Is my teenager depressed? Is it possible for her to grow out of depression?
If you’re a parent and you’ve wondered this, you are not alone.
Often written off as teen moodiness, teen depression is in fact a diagnosable condition – and it can impact a teen’s life in a big way.
Sometimes you may feel like there has been change for the better, only to find yourself once again desperately wishing for your teen to grow out of this phase. But, is it a phase? Can your teen “grow out of” depression?
Often even the most attentive parent can miss critical signs that a condition is becoming serious. Teen depression can be subtle and confusing.
But how do you know if this is something that will pass with time?
Here is what you need to know if you want your teen to “grow out of” depression:
Click Here: Free Checklist To Identify Teen Depression
1. Depression is not bad behavior.
Negativity, irritability, anger outbursts, and withdrawal from others are some of the many possible symptoms of depression. If a “bad mood” lasts longer than a few days, there’s reason to be concerned about your teen’s well-being.
It may not seem like it, but the odd or inappropriate behavior may feel just as out of control for your teen as it does for you. Depression makes it difficult to react appropriately to life situations.
2. Depression can cause drastic shifts to occur in a teen’s relationships (such as with her parents).
As a parent, watching a teen suffer from depression can be wildly frustrating (especially if it seems unclear why your teen is behaving this way). The strain put on a teen’s relationships can leave lasting damage if depression is not addressed.
3. Teens have more of a chance of growing further “into” depression than growing out of it.
If a teen is displaying symptoms of depression at this age, it may be crucial to seek help in order to create better coping tools before adulthood.
A teen is currently forming habits within his or her brain that will determine views of the world, self, and other people.
Depression will begin to significantly limit a teen’s ability to set and accomplish goals in most areas of life.
4. Teens and families don’t have to suffer waiting for depression to go away.
You don’t need to put unnecessary strain on your family. You don’t need to leave your teen feeling isolated and helpless as things “unexplainably” become more difficult.
Save your teen’s growing-up experience and heal your relationship with your teen by exploring options to treat depression and depression-like symptoms. Why wait until depression is painfully obvious and powerfully impacting your teen’s life?
5. Treatment is not punishment.
There are numerous ways to treat teen depression, and a teen can benefit most when treatment begins early and with a teen mental health specialist.
The suggestion of mental health treatment must never be conveyed as a threat to your teen. Remember, depression is not your teen behaving badly – and although he or she may not admit it, it feels just as frustrating and out of control to your teen as it does to you.
6. Depression comes in many different forms.
The risk of teen depression is increased by things like family history of depression, recent changes in home or school life, bullying, and high levels of stress.
Start learning now about what teen depression really looks like.
So, can a teen “grow out of” depression and recover without lasting scars?
Addressing depression causes and symptoms now can change your teen’s life, allowing her to learn to heal from depression. There are positive, safe and effective ways to help your teen.
Download this brief (yet thorough) 20 item checklist to determine what your teen is going through and what steps to take next. It’s the kind of resource to keep on hand for reference any time you need it! And it’s completely free.
Click Here: Free Checklist To Identify Teen Depression