What are the symptoms of adolescent depression?
The adolescent symptoms of depression are similar to adult symptoms of depression. That doesn’t mean that depressed adolescents look anything like depressed adults. Unlike adults who may be lethargic or weepy, some adolescents struggling with depression may be angry and irritable. The key feature of depression in adults is sadness, while in adolescents it may be irritability. Other symptoms include sleep disturbances, changes in weight or appetite, feelings of hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities that you once found pleasurable.
• Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying • Hopelessness • Decreased interest in activities; or inability to enjoy previously favorite activities • Persistent boredom; low energy • Social isolation, poor communication • Low self esteem and guilt • Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure • Increased irritability, anger, or hostility • Difficulty with relationships • Frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches and stomachaches • Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school • Poor concentration • A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns • Talk of or efforts to run away from home • Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior -AACAP, The Depressed Child
