Depression Therapy – Is My Teen Depressed?

Adolescence and Depression: Signs to Look Out For.

Francesca Scaini, RP(Q), MA, BFA
Art Therapist
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Do you remember your own teen years and how intense everything felt? A time where the most insignificant problems were earth-shattering and caused you to either skyrocket to emotional bliss or nosedive into severe distress. We have all been there. However, depression is very different than typical teenage moodiness and should be taken seriously.

Symptoms of Depression in Adolescence

Coping with the physical changes of puberty, individuation from the family, developing sexual intimacy, identity formation, and becoming more independent, may lead a teenager to an insecure and unhappy state of mind as they face the unknown. Most teens can make it through this stage of development with minimal stress and only periods of despondency. However, others experience prolonged and persistent states of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness that things will never get better. It is important to recognize the differences between the average mood swings of adolescence and the more pervasive signs of depression.

Here are some warning signs to look out for:

  • Changes in feelings: showing signs of persistent unhappiness, hopelessness, emptiness, guilt, loneliness and shame. Feeling that life has no meaning and that there is no hope.
  • Changes in physical health: significant weight loss or weight gain; insomnia or hypersomnia; complaints of body aches and pains that are not explainable.
  • Changes in appearance: lack of interest in personal appearance and hygiene; flattened or saddened looking affect.
    Changes in behaviour: loss of energy; withdrawn behavior from friends and usual activities; constant boredom; behavioural problems at school; trouble in relationships; poor school performance; giving away belongings; writing about death
  • Changes in thinking: thinking they are worthless; constant self-criticism; extreme sensitivity to rejection; low self-esteem; pessimistic thoughts; poor concentration; preoccupation about death and life being meaningless; lack of future oriented thinking; thoughts about suicide; comments like: “You’d be better off without me” or “There is no point in living.”

Causes of Depression in Adolescence

There is no definitive cause of depression. Depression is extremely nuanced effecting each individual differently with many unique contributing factors.

There is some research that suggests depressed teens have a history of excessive crying, colic, head banging and sleep disturbances in their infancy. As the infant grows, behavioural problems emerge in place of depressive feelings in childhood. Some examples include: disobedience or defiance, temper-tantrums, running away from home, physical fighting or bullying other children at school, and self-destructive behaviours. The child learns to believe that they are bad and unacceptable. These feelings may eventually lead to anti-social and withdrawn behaviour, which subsequently supports their negative core belief that they are worthless. Perceived failures throughout childhood can make the adolescent journey more difficult and may foreshadow a depressive state (S. Riley, 1999). Some other predictive factors may include the following:

  • An event that causes distress or trauma (loss of a loved one, a breakup, or divorce).
  • Social/familial circumstances (physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, poverty, neglect, substance abuse).
  • Genetic susceptibility (family history of depression).
  • Medication or drugs that have depressive side-effects.
  • Medical illnesses that have symptoms of depression.

Although depression can be extremely difficult, it is not something to be ashamed of and it is treatable. If you are worried that your child is depressed, you should consider getting them evaluated by a mental health professional. Contact us to speak with one of our Art Therapists or Psychologists, who are trained to recognize and assess depression, and can offer advice and effective therapy services to help support you and your child.

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Sources:

Canadian Mental Health Association (2020). Electronic Source. Retrieved from https://cmha.ca/documents/children-youth-and-depression/
Experts, Y. (2018). A Few Signs Your Teenager May Be Depressed. Electronic Source: Psych Central. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/blog/a-few-signs-your-teenager-may-be-depressed/
Malchiodi, C. A. (2012). The handbook of art therapy. New York: The Guilford Press.
Riley, S (1997). Adolescence, depression and the impact of societal issues. pp. 115-152. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Riley, S (1999). Contemporary Art Therapy with Adolescents. London: Jessica Kingsley.