Let us first distinguish between sadness and serious depression. We fully expect teenagers to feel upset when they suffer losses or disappointments. We consider a period of depression to be an indication that their emotions are in good control order. Those who feel sad or numb for no apparent reason may be suffering from clinical depression.
We also suspect depression when a distressing situation, such as the loss of a close friend, instead results in widespread and long-lasting grief.
Simply said, you shouldn’t be concerned if your teen is upset about something for a short period of time; you should be concerned if your adolescent is sad about everything for a long time.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Anxiety and depression?
- What should you do if a teen shows severe depression?
Table of Contents
What are anxiety and depression?
What are anxiety and depression?
Anxiety
Most people experience anxiety from time to time, which includes feelings of fear, uneasiness, and worry. After all, anxiety is part of how you respond to stress, thus you may feel anxious:
- prior to big life events
- when making critical decisions
- while attempting something new
But, if your child has chronic or extreme anxiety on most days for several months, you may be suffering from generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) or another anxiety condition.
Anxiety is the body’s normal reaction to stress. It is apprehension or fear about what is to come.
Anxiety disorders extend beyond being concerned about unexpected or difficult life events.
Your issues may be more mundane, such as your health, performance at school and job, or relationships. These concerns might lead to persistent thoughts and fears that eventually begin to interfere with daily life.
What exactly is a panic attack?
A panic attack is a sudden and intense feeling of fear that lasts 10 to 20 minutes. The source of the dread can be known or unknown.
The physical symptoms can be similar to those of a heart attack. If you believe you are suffering a heart attack or a mental health emergency while having a panic attack, the symptoms may worsen.
Another typical anxiety that might worsen a panic attack is the fear of being evaluated badly if you have an attack in public.
Panic attacks can vary considerably, and symptoms might range from person to person. Furthermore, not everyone experiences various symptoms of anxiety, and they can alter over time.
Depression
It’s not uncommon to feel sad, depressed, or hopeless from time to time, especially through challenging or unpleasant life events.
But, feelings of sadness and emptiness that linger for more than two weeks may indicate depression, especially if pleasant occurrences or changes in your environment have no effect on your mood.
Depression can cause the following symptoms in addition to a low, sad, or empty mood:
- loss of enjoyment or interest in your typical interests and hobbies
- a sensation of despondency or despair
- rage, irritation, and agitation
- a lack of vitality or a feeling of being slowed
- chronic fatigue or sleep disturbances
- alterations in appetite and weight
- having trouble concentrating, making judgments, or remembering information
- unidentified aches and pains
What exactly are “unhealthy psychological defences” in teenagers?
We should also be aware of when teenagers use harmful psychological defences to cope with difficult emotions. As we all know, unhealthy defences buffer unpleasant emotions by compromising reality.
Such as when a person insists that a painful event never happened (denial), and has no memory of something terrible that actually happened (repression).
Or feels completely disconnected from her or his own thoughts, feelings, or body (dissociation).
Defences that distort reality are most likely the result of traumatic or horrible experiences, and they strongly imply the need for psychological treatment.
Moreover, some parents become aware that their adolescent has experienced trauma only when the adolescent begins to rely on unhealthy defences to try to avoid the psychological consequences of the incident.
While guidelines for when to be concerned about your adolescent’s emotional health can be useful, you don’t have to find this out on your own.
If you’re unsure whether your adolescent needs professional psychological help especially if your teenagers have contradicting feelings, struggles with emotions, or rely on unhealthy defences contact a mental health expert for guidance on the next actions.
Also read: Parenting Teens What Are the Things You Should Know About