Coalition of Mental Health

It is not easy for parents to face teen depression when it hits their own child. Many parents will feel at that point that their relationship with the teen has spun completely out of control. While many teenagers report feeling lost or isolated, many parents of teens experience the very same thing - and often, neither is quite sure how to bridge the gap.

So many teens face problems that their parents are never aware of and this is part of the reason for the feeling of a distance between the generations. Because of the problems that occur in so many lives of teenagers, it is noticed that teen depression seems to be on the rise. Teen depression is something that should be taken seriously but too often it goes overlooked.

The reason most parents overlook the seriousness of teen depression is because they just do not realize that it really is depression in the first place. Most adults just view the teenager as being a normal teenager who struggles with their parents and with authority. Some adults and parents may just assume that their child is just showing really bad behavior. So the parents often punish the teenagers for their actions without ever putting much more thought into it other then for that. 

Signs To Look For

If you suddenly notice a big change in the behavior of your teenager, it is time to sit down and think a few things through. If possible, is there any sort of traumatic event that has taken place recently that you are aware of? If so, there may be a link but even if there is not anything in particular that you can think of, it could still be teen depression that you are facing. Learning about teen depression is the best way to try to understand what your son or daughter may be feeling as they may not have the tools to explain it all to you on their own.

Don't feel like you are on your own - there are people who can help if you fear there is a real problem your teen needs help dealing with. Speak to your child's doctor if you notice serious mood swings (one moment down, next acting like a sociopath, similar to bipolar disorder (Bipolar Test)), changes in their eating or sleeping patterns, differences in the way they dress, or a lack of interest in their appearance. These are just a few of the warning signs but are among the most common teens will display. The sooner you take action, the better you can help your teen before the situation really gets out of hand, and the less they will have to struggle.

Teen depression is a very serious disorder that can lead to suicide attempts, however, with proper medical assisstance every teen and their family can learn to cope, and hopefully return to normal life.