Do you think you just can’t be happy? Are you finding you’re pulling away from friends? Do you sometimes sit in your room, in the dark, unaware of how many hours actually passed? Depression can affect anyone, especially teenagers. About 20% of all teenagers experienced depression before adulthood. That’s a scary statistic. When singer Willow Smith, daughter of Will Smith, said she was depressed, the comments at the end of many posts were attacking her, they commented, “Why should you be depressed?” Many people do not understand that mental illness does not discriminate against anyone based on age or circumstances.
Speaking directly to students, depression is all the more difficult to recognize in your age group than in adults, because as a teenager you experience so many changes at this stage of your life. But the longer you feel like this, the more likely it is to disrupt your life and turn into a long-term problem. So here are 5 ways to recognize depression. First, prolonged bad mood or sadness. Do you often feel sad or in a bad mood for longer than usual? If yes, things that usually lifted your spirits no longer bring the same fun and happiness. You may feel sad or start crying for no apparent reason. At a time like this, it’s good to talk to someone about it. Second, simply irritated or intolerant of others. As a student, irritation can often be missed as a symptom of depression because you are often stereotyped with mood swings and irritability anyway! But it is also a common sign of depression. You may be irritable and explode on people you love for no apparent reason. If you experience changes in your normal mood, it might be best to discuss it with someone like a parent, small group leader, school psychologist, doctor or friend. Even if you feel it’s not depression, just challenging times at school, talking it out with someone can still make a difference.
Third, feelings of helplessness. If you suffer from depression, you feel like you’re in unknown waters, as if you were losing control of your life. You may feel completely helpless and confused. Although these feelings are normal as your body changes during adolescence, if the feelings of sadness, anxiety or guilt, fear, helplessness, hopelessness or loneliness last more than a few weeks, it could indicate that something is seriously wrong. Fourth, social isolation. Do you want everyone to leave you alone? When you’re not feeling like yourself and perhaps feeling that you are all alone, it can lead to even more voluntary isolation from others. It’s hard to be around people at this point because you feel like you have to behave the way you normally would, the way others expect. This emotional strain can force you to give up any socialization. If you’ve noticed that you’re starting to move away from people, make a decision to talk with someone. Even if you don’t think it is depression, dealing with it now can prevent it from becoming something worse. Fifth, a slight to complete loss of love for things you used to like. Have you lost interest in sports, after-school activities, music practice, or hobbies? Perhaps you really don’t want to participate in those things you used to love but would rather cancel. Even your favorite Netflix or TV series just doesn’t have the same appeal. Not enjoying the things you liked can be a sign that you are depressed. Depression may feel like the end, but it is not, and most important, you are not alone. Have you ever experienced depression? What have you done to address it?
As a small group leader, we can look for these indicators and make ourselves available. And the best thing we can do is listen. We will be tempted to offer solutions, and there may be a place for that at some point in time, but you just can’t go wrong by listening, affirming, and walking along with your students.
Adapted from Psyc2go.
Leader Perspective 