological work in a group is obviously a prevention of depression; if necessary, we also refer the teenager and parents to specialists with a more specialized profile.

If you are faced with misunderstanding within your family, or have discovered signs of depression in a child, contact us for help. We are waiting for you at the Studio of Practical Psychology “Empathy”.

Causes of depression in teenagers

Such a disorder is never accidental. It arises due to problems at home, family and school, disagreements with peers, mistakes of first love, as well as physiological circumstances. An important reason for the onset of a depressive state is the social aspect, that is, how prosperous the family is, what living conditions the child has.

We list the main causes of the disease:

Hormonal changes. This is especially pronounced in girls, when their first menstruation arrives, hair appears in the armpits and legs. Like any surge in hormones (pregnancy and childbirth, menopause), this period quite often leads to depression. The task of parents is to understand this and try to help.
Problems at school. This large group of reasons includes the following situations: failure in subjects, heavy workload, conflicts with teachers (they can treat students disrespectfully, choose favorites and those they don’t like), quarrels with peers. It is worth taking a closer look at your child’s behavior, if he does not talk about school friends, he is not invited to visit, and he himself does not take his friends home. We also recommend monitoring the student’s progress. Declining grades are not only a possible reason. Monitoring grades is a way to recognize depression in a teenager. After all, the symptoms are: inattention, restlessness, loss of interest in learning.
Social status. This echoes the previous point. Each child has his own position in the class and company. And if it turns out to be not high enough, or even low, it greatly affects self-esteem. Such teenagers can become loners. This means that he has no one to share his problems with, because adults are not always comfortable telling you what worries you.
Failures in love. The first love is the most inspiring, but it is also painful, because children take the breakup close to their hearts. And, unfortunately, it is almost inevitable. This leads to lower self-esteem.
Increased demands from parents and teachers. Many mothers and fathers want to make a super-child out of their child, without paying any attention to his or her characteristics. For example, if your daughter proves herself to be an excellent pastry chef, then it is not necessary to set her a high standard in mathematics and send her to be an accountant. Often adults want: good grades, results in sports. And if they cannot be achieved, then the teenager feels unsure of himself and experiences difficulties in further self-realization.
Family problems. If parents abuse alcohol or are otherwise dysfunctional, mental disorders may appear.

Who is susceptible to depression?

Experts in the field of psychology argue that teenage depression can occur in any child, even an apparently prosperous one. There is a high risk of this condition in children from single-parent families, where only one parent is involved in raising them. Lack of attention, care and affection has a negative impact on the psyche of a young person, which can lead to a depressed state.

Signs of depression are often observed in adolescents who grow up in families where there are constant quarrels between parents. An unfavorable home environment can provoke various mental disorders, the treatment of which can take a long time.

Depression in adolescents occurs if they do not have good relationships with teachers or peers at school. Often, parents may not suspect that their child has a conflict at school, so psychologists recommend asking children more often about what is happening in their school life.

Teenage depression: symptoms and signs in girls and boys

In general, all manifestations can be divided into three groups. These are changes in mood, behavior and physiological changes. Let's list the symptoms:

Psychologist Daria Milai

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Apathy. This is a reluctance to act, communicate, study, and even go out with friends. You may notice a lack of interest in things that previously attracted interest.
Psychosomatic pain - these can appear in the stomach, back or head.
General depression.
The child’s immunity was damaged and he began to get colds more often.
Fatigue, loss of strength, you want to sleep constantly, it’s difficult to get up in the morning.
Forgetfulness and poor concentration on tasks and work. A student may simply forget what he was asked and what his parents asked him to do.
Anxiety, worries.
Constant sadness, depressive outlook on things.
Irresponsibility towards studies and household responsibilities.
Trouble sleeping, this can be expressed as insomnia or drowsiness.
School grades are getting lower.
The girl or boy stops meeting with friends and does not want to attend school or other events.
Motivation is lost, for example, if previously a teenager wanted to enter a certain university and put effort into this, now he does not strive for anything.
Changing eating habits. This can be either a loss of appetite or, on the contrary, “eating” problems with sweets.
Irritability, causticity in communication. We can say that these are typical manifestations of adolescents in adolescence, but in the beginning of a depressive state it can be called aggressiveness.
Addiction to alcohol, cigarettes. If the child has older friends, they can buy alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

Causes of teenage depression

A depressive state usually does not arise out of nowhere; it can have both objective and subjective factors. The main causes of depression in adolescents are:

Hormonal changes in the body of children. During this period, they change quite a lot physically; the chemical processes that occur can cause mood swings, restlessness, and anxiety.
Failures in school life. Failure to perform well, rejection by classmates, and “attacks” from teachers increase emotional instability and make the teenager unhappy.
Social status. If a child does not enjoy respect among his peers, his friends constantly make fun of him, do not value his opinion, then such an attitude suppresses the student and makes him lonely.
Unhappy first love. Teenagers react very sharply to feelings that arise, which most often remain unanswered, so children develop a critical attitude towards their appearance and body. They cease to respect themselves, they believe that there is nothing to love them for, and as a result, this attitude leads to despair and depression.
High demands from parents. A high standard that is too high for a student causes him to feel insecure, fear of punishment for an unachieved result, and fear of even greater demands.
Family troubles. Family relationships play an important role in the emotional state of the child. The development of depression in adolescents may be associated with the indifferent attitude of parents who are not interested in the student’s life, do not support him, and are not happy about the child’s achievements.

How depression manifests itself in adolescents according to age characteristics

Along with growing up, significant changes occur in the body and psyche. The most difficult age and most susceptible to mental disorders is from 15 to 19 years. Why? This is when the most stress occurs - first love, teenage cruelty, worries about parents and exams. The second characteristic feature of the entire period is increased emotionality and touchiness. This is a normal manifestation, because hormones are acting up. There is also a lack of real life experience, and youthful maximalism manifests itself. The child looks at the whole world through a magnifying glass, considers every unimportant situation so significant, literally a turning point.

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Depression is rare before the age of 15, but the prerequisites for the onset of the disease may already appear. Remember that even a mild degree of illness can turn into a very serious one over time and after exposure to additional stress factors.

How to understand that a 10-12 year old teenager has depression: take a closer look at the general condition of the body. If a child is often sick, picks up any infection, and is reluctant to eat, we can assume the presence of a disorder. In addition to weight loss due to reluctance to eat, classic symptoms for a schoolchild appear: slow reaction, loss of interest in a former hobby, restlessness, failures in studies, drowsiness, apathy. The reasons may be: misunderstanding in the family, transition to the middle classes.

After 12 years and up to 14, problems are directly related to hormonal changes. Against the backdrop of exploding hormones, difficulties in self-determination appear. It is during this age period that groups emerge, and social roles within them. The causes of depressive disorder can be difficult relationships with peers and parents; school success still plays a significant role. The guys are afraid that they will be scolded for poor performance and compared with others.

But the easiest time for a teenager to become depressed is between the ages of 15 and 19, since during this period the psyche is greatly influenced by:

Exams (GIA and Unified State Exam), admission to a technical school, university, the first session are powerful sources of stress for an unprepared body.
The need to make conscious, important choices, to self-determinate - previously, most decisions were made either by parents or by society.
Self-awareness, philosophical thoughts, an attempt to determine their place in life - for this reason, many begin to get tattoos, join informal groups and exhibit other deviant behavior.

First love relationship.

Types of depression

Often young people fall into autumn depression, which may pass over time. When summer ends and it's time to start studying, many schoolchildren feel stressed after the long holidays.

The child does not want to go to school, throws tantrums, and tries to feign various illnesses. After studying, many children find it difficult to start doing homework. There is tearfulness and decreased appetite. This form of depression can be treated at home.

It is necessary to talk with the teenager and offer all possible help in completing homework. During this period, parents should organize a nutritious diet and ensure that the child rests more and spends time in the fresh air. After 1-1.5 months, the body will get used to the new conditions and autumn depression will pass. Specialists should be contacted if a teenager is withdrawn and unwilling to communicate.

The child may respond to any conversations with impudence, be rude, and not respond to attempts to get closer. If the process is delayed, you need to find a way to show the child to the doctor.

Often children do not want to go to a psychologist, so you need to invite a specialist home or meet on neutral territory. An experienced psychologist can determine a depressive state even by indirect signs.

In severe cases, especially if a young person has thoughts of suicide, special help may be needed - hypnosis, various psychotechniques, and medication.

You cannot do without the help of a psychologist if depression pushes a teenager into demonstrative aggressive behavior. A young man in such a state can attack any person with his fists and insult him. It is not uncommon for depressed teenagers to commit crimes. This situation cannot be ignored by either parents or teachers. The sooner educational work begins, the greater the chance of preventing a crime.

What is depression: symptoms in adolescents and types of its manifestations

I use some labels to classify all depressed children according to their behavior:

Zombies - they do aimless things, for example, “hanging out” on the phone, scrolling through social networks, playing computer games.
Mystery. There are no symptoms. But at the same time, the young patient changes significantly; there may be external changes, for example, a change in image.
Victim. They feel offended, abandoned, disadvantaged. Most often, they themselves join a stronger peer.
Screen. Outwardly, they are successful in their studies, happy, but deep down in their souls they are very worried. They need support.
Problem. For them, every day is a test. And everyone around sees it. This condition may continue for several years. And although it is difficult to call the disorder severe, it exhausts both the patient and the parents.
Rebel. There is: irritability, touchiness, a desire to do everything in defiance.

Symptoms of depression

One of the main signs of depression is a decrease or complete lack of interest in familiar and everyday activities. This symptom appears first and is present until complete recovery.

How depression manifests itself in teenagers:

the child begins to study worse, often skips school;
affective signs – depressed mood, apathy, which is often expressed in the form of increased irritability;
distortion of thinking, tendency to jump to conclusions, pessimism, expectation of negative consequences;
anhedonia – social withdrawal, lack of interest in life, inability to enjoy previously loved things and activities;
attention deficit disorder;
difficulties in making independent decisions, difficulty concentrating;
absence or noticeable increase in appetite;
insomnia, constant desire to sleep;
outbursts of anger and aggression, tearfulness, causeless agitation;
feeling of guilt, feeling of one's own uselessness, helplessness;
thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts.

Depression can manifest itself in the form of somatic symptoms - migraine, bowel dysfunction, muscle weakness, heart and stomach pain, itching, skin rashes.

Important! Depressive conditions can be caused by hereditary factors - if parents have or had mental disorders, then the risk of developing depression during puberty increases several times.

How to become depressed in adolescence for a girl and a boy: gender differences

Usually the difference is that the female half tends to withdraw into themselves and become more whiny, but the guys rebel more and often start drinking alcohol, trying drugs, and smoking.

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The boys, going to extremes and getting involved with the most inveterate company, thus try to leave and distance themselves from the injustice of the world. When intoxicated, a teenager feels happy because there are no teachers, caring parents or other adults in the company.

A girl can become a loner and lose self-esteem. All her own traits (both appearance and mental qualities) are subject to self-criticism. She doesn’t feel attractive and sometimes begins to assert herself at the expense of guys. Girls grow up, become more attractive, and have sexual relations. A break with a lover affects them very painfully.

Both alcohol and disordered relationships can lead to very disastrous outcomes. In essence, this is an expression of the same protest, just in different ways. It is necessary to take care of providing assistance to a young patient in a timely manner so as not to wait for suicide.

Depression in boys and girls: gender differences

Teenagers who are depressed, unable to bear it, often try to find some way out that will help alleviate suffering and numb the pain. At the same time, the answer to the question of how to get out of depression, a teenage boy sees it in rebellious and antisocial behavior, and a girl sees it in withdrawing into herself or causing even greater suffering.

Boys most often get involved with bad company, try all kinds of drugs, alcohol, in this way closing themselves off not only from personal problems, but also from the world as a whole, from its injustice and misunderstanding. In this state, the child feels absolutely happy. There are no responsibilities, teachers or overprotective parents.

Depression in a teenage girl has slightly different manifestations. She withdraws into herself, closes herself off from external influences in her inner world, becomes unsociable, withdrawn, and lonely. Often this behavior is associated with low self-esteem, when a girl does not know what to respect herself for, what makes her attractive, while she tries to drown out the pain through promiscuity. Most often, such underestimation of oneself as an individual and one’s capabilities comes from the family, when the child was told little about how wonderful and good she is. After all, there is never too much love for a girl; it won’t spoil her, it won’t make her a prude.

However, such exits from this state only worsen the situation: after the end of the drug or sexual intercourse, the pain becomes even stronger, self-esteem drops to zero. Therefore, it is important to start fighting depression in adolescents in time to avoid voluntary death.

Treatment of depression in adolescents

I recommend that if you notice symptoms, you should consult a professional. He will prescribe treatment. This can be a complex of medications and consultations, which can be done individually or in a group with adults. It is worth noting that therapy is necessary not only for the child, but also for his parents, because the root of the problem very often lies in both sides.

Medicines should be given only after being prescribed by the attending physician. You should be wary of an overdose. These may include sedatives, as well as additional therapy for sleep and physical fatigue, and vitamins.

During my consultation, I try to establish contact with the girl/boyfriend, try to get to the underlying causes and solve them.

How to spot teenage depression early. 5 important signs

Some people assessed their condition and finally turned to specialists. Many patients with depressive disorders admitted that, thanks to the popularization of knowledge about this disease, the attitude of relatives and friends towards their condition has become warmer and more loyal. However, there is a whole category of people whose depression almost always goes unnoticed by others. These are teenagers.

According to statistics, about 11% of boys and girls under the age of 18 suffer from depression.

This is already more than every tenth. But the statistics include only registered cases. And most often, depression during puberty goes unnoticed by others. Symptoms that are obvious to a specialist are ignored by parents and attributed to age-related changes in character, and the methods of “treating” depressive disorders in children and adolescents still remain punishment, moralizing and pressure.

During puberty, crises are inevitable: hormonal changes in the body and the emotional instability caused by it are “successfully” combined with a moment of reassessment of all life attitudes, a search for answers to “non-childish” questions, and a change in the nature of social interaction.

Add here the first interest in sexuality, falling in love, as well as growing pressure from school, approaching exams and the need to choose their future destiny hanging over all high school students. And self-doubt is perfectly reinforced by hormonal changes in the body (including weight), acne and mood swings.

Relationships with parents also most often suffer: children can no longer accept established “children’s” roles, and parents are not yet ready to give up their previous ways of interaction. For some, the process of adjustment is relatively easy, while for others, the teenage crisis is marked by the first episode of depression or bipolar disorder.

Even the most attentive parents often do not notice the symptoms of depression in their children, because most of the manifestations of the disease are interpreted as manifestations of “bad character,” “stubbornness,” “laziness,” and so on.

However, teenagers for the most part do not tell adults about their problems when it comes to emotional disturbances: they expect devaluation and lectures in advance.

Symptoms of teenage depression - what are they?

The first noticeable manifestations of depression in adolescents are lethargy, apathy, abandonment of previous hobbies, and decreased academic performance. In response to loss of interest in learning, parents criticize and put pressure on the child, trying to force him to study. However, some children use studying as a way to escape from themselves, home problems and their own unbearable experiences, so their academic performance may even improve, and parents do not have a reason to sound the alarm.

When you are depressed, you usually want to lie down all day, but adults interpret this as a sign of relaxation and depravity. Therefore, despite exhaustion and apathy, teenagers rarely lie facing the wall, because at home there is an unbearable atmosphere of control and pressure, there is not much room to lie around.

Insomnia in teenagers, which often takes clinical forms, in our everyday life is called “sat at the computer all night, you can’t get it to sleep”; a “knocked down” mode is considered as sabotage and a sign of bad inclinations. The idea that a teenager sits “at the computer” because of fear and the inability to be alone at night with his thoughts usually does not occur to parents. However, teenagers also hide insomnia. Moreover, now you can not sit in front of a screen all night, but lie in bed with a smartphone, without attracting undue attention from vigilant adults.

Disorders of appetite and eating habits in adolescence usually do not cause suspicion at all. Stopped eating? He's probably trying to lose weight. Eats everything that isn't pinned down? Growing organism.

As for the loss of interests and decrease in the intensity of communication, parents most often do not notice such things or react paradoxically. Losing social connections? Well, good, I’ve outgrown these friends of mine. Contacted a strange company? Well, everything is simple here, the child is about to go bad, you need to take care of him (prohibit him, control him, take care of him, and so on). Have you given up all your “clubs” and hobbies? It just grows (and if a hobby was actively supported by adults, you can’t give it up so easily, they can punish you).

But the most unbearable symptoms remain depressive thoughts, melancholy, anxiety, fears and negative perceptions of oneself and others.

It is in adolescence that a person begins to ask existential questions seriously, but adults, who have already learned not to think about death and the meaning of life, are rarely ready for a sincere dialogue with a teenager on these “unchildish” topics.

However, not every parent can even take the questions of their son or daughter seriously. More often than not, adults are frightened by such conversations, devalue the problem, and hide from these conversations behind truisms, notations, and ready-made answers. Or they are looking for external enemies, those who “admonished” the child or provoked him to such reasoning.

Mass hysteria in the media around “death groups” on social networks helps parents ignore their child’s expressions of interest in the basic issues of existence.

Control, surveillance of the child on social networks, and prohibitions are added to the devaluing comments. Parents in this way try to extinguish their own anxiety for their growing child, but the child himself feels more and more alone, questions remain without clear answers, and the world becomes more and more hostile for the teenager. All this only increases the symptoms of depression.

However, many teenagers understand from the very beginning that it is impossible to share their existential experiences with adults, that their parents will be upset, scared, angry, or write down several ready-made truths.

Our children are generally prohibited from talking out loud about suicidal thoughts - this will make their life even more unbearable. Few adults are ready to honestly and sincerely accept such conversations. This is too scary for us parents. It’s easier to go into devaluation, call on morality and religion for help, try to take control or blame it on a bad influence (it’s hard to believe that a cheerful angel, who just yesterday was reading poems about his mother and homeland, on his own, without prompting, began to think about “such ").

Although in fact, children go to talk about suicide on the Internet precisely because it is impossible to talk about it in real life. They need understanding and they seek it where they can.

Often, teenagers who exhibit suicidal thoughts or a tendency to self-harm are subjected to real bullying from frightened adults - both parents and teachers. Many people still think that prohibiting, shaming and controlling is helping the child. In fact, this only increases the feeling of alienation, loneliness, aggravates frustration, and makes existence even more unbearable.

How children escape from depression

Traditional means of self-help for depression in teenagers remain alcohol, drugs, computer games - everything that you, parents, are so afraid of. They help teenagers escape from unbearable thoughts and experiences and find temporary relief from pain. Sometimes music, books and subcultures come to the rescue, but even this often becomes a reason for confrontation between the child and parents, which increases frustration.

The teenager looks for a way out where he can - if his parents become enemies at this moment, he has to save himself in ways that adults will not like. Questionable companies, deviant and self-destructive behavior, psychoactive substances, self-harm in such a situation is not a rebellion or an attempt to “ruin everything”, it is a search for a resource to overcome one’s condition. And by trying to fight the child, adults only make the situation worse.

We must fight not against him, but with him - against his pain.

A teenager with depression feels very bad. Unlike adults, he has not yet developed the usual methods of psychological defense, he is unable to ignore what is happening to him, and has not mastered the skills of emotional self-regulation. He does not yet have ready answers, there are no psychological refuges, there are no places where he can be guaranteed to receive support, there are no resources to overcome crises.

In addition, he feels shame and guilt for his condition (even if they manifest themselves as aggression and rejection), unbearable pain, loneliness, and fear. He needs help, not education (it’s too late to educate a teenager in the traditional sense).

Most clients with depressive disorders understand that they “caught” the first episode during puberty, but realized that this was it only in adulthood. As with most chronic illnesses, the effectiveness of early intervention for depression directly affects the future course of the disease. If the first depressive episode is recognized during adolescence, the risk of relapse is significantly reduced. If the first episode remains unattended, there is a high probability of the disorder becoming chronic.

If you notice symptoms of depression in your child

Do not rush to incriminate him, catch him, shame him or put him under pressure. In the early stages, even the simplest and most banal means can be effective: restoring lost trust, sincerity, support, protection. At this difficult moment, you should be on your child's side, and not against him.

If depression has taken a clinical form, you need to consult a specialist.

According to statistics, the most effective means of overcoming teenage depression remains conversational psychotherapy in combination with properly selected pharmacological medications (not “motherwort with peony,” but medications prescribed by an experienced doctor!).

Don't be afraid to seek professional advice. There is nothing shameful in seeking the help of a psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist; this does not indicate that the child has “gone crazy” or “turned out to be a fool.” Timely intervention, carried out without violence and pressure from loved ones, makes it possible to deal with depressive disorders before the corresponding cognitive and affective attitudes are formed, in other words, before depression becomes a habitual state. Treating chronic depression in adulthood is much more difficult and takes longer.

This text was originally published on the Mamsila . We publish it with the permission of the editor.

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What to do for parents with depression in teenagers

Necessary:

Avoid harsh punishments, especially physical ones.
Praise more often for any achievements, thank for the help provided.
You cannot make decisions for an adult child; this risks causing him to fall into melancholy at the first serious task.
Don't limit personal freedom, let's make decisions, but always be there.
Have heart-to-heart conversations more often; it’s most convenient to do this while working together around the house or having fun.
Never laugh at your son/daughter's problems, even if they seem very simple to you.
Don't ask for more than he can give.

Signs of suicidal behavior in teenagers

Suicide is the most terrible and dangerous consequence of depression. It is very important to notice the signs of suicidal behavior in time:

disregard for oneself (a depressed, depressed teenager refuses the usual daily hygiene procedures, says that no one needs him and no one pays any attention to him);
lack of plans for the future;
preparations for death (a teenager says goodbye to loved ones, stops doing favorite things, writes farewell letters);
making threats to kill oneself.

Age characteristics

Depressive conditions are diagnosed at 12–17 years of age. There are some differences in the clinical picture in adolescents of different ages.

Manifestations of depression depending on age:

At the age of 13–17, a teenager’s behavior can change dramatically - he becomes hot-tempered, unbalanced, rude, stops studying, starts smoking, and may drink alcohol and drugs. At the same time, the child claims that everything is fine with him and denies the presence of problems.
At the age of 14–16 years, hypochondria may develop - the child constantly complains of feeling unwell, does not refuse examinations, and takes all medications. But his condition does not improve, tearfulness appears, he stops studying, and his mood rapidly deteriorates.
At the age of 12–15, children begin to complain of difficulties in learning - it is difficult for a teenager to concentrate, memory deteriorates, and chronic fatigue appears. At the same time, the child limits his social circle to a minimum, loses interest in hobbies, and stops leaving the house.

Important! Depression manifests itself in different symptoms, so if a teenager’s behavior changes dramatically, it is necessary to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Types of depression

Signs of depression vary widely. The clinical picture of the disease depends on the type of pathology; mixed forms are also observed.

Types of depression:

Reactive depression is the most common form of pathology among adolescents, has a benign course, and often occurs against the background of divorce or loss of loved ones.
Melancholic - the disease manifests itself in the form of a depressed state, melancholy, the teenager loses interest in everything that is happening, and leads a sedentary lifestyle. Severe inhibition of reactions develops, sleep and appetite are disturbed. If a teenage girl has already started her period, serious disruptions in the cycle occur. Suicidal thoughts appear.
Anxious - the teenager is constantly in a state of panic, fear and confusion, afraid of death, the loss of loved ones, that he will be kicked out of the house.
Dysthymia is a chronic depressive state, the clinical picture is blurred, so the pathology can last for several years. The disease often develops in melancholic people, negatively affects social and psychological adaptation, and is difficult to treat.
Bipolar disorder – there is a frequent change between manic and depressive phases of the disease.

Severe depression is considered the most dangerous - the disease can last up to 9 months. The symptoms are similar to the manifestations of the pathology in adults - mood swings, insomnia, lack of appetite, thoughts of suicide.

Depression in boys and girls: gender differences

Depressive states have some gender differences - young men often become drunk, start using drugs, and run away from home. In a teenage girl, they manifest themselves with the following signs: secrecy, isolation, and a sudden change in appearance. Girls try to push all their experiences inside, which is fraught with various psychosomatic diseases.

Important! Various manifestations of depressive conditions are diagnosed in 60–75% of adolescents. In girls, the disease develops almost 2 times more often than in boys.