Do you recognize some of these signs of teenage depression?
Disclaimer: This video is made for educational purposes only and is never meant to diagnose. If you believe that you, or a teenager close to you, are suffering from depression, we encourage you to seek help from a mental health professional.
Writer: Ria Parikh
Script Editor: Rida Batool
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
VO: Amanda Silvera
Animator: Aury
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong
References
“Adolescent Depression”(N.d.). Hopkins Medicine. Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. David Raymond Price Foundation. Retrieved from www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/specialty_areas/moods/adap/docs/adap-booklet_final.pdf.
“Depression: distraction, activities, and creativity” (2017, Sept.). Health Talk. Depression. Retrieved from www.healthtalk.org/depression/depression-distraction-activities-and-creativity.
Morin, A (2020, May 05). “How Teenage Depression Differs From Adult Depression”. Very Well Mind. Janssen, A, reviewed by. Retrieved from www.verywellmind.com/how-teenage-depression-differs-from-adult-depression-2608882.
Disclaimer: This video is made for educational purposes only and is never meant to diagnose. If you believe that you, or a teenager close to you, are suffering from depression, we encourage you to seek help from a mental health professional.
Writer: Ria Parikh
Script Editor: Rida Batool
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
VO: Amanda Silvera
Animator: Aury
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong
References
“Adolescent Depression”(N.d.). Hopkins Medicine. Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. David Raymond Price Foundation. Retrieved from www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/specialty_areas/moods/adap/docs/adap-booklet_final.pdf.
“Depression: distraction, activities, and creativity” (2017, Sept.). Health Talk. Depression. Retrieved from www.healthtalk.org/depression/depression-distraction-activities-and-creativity.
Morin, A (2020, May 05). “How Teenage Depression Differs From Adult Depression”. Very Well Mind. Janssen, A, reviewed by. Retrieved from www.verywellmind.com/how-teenage-depression-differs-from-adult-depression-2608882.
Category
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hey, Psych2Goers, and welcome back.
00:03Depression does not look the same in everyone.
00:06Did you know depression can look different in teens?
00:09Its manifestation is known to be influenced
00:12by several factors, external and internal,
00:15one of them being age.
00:17The adolescent brain is very plastic.
00:20That is, teenagers and adolescents
00:21go through a huge developmental period
00:24in their brains during this time.
00:26These changes are also paired with life stress,
00:29unique to adolescents,
00:30and a brain that is not fully developed.
00:33This means that some mental health conditions,
00:35such as depression,
00:36may manifest differently in teenagers versus adults,
00:39but it in no way means that they are any less significant.
00:43In this video,
00:44we're going to explore some signs of depression in teens.
00:47So with that said,
00:48here are 10 warning signs of depression in teens.
00:52Number one, more irritability.
00:54Why do some teens seem to struggle with their temper?
00:58The teenage brain is already prone to mood swings.
01:01With so much forming and changing,
01:03they can have a hard time regulating emotions as it is.
01:07And with depression, these mood changes can heighten.
01:10According to an article from Very Well Mind,
01:13irritability and defiance are much more common
01:16in depressed teens than depressed adults.
01:19This may be because adults are generally more equipped
01:21to handle stronger emotions
01:23and are therefore less prone to acting out.
01:26Number two, sensitivity to criticism.
01:30Do you know a teen who avoids taking risks
01:32in fear of criticism?
01:35This may be a result of increased sensitivity to criticism,
01:39which is common in teenage depression.
01:41As reported in a study by Morin in 2020,
01:45it's normal to be a little nervous
01:46about what someone might say.
01:48However, depressed teens may find themselves so afraid
01:51that they avoid doing something they really love.
01:54Though the exact reason isn't clear,
01:57this may have something to do with the lower levels
02:00of self-confidence and self-worth
02:01that come along with depression.
02:04It's important to notice that teens who find themselves
02:06in this spot aren't just lazy or insecure.
02:09There might be something more to the story.
02:12Number three, staying in their rooms a lot.
02:15Do you know a teenager who only seems to come out
02:18of their room for meals?
02:19Do they seem to disappear throughout the day?
02:22This may be a sign of depression.
02:24A common sign of depression in adults and teens
02:26is social isolation.
02:28For many teens, your rooms are primarily
02:31what you consider to be your space,
02:33and that tends to be where you isolate.
02:36It's not that you don't wanna see others
02:37or to be around them, but more so that your depression
02:40may be forcing you to only feel at ease when you're alone.
02:44Number four, selective social withdrawal.
02:48Do you know a teen who seems to withdraw
02:50from certain people, but not others?
02:53It turns out that depressed teens tend to socially withdraw
02:55more selectively than adults.
02:58Typically, depressed teens might hold on
03:00to close friendships and relationships
03:01and isolate from family.
03:03Adults, by contrast, tend to isolate an equal amount
03:06from almost all of the relationships in their lives.
03:09Number five, throwing themselves into work.
03:13Do you know a teen who seems to bury themselves
03:16in schoolwork?
03:17Does it seem like they spend a long time working?
03:20There are multiple reasons for this,
03:22but among other things,
03:23this could be a sign of teenage depression.
03:26Distraction is a common coping mechanism for depression,
03:30and teens often have a heavy plate of work.
03:33Thus, some of you resort to temporarily distracting yourself
03:36with assignments, even those that might not be due
03:39anytime soon.
03:40Number six, slipping grades.
03:43On the flip side, another common sign of depression
03:46in teens is that their grades might slip.
03:49On the outside, this may look like laziness,
03:51but this could be a sign of something bigger.
03:53Schoolwork is demanding,
03:54and depression can take a toll on someone's mental state.
03:57Therefore, if a teenager's grades are slipping,
04:00it might be because depression is taking away the energy
04:03and motivation for them to do their best.
04:05Number seven, harder time focusing.
04:08Do you or does a teen you know
04:11seem to have a harder time concentrating than normal?
04:14With anything from schoolwork to hobbies,
04:16a harder time focusing on everyday tasks
04:18could be a sign of teenage depression.
04:21According to Smith and others,
04:22in a study published in 2020,
04:24depression can be very energy consuming,
04:27and as a result, many teens find it harder and harder
04:30to concentrate, even on things
04:32that would normally capture their attention.
04:34Like other signs on this list,
04:36it's important not to assume laziness
04:38if you notice this in yourself or in a teen around you.
04:42Difficulty concentrating could be a sign
04:44of not only depression,
04:45but a number of mental health issues
04:47that are not your fault.
04:48Number eight, changes in energy.
04:52Does a teen close to you appear suddenly more restless
04:55or sluggish?
04:56Both of these changes in energy could be signs of depression.
05:00According to Stanford Children's Health,
05:02sluggishness in depressed teens shows up in their speech,
05:06reactions, and movement.
05:08The same article explained
05:09that depression-related restlessness
05:10can look like fidgeting or acting up publicly.
05:14A consistent change in energy
05:15or out-of-character behavior
05:17could indicate an issue beneath the surface.
05:20Number nine, changes in daily habits.
05:23Do you notice different eating
05:24or sleeping patterns in a teen?
05:26Similar to adults, changes in sleep and appetite
05:29are common signs of teenage depression.
05:31Whether eating and sleeping too much or too little,
05:34teens with depression often find themselves
05:36taking less care of their health and wellbeing.
05:39Every once in a while, catching up on sleep
05:41or not feeling as hungry is totally normal.
05:44However, a consistent shift to unhealthy habits
05:47could be a sign of something larger.
05:49And number 10, physical pains.
05:52Did you know that depressed teens
05:53tend to have more pronounced physical pain
05:55than depressed adults?
05:57According to Health Guide,
05:58depressed teens tend to be more impacted
06:00by aches and pains than depressed adults.
06:03These physical pains can be anywhere in the body
06:05and seem spontaneous.
06:07Stomach aches, headaches, and cramping throughout the body
06:10are all equally possible.
06:12If you or a teen you know continues to ache
06:14without any other physical condition,
06:16it could be a physical manifestation of depression.
06:20Regardless of age, depression is a very real
06:23and very serious mental illness
06:25that can creep onto you silently.
06:27Therefore, it helps to keep an eye out for its snare.
06:30But you don't have to fight it all on your own.
06:33Don't be afraid to ask for help,
06:34nor let the stigmas attached deter you.
06:38No matter how bad it gets,
06:39there's always hope that things can get better.
06:42Reaching out to a psychologist or a counselor
06:44and getting the help you need
06:45can not only improve your life,
06:47but also encourage others to break away
06:49from the stigmas to seek help.
06:51We hope we were able to give you some insight
06:54into common signs of teenage depression
06:56and how it may differ from depression in adults.
06:58Did we miss anything?
07:00What are some other areas it manifests differently?
07:02Leave a comment down below
07:03and please feel free to share any thoughts you have as well.
07:06If you find this video helpful,
07:08be sure to hit the like button
07:09and share it with those out there
07:10figuring out the complexities of this disorder.
07:13Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go
07:15and hit the notification bell for more new videos.
07:17And as always, thanks for watching.
07:19And as always, thanks for watching.