Nowadays, it is quite normal for a child to be sad or moody from time to time. These feelings can occur after the death of a loved one or pet, break up or shift to a new city. But, if these feelings continue to last for weeks or for months then bear in mind that they may be a sign of depression. 

Depression can be termed as a serious mood disorder that can take away all the happiness from a teen’s life, and harm their future endeavors. Previously, it was assumed that only adults could suffer from depression, but, now even a teen or a young child can have depression that needs to be treated immediately. It is seen that as many as 8 out of 100 teenagers have serious depression. 

How can you determine whether a teenager has depression? What are some basic symptoms of depression? 

The below mentioned are a few signs and symptoms of depression to watch. 

• Irritability and moodiness
• Persistent sadness and tearfulness
• Apathy and laziness attitude 
• Lack of encouragement  
• Anger outbursts
• Frequent restlessness 
• Loss of interest in studies and other activities 
• Increase or decrease in appetite 
• Isolating from friends and family 
• Slowed speech 
• Fatigue or low energy to perform daily tasks 
• Issues in making decisions 
• Self-blaming all the time 
• Changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or hypersomnia) 
• Hostile attitude 
• Feeling of hopelessness 
• Feeling excessive guilt for small mistakes 
• Low resistance to frustration 
• Drop-in academic activities and performance 
• Frequent absenteeism from school or work 
• Deterioration in personal hygiene 
• Use of drugs and alcohol
• Change in behavior 
• Suicidal attempts 

So, these are some of the basic symptoms that indicate a teen is suffering from depression and requires immediate treatment. However, remember that the symptoms mentioned above may be different depending on the age of the teenager and may vary from one teen to another.

Keep in mind that in the most severe form, depression can cause a teenager to lose hope and want to end life. So, whether it is mild or severe depression, remember that there are effective treatments that can help. 

Treatment options for depression:

First of all, you must be aware that the treatment for depression in teenagers majorly depends on the severity and type of symptoms he/she face. 

When it comes to treatment options, however, a combination of medications as well as the talk therapy for depression in teenagers can be the most effective for most teens. Besides, if the teenager has some severe sadness or is in danger of self-harm or suicide attempts then she/he may also need a hospital stay and practice in an outpatient therapy program until the symptoms and situation improve. 

Here’s a closer look at different therapy options for depression in teenagers:

• Emotion-focused therapy
• Art psychotherapy 
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy ( CBT) 
• Schema focused therapy
• Acceptance commitment therapy ( ACT) 
• Solutions focused therapy and so on. 

Hence with all these therapy options along with the right medication from a professional can definitely help a teenager overcome his/her depression problems. Moreover, it’s also important for family members to keep an eye on the behavior and activities of teenagers and ensure they don’t harm themselves or get indulge in any wrongdoings.