Are there symptoms of depression?

Question

Mood swings (occasionally extreme), eating disorders, self-harming, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts...? In teenagers.

Sorry I meant are THESE.

Answer 1

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION IN TEENS
Sadness or hopelessness
Irritability, anger, or hostility
Tearfulness or frequent crying
Withdrawal from friends and family
Loss of interest or enjoyment in activities
Changes in eating and sleeping habits
Restlessness and agitation
Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
Lack of enthusiasm and motivation
Fatigue or lack of energy
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide


Depression in teens can look very different from depression in adults. The following symptoms of depression are more common in teenagers than in their adult counterparts:

Irritable or angry mood – As noted above, irritability, rather than sadness, is often the predominant mood in depressed teens. A depressed teenager may be grumpy, hostile, easily frustrated, or prone to angry outbursts.
Unexplained aches and pains - Depressed teens frequently complain about physical ailments such as headaches or stomachaches. If a thorough physical exam does not reveal a medical cause, these aches and pains may indicate depression.
Extreme sensitivity to criticism - Depressed teens are plagued by feelings of worthlessness, making them extremely vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and failure. This is a particular problem for “over-achievers.”
Withdrawing from some, but not all people - While adults tend to isolate themselves when depressed, teenagers usually keep up at least some friendships. However, teens with depression may socialize less than before, pull away from their parents, or start hanging out with a different crowd.
What are some of the problems that depression can cause in teens?
The effects of teenage depression go far beyond a melancholy mood. Many problematic behaviors or attitudes in teenagers are actually indications of depression. See the table below for some of the ways in which teens “act out” or “act in” in an attempt to cope with their emotional pain:

EFFECTS OF TEEN DEPRESSION
Untreated Depression Can Lead to…
Problems at school
Depression can cause low energy and concentration difficulties. In teens, this may lead to poor school attendance, a drop in grades, or frustration with schoolwork in a formerly good student.

Running away from home
Many depressed teens run away from home or talk about running away. Such attempts are usually a cry for help.

Drug and alcohol abuse
Teens may use alcohol or drugs in an attempt to “self-medicate” their depression. Unfortunately, substance abuse only makes things worse.

Low self-esteem
Depression can intensify feelings of ugliness and unworthiness.

Eating disorders
Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and yo-yo dieting are often signs of unrecognized depression.

Internet addiction
Teens may go online to escape from their problems. But excessive computer use only increases their isolation and makes them more depressed.

Self-injury
Cutting, burning, and other kinds of self-mutilation are almost always associated with depression. To learn more, see Helpguide’s Self-Injury.

Reckless behavior
Depression in teenagers may appear as dangerous or high-risk behaviors rather than, or in addition to, gloominess. Examples include reckless driving, out-of-control drug use, and unsafe sex.

Violence
Some depressed teens (usually boys who are the victims of bullying) become violent. As in the case of the Columbine school massacre, self-hatred and a wish to die can erupt into violence and homicidal rage.

Suicide
Teens who are seriously depressed often think, speak, or make "attention-getting" attempts at suicide. Suicidal thoughts or behaviors should always be taken very seriously.

Answer 2

There are many different signs of depression, especially in teenagers. Withdrawing from others and wanting to be by thereselves, seems to be the most common. Mood swings are very common too. Self harming,hopelessness, suicidal thoughts are very common also. I'm a paramedic and I have seen just about every different sign a teenager could have. I've had the chance to talk to many different teenagers and they seem to open up to me, explaining why they are depressed and how they expressed their depression. The parents have always told me that they saw a change in their childs behavior, wheither it was withdrawing from others and wanting to be alone, or changing their whole appearance and not acting anything like theirselves. The main thing that I have learned is that the parents have always told me that they could see it the whole time, they just didn't recognize it as depression. So basically, everyone handles things differently.

Answer 3

Over the last five years I had begun to have increasingly withdraw into a downward spiral of depression..

But now with the method I can fully focus my energy and thoughts into a decisive line on how to make my life better constantly. And it works like magic! I'm beginning to attract people to me once again and things have just been looking up since then.

Helping you eliminate depression?

Answer 4

Yes.
Those are all symptoms of depression.
The mood-swings could also be symptoms of Bi-polar disorder.
Everything that you listed is very serious. A doctor should be seen.
If this is you or someone that you care about then I wish you the best of luck and hope that a doctor is seen ASAP.
Seriously. Please get help.

Answer 5

yes as long as it's not a one time thing. like if your significant other just broke up with you and suddenly all this is happening.. that's not so much depression.. however, if one does/thinks of these things often then they are definite depressive symptoms

Answer 6

yes these can be symptoms of depression. they can also be symptoms of stress that will lead to depression

Answer 7

Yes they are please seek help from family, friends or professionals, you can call 911 anytime or you local hospital.

Please Talk to some one today.

Peace

Answer 8

Try http://www.beyondblue.org.au and also a health care professional.

Answer 9

try looking up 'borderline personality disorder' and see if it fits with what you are experiencing.