10 Subtle Signs Your Teen is Depressed
The children of today sure have experienced different life experiences than what we experienced in our childhoods. Our children have lived through and are still living through a pandemic. They have been told to stay home and conquer remote learning, they’ve lived through losing loved ones without funerals, riots, and civil unrest. They are told to vaccinate and wear masks wherever they go. In just two years they have learned in-depth about police brutality, racism, karenism, cancel culture, and social distancing. They are even asked to learn best practices, training, and defense mechanisms to survive a school shooting. This is a lot compared to tornado drills we grew up with. It’s a lot for anyone but even harder for children.
During the unprecedented times, it’s been documented that even more children now are dealing with depression and other mental health-related issues. According to healthychildren.org, Since the start of the pandemic, hospitals have seen more mental health emergencies among kids. Between March and October 2020, the percentage of emergency department visits for children with mental health emergencies rose by 24% for children ages 5-11 and 31% for children ages 12-17. There was also a more than 50% increase in suspected suicide attempt emergency department visits among girls ages 12-17 in early 2021 as compared to the same period in 2019.
Recognizing Signs of Depression in Your Child
- Deep sadness
- Changes in mood and behaviors
- Doused self-esteem
- Social withdrawal
- Difficulty in school and declining grades
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Mood swings
- Negative behavior and abnormal anger
- Bursts of crying
- Lack of self-care
If you see any of these signs in your child, speak with your child and show your support. Be sure to also get them help by speaking with your pediatrician and refer to a mental health professional for counseling and support.
Photo – Mikhail Nilov