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Viewing The Teenage Depression Epidemic - Being a Teen is not EasyThe Teenage Depression Epidemic - Being a Teen is not Easy
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Teen depression is not rare, and it is becoming increasingly common as the peer pressure trend grows. As a parent, you are not alone dealing with this problem. This informational article describes what to do if you have a teenager who is depressed. By Jane Saeman Being a teenager in today's society is not easy. While they seem to have the best of everything, with the opportunities the generations preceding them would have loved, they are also carrying a large burden of peer pressure. There is a degree of cultural expectation, which means that in order to fit in; you must comply with certain social rules. Fitting in is never more important in life than it is during the teen years, especially those years in early to mid-teens when being accepted by the in-crowd is the objective of almost everyone in school. Very few teens are happy to go it alone and face school life independently. Those who do are often ignored and even ridiculed by the others. Those who choose to be outsiders do so at their peril. Those who end up on the outside of the social cliques because they do not have the right clothes, excel at the right sports, or stand out in some other way that the popular kids deem negative have a tough time. Teenage depression does not just hit the so-called un-cool kids however. Some teens feel that no matter how much they try, they never seem to live up to their parent's expectations. They often act out, and skip classes because they do not think they will ever be good enough, so they do not bother. In some cases, this can be as much a sign of depression as a child who spends all of the time hiding away in his or her room. There are signs of teenage depression of which parents should be aware. Some of these may be thought of as 'normal teen behavior', but if there are a number of these symptoms happening in your teen, you need to consider if there something more sinister going on than 'just a stage they're going through'. Look out for the following: Just asking your teens whether they are feeling depressed or not will end up with you facing even more hostility. They are not likely to open up to you that easily. Instead, you must to be vigilant about their behavior, and watch for significant changes in behavioral patterns. Investigate what is happening in their lives as quietly as possible so that they do not think you are prying or do not trust them. Reassure them that they can talk to you about anything, and mean it! If you find that your teen is depressed, do not shrug it off. It can worsen within hours, depending on the source of the depression. Instead, make an appointment and talk to a counselor yourself, and then see if they agree that it is in your teen's best interests to talk to him or her as well. Your child may not be receptive to this course of action, so taking the initiative to talk to the counselor alone first will allow you to talk about the situation and how best to approach it, especially if your child refuses to talk to the professional. Many teens find that once they get out of the competitive school environment, they are able to shake the depression and move forward with their lives. Others live in the shadow of teen depression for a large part of their lives. Try to ensure that your child is able to leave the depression behind by being supportive and understanding about how they feel. Teen depression is not rare, and it is becoming increasingly common as the peer pressure trend grows. If you suspect that your teen is depressed, or becoming depressed, check out your yellow pages for a support group that helps parents with troubled teens. You will find that you are not alone dealing with this problem, and may even discover ways of tackling it that you have not thought of. About the Author: Jane Saeman runs an in-home tutoring service called Aim High Tutors. Find out about how to help your students reach their full potential at http://aimhightutors.com/blog/. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com |
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