Everyone has felt depressed from time to time. A death in the family, a failed romance, a lost job, a serious illness, or other life crises will cause most people to feel sad, lonely, or down for a time. A period of grief or sadness is a normal reaction to such stressful events. It's even normal to feel "blah" sometimes for no particular reason. However, it also is normal to recover after a short time and feel like yourself again. When the blues don't go
away? when sad, lonely, irritable, or weary feelings prevent getting on with
life? you, or someone you know, may have the mood disorder called depression. A mood disorder is an extreme, persistent disruption of a person's usual emotional state.
Of the estimated 17.5 million Americans who are affected by some form of depression, about 9.2 million have major or clinical depression. Listed below are typical symptoms of major depression. If you have any of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor. Some people who have this disorder experience only a few symptoms, while others may have almost all these feelings. If the symptoms of depression persist for at least 2 weeks, a major depression is likely, and you should see your doctor. If you have recurrent thoughts about suicide or death, talk to your doctor immediately.
feeling sad or anxious most of the day, every day
losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, including sex
losing weight (when not dieting) or gaining weight
sleeping too much or too little or waking too early
feeling drained of energy or physically slowed down
feeling tired or weak all the time
feeling worthless, guilty, or hopeless
feeling irritable or restless all the time
having trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things
having headaches, digestive disorders
having repeated thoughts of suicide
having hallucinations (false perceptions) or delusions (false beliefs)
As a parent, it can be
devastating to see a once happy, care-free child become a sullen shadow of his
or her former self; a depressed child who has forgotten how to smile
and who seems to have lost the contagious joy that comes so naturally to
slowly become socially withdrawn, depressed children seem to lack the
interest in things that used to excite them, and they become
increasingly more irritable, tearful and sad. If this is a familiar chain of
events, your child may be suffering with depression.
What Causes Childhood Depression?
- Genetics – Studies have shown that people who have relatives with a
history of depression are two to three times more likely to develop
depression themselves. Children with depressed parents are also at great
risk because of the genetic link as well as the risk of learned behavior.
- Brain chemistry – Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and certain
hormones such as the stress hormone cortisol have been related to
depression. Depression often occurs when the delicate balance of these brain
chemicals is disturbed resulting in a general imbalance in other
neurotransmitters. This chemical imbalance happens due to genetic and
personality vulnerabilities, stressful life events or a combination of these
Stressful life events – Stressful life events such as loss of parent,
divorce or separation of parents, family conflict, abuse or large life
change such as changing schools can all trigger depression.
- Learned helplessness and personality traits – The way your child views
the world can influence their vulnerability to developing depression. Some
children have melancholic personalities, or are socially withdrawn or
anxious by nature. These children are at greater risk for depression than
outgoing, easily adaptable children who tend to view most situations in a
Sometimes this behavior is learned from parents who may be overly critical,
pessimistic or depressed themselves. Children can also have life experiences
that teach them they are not in control or that they are prone to failure.
Abuse or parents with unrealistically high expectations of their children
can increase the chances that a child will develop a learned helplessness
About 5 percent of children and adolescents in the general
population suffer from depression at any given point in time. Children under
stress, who experience loss, or who have attentional, learning, conduct or
anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression. It is important to
remember that the behavior of depressed children and teenagers may differ from
the behavior of depressed adults. The characteristics vary, with most children
and teens having additional psychiatric disorders, such as behavior disorders or
substance abuse problems.
|Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
||Teens may show their pervasive sadness by wearing black
clothes, writing poetry with gloomy themes, or having a obsession with
music that has nihilistic themes. They may cry for no obvious reason.
||Teens may consider that life is not worth living or worth
the effort to even sustain their appearance or hygiene. They may believe
that a negative situation will never change and be pessimistic about their
|Decreased interest in activities; or inability to enjoy
previously favorite activities
||Teens may become apathetic and drop out of clubs, sports,
and other activities they once enjoyed. Not much seems fun anymore to the
|Persistent boredom; low energy
||Lack of motivation and lowered energy level is reflected
by missed classes or not going to school.
|Social isolation, poor communication
||There is a lack of connection with friends and family.
Teens may avoid family gatherings and events. Teens that used to spend a
lot of time with friends may now spend most of their time alone and
without interests. Teens may not share their feelings with others,
believing that they are alone in the world and no one is listening to them
or even cares about them.
|Low self esteem and guilt
||Teens may assume blame for negative events or
circumstances. They may feel like a failure and have negative views about
their competence and self-worth. They feel as if they are not "good
|Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
||Believing that they are unworthy, depressed teens become
even more depressed with every supposed rejection or perceived lack of
|Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
||Depressed teens are often irritable, taking out most of
their anger on their family. They may attack others by being critical,
sarcastic, or abusive. They may feel they must reject their family before
their family rejects them.
|Difficulty with relationships
||Teens may suddenly have no interest in maintaining
friendships. They'll stop calling and visiting their friends.
|Frequent complaints of physical illnesses, such as
headaches and stomachaches
||Teens may complain about faintness or dizziness, being
nauseous, and back pain. Other common complaints include headaches,
stomachaches, vomiting, and menstrual problems.
|Frequent absences from school or poor performance in
||Children and teens that cause trouble at home or at
school may actually be depressed but not know it. Because the child may
not always seem sad, parents and teachers may not realize that the
behavior problem is a sign of depression.
||Teens may have trouble concentrating on schoolwork,
following a conversation, or even watching television.
|A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
||Sleep disturbance may show up as all-night television
watching, difficulty in getting up for school, or sleeping during the day.
Loss of appetite may become anorexia or bulimia. Eating too much may
result in weight gain and obesity.
|Talk of or efforts to run away from home
||Running away is usually a cry for help. This may be the
first time the parents realize that their child has a problem and needs
|Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive
||Teens who are depressed may say they want to be dead or
may talk about suicide. Depressed children and teens are at increased risk
for committing suicide.
|Alcohol and Drug Abuse
||Depressed teens may abuse alcohol or other drugs as a way
to feel better.
||Teens that have difficulty talking about their feelings
may show their emotional tension, physical discomfort, pain and low
self-esteem with self-injurious behaviors, such as cutting.