Hello, my name is David and this is my new blog. I have been married for 25 years. My wife and I married when we were 18 years old so we had a lot of learning to do as we got older. Like any relationship, our marriage has had its ups and downs. However, last year, we had a real tough patch and I thought we might end up divorcing one another. Thankfully, this did not happen. The thing that saved our relationship was a recommendation by a friend that we sign up for counselling. The therapist helped my wife and I to truely understand the dynamics of our marriage and we have been much happier ever since.
The teenage years are considered to be a tough period for teens and parents alike due to the extreme hormonal changes that your child is undergoing. Thus, it is not uncommon to find some people brushing sudden emotional and psychological changes in their child as typical teen angst. Although your kid may become difficult to relate to as they approach and undergo adolescence, it is important to be wary of any symptoms that could point toward depression or anxiety in your child. Moreso, since teens are not known for being particularly open during this period. So what are some of the signs that could indicate that your teen is depressed?
Chronic lethargy
Teenagers are known to have bountiful energy as they have increased testosterone in their system. A false assumption some people have is that testosterone is only present in males but in reality, women also produce this hormone, albeit at lower levels. Nonetheless, during the teenage years is when the levels of this hormone would be their highest. In addition to increasing arousal and helping in the production of androgens, testosterone also enhances the energy in your child. Therefore, if you find that your teen is always complaining of being tired or has a general lack of energy, you may want to check if this is being caused by their emotional state. Teenagers that are depressed will usually want to spend all day in bed. They may also present with phantom aches and pains that remain a mystery even with a physical exam.
Extreme aggression or complete withdrawal
Another sign to be on the lookout for that would be symptomatic to depression would be sudden changes in the overall demeanour of your children. Teenagers are prone to mood swings due to their changing hormones. However, mood swings are temporary and tend to dissipate just as fast as they occur. If you find that your child's overall demeanour has changed drastically, it could be due to depression. One of the warning signs is if your child is consistently shut off. They do not open up to you or their friends but instead spend much of their time being isolated from everyone. On the other end of the spectrum, you could find that your child has become extremely aggressive. In this case, any small misunderstanding could cause your teenager to lash out, and they could experience frequent fits of rage. It would be advisable to hire a professional that they could talk to just to be on the safe side.
Share8 June 2017
