Teenage Depression : spread affection to save childhood!

“Depression is the inability to construct a future.” Teenagers find it very difficult to face depression. Energy level and enthusiasm is lost in this period, so teenagers build an irritable nature and become short tempered. Mostly when parents notice the hostile behavior of a child, they neglect it as normal rebelling.  This may aggravate the seriousness of depression. If this nature continues for more than two or three weeks, you have to visit your psychiatrist.

It is observed that in the most cases of teenage suicide that parents, teachers and friends do not realize that the child is depressed. The changes in behavior are treated in the worst possible way, like scolding of parents, separation from friends’ circle and punishment from teachers. So, such teens become hopeless and develop serious clinical depression, which may end in suicide.

This article will help you to know some basic behavioral patterns of depression in teenagers. It will help you to diagnose the disease in an early stage.

First of all, you have to develop a habit of observing your ward’s behavior. It will help you to notice the sudden change of behavior. If your child is becoming more aggressive, short tempered, lonely, hopeless, pathetic or sad, then try to know the reason behind it. 

Basically, it is a mental illness. It disturbs health, mental peace and thought process too. So, such patients need care, patience and affection, to come out of this state of mind. Extreme change in habits may occur due to the mental uneasiness. Some patients develop desire for food and some may loose their appetite. So, these behavioral changes may help you to diagnose the disease at an early stage. Even sleeping hours may change to an extreme. Sleepless nights or fatigue even after having slept well, are symptoms of depression.

Teenager depression and childhood depression is difficult to diagnose because these patients need caretakers to take them for right treatment and medical observation. First of all, believe that it is very natural being depressed in childhood and teenage, as the competition and stressful life has affected the simplicity of life. So, it is not a very serious and permanent disease.

The causes of childhood depression and teenage depression are as follows: stressful life, burden of study, fear, family crisis, child labor, unbearable expectations of parents, shock of loosing someone very close and such other stresses.

If you find your child is behaving in above described manners, you have to observe him or her for two weeks because the short depression can be there due to exams, workload etc. So, you can soothe your child by talking to him, helping him to sort out problems, consulting teachers and schoolmates etc. meditation, playing on ground with your child, going for a picnic to burst the tension may help you to save your child from the seriousness of this disease.

If the symptoms are seen continuously for more than two weeks, then you have to consult a psychiatrist. There are some depression pills available which can decrease the side effects of depression, but only a psychiatrist can prescribe these. It is necessary to inform teachers and friends about the disease as their help and co-operation is very important to get well soon.

So, treat your ward with care and affection to help him come out from this disease. Wish you best of luck to fight against depression. Spread this information to help others to save their childhood.