Your teen has been much more quiet and withdrawn lately. They aren’t very talkative, are easily agitated and their mood has consistently been down.The big question in your mind is, “Is my teen depressed?”
The teen years are filled with highs and lows, so much so that it often feels like being on a roller-coaster ride in the dark with lots of twists and turns, none of which you see coming. In a word, these years can be filled with turbulence.
With all of the change going on, it is sometimes hard for parents to know if their teen is just going through a rough patch or if something bigger is going on like depression.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 teens from all walks of life will experience depression at some point during their teen years, which can be very scary for parents. In many instances, teens themselves don’t understand what is going on, why they feel the way they do or even how to talk about what they are experiencing.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS