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How to Recognize Depression in Teens

By: Steven Ross

Depression in teens is a very serious subject. Each year, 4% of teenagers will suffer serious depression, and need professional help.

While feeling sad is a healthy feeling, prolonged sadness without recovery leads to depression. If your teen is depressed, you will most likely find they will have problems with school work, relationships with friends and family, and engage in potentially harmful actions like drug use and unprotected sex.

However, with the proper resources, depression in teens can be treated. With that said, most depression in teens in the United States goes untreated. This is unfortunate, because depression that is untreated will only get worse, and be harder to treat if treatment does take place.

Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, and reactive depression are the two most common types or depression in teens. Prolonged states of sadness and feelings of unworthiness are the two chief characteristics associated with reactive depression. Bipolar disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by constant mood changes from extreme happiness to extreme sadness, all occurring in a short period of time.

The evaluation of depression in teens can be made when you observe a certain number of different symptoms. Prolonged sadness, and no feeling of relief from crying are the two most important signs of depression in teens.

Another sign is unnecessarily feeling guilty and having low self-esteem. Finally, other indicators you should consider are indecisiveness, they pessimistic view of life, sleep patterns that are irregular, an intense irritability, and so forth.

Communication with a professional or someone they trust, should be the first step the teen needs to make if there are feeling depressed. The options that are available for teens, as far as who they can go to, include their parents, a trusted member of their church, school counselor, a family doctor, and even a professional therapist.

Psychotherapy and potentially the prescription of medication are the two most common forms of treatment that are used to help relief for depression in teens. Teens can talk about how they feel, and try to understand the root cause of the depression, by going to psychotherapy sessions. Depression is often caused by a faulty understanding of reality, and this can be fixed under the professional's proper guidance.

Medication is often prescribed in more severe cases of depression in teens. In fact, in more severe cases, medication may first be required before therapy can take place.

In conclusion, I have given you some facts to consider, relating to depression in teens. Use this information to determine the best course of action for you or your teen today, to make sure there is no unnecessary suffering being caused by depression in your life.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

About the author: Steven Ross is a huge Positive Mental Health fan and can help you with all your depression needs. For Positive Mental Health advice visit his new site at DepressionandAnxietyReport.com

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