|
Why
Do Teenagers Get Depressed?
Adolescence is a stage of life when
teenagers go through a period of uncertainty and confusion as they try
to find their feet and establish their independence. Everything seems in
a state of flux - their moods, their bodies, and their relationships with
family and friends. They are painfully conscious of their maturing bodies.
They feel socially inept. They swing wildly between being shy and embarrassed
to brash and rebellious in a bid to disguise their insecurities and confusion.
Most teenagers emerge unscathed or maybe with just a few nicks and bruises.
But there are others who just cannot cope with the tumult of emotions and
they fall into a depression.
Depression is an all-encompassing
gloom that envelops every aspect of a person's existence. It is different
from the sadness one feels when one thinks of a rift within the family
or the unhappiness associated with the failure to get into the university
of your choice. Depression is not a mood or a phase. A depressed person
feels that there is something fundamentally wrong with him and his life.
He feels incapable of handling the smallest problems. He feels that nothing
ever goes his way and that may be he doesn't deserve to be happy.
Signs of depression
Defeatist attitude: Depressed
teenagers feel that they are destined to fail at anything that they attempt.
They take failure personally seeing it as being directly related to their
personalities rather than to anything they might have done. For instance,
if they are snubbed at a party by an acquaintance, they will assume that
it is because they are boring and not worth knowing. A normal teenager
would just shrug it off and move on to the next person. As a result of
this defeatist attitude, depressed teenagers rarely make the effort to
do anything because they believe that they will fail anyway.
Impulsive behaviour: Teenagers
affected by depression also tend to act on impulse. They feel that since
they have no control over their circumstances and cannot seem to find a
solution to any of their problems, they should do something and then forget
about it.
Socially withdrawn: A depressed
teenager is often withdrawn and antisocial because he feels that nobody
would want him around. He feels that he has nothing of interest to say
and does not have the necessary social skills to make him well-liked. He
will avoid volunteering for any group activities assuming that he will
be a burden and that he has nothing of value to contribute.
Uncomfortable sharing personal
information: Teenagers afflicted with depression are uncomfortable
talking about themselves because they think that the listener will judge
them and find them wanting in every way. They do not want to open themselves
up to any possible disapproval or criticism, which they take for granted
as being forthcoming.
Psychosomatic illnesses: Depression
can result in a teenager displaying psychosomatic symptoms like dizzy spells,
headaches, stomachaches, etc. in an attempt to garner some sympathy. They
feel that this is the only way they can get some positive attention. Their
supposed indisposition can also get them out of uncomfortable situations
that they may not want to face.
Wants to be someone else:
A teenager is usually depressed because he doesn't like the person he is.
He attributes all his problems to some basic flaw in his personality. Often
he looks at his peers, especially the popular ones, and wishes he looked
like them or had their money or their intelligence, which would guarantee
that people would like him and find him interesting.
To add your views on
this article or read others comments Click Here
Back to Previous Page
More on Raising Children Index
Email this Article to a Friend
|
