Have you ever wondered that your unhappy teen might be actually experiencing teen mental depression? Findings show that out of every eight teens, one teen suffers from teen depression.
Yes, even for a well-adjusted teen, adolescent can be a difficult phase in life. Depression can strike both the adults and teenagers alike. However, young people find it more difficult to manage these emotional difficulties because of their age and ignorance.
This could lead to far-reaching implications if left unattended. Depression and the problems associated with it can be resolved with counselling for depression.
What Is Depression?
Depression is nothing but a health condition which involves a discouraged mood and negative thinking. It interferes with the ability to enjoy the good things in our life. If you notice the signs of depression, it is very important to understand the cause of your depression and get it treated. If the depression is severe, it could cloud a person’s thinking.
A teen can even consider suicide if he is under severe depression and deep feelings of hopelessness. Therefore, it is extremely important to treat depression as soon as possible.
Extreme mood swings and depression can be handled and cured with proper attention and care. Firstly, let us look at some of the common symptoms of depression and the causes for this condition.
Symptoms Of Teen Depression And Mood Swings
Teens in depression often exhibit a noticeable change in their behaviour. They may lack motivation, sleep excessively, change their eating habits, and reveal criminal behaviours like shoplifting, etc.
Some of the signs of teen depression also include memory loss, a sudden drop in grades, difficulty in decision making, withdrawal from friends and feeling of hopelessness. Each individual is different and hence teenagers in depression may or may not show any of these signs.
7 Reasons For Mood Swings And Depression Among Teenagers
There are various reasons for a teenager to get depressed and to suffer from extreme mood swings. Given below are some of the common reasons for teens to get depressed.
- Social anxiety: Adolescence is a period where we learn how to navigate in the unsettling world and learn social interaction in many new ways. Most of the teens consider popularity of utmost significance and lack of it could be extremely upsetting for them.
- Academic stress: Many teenagers are under a lot of pressure to succeed academically, especially if they rely on scholarships for higher studies. They can get depressed with stress over grades and tests.
- Romantic problems: Infatuations and attractions are a common occurrence during this phase of life. These relationships influence the life of teenagers to a great extent and can easily depress them in case of breakups or unrequited love.
- Separating parents: Separated or divorced parents are more common in today’s society in comparison to earlier generations. However, it has an emotional effect on the well-being of the child. Divorce among the parents could upset the child’s feelings and lead to depression.
- Family financial problem: Teens may not be responsible for balancing the family budget, but still poor financial situations within the family can affect the child.
- Low self-esteems: The self-esteem of a teenager is of high regard for them and is also very vulnerable at this stage. Changing body, pimples or anything could affect their confidence levels. If the self-esteem of a teen drops below a certain point, it too could lead to mood swings.
- Heredity: If a parent or close relative has a history of unstable mental health then, the child becomes more susceptible to depression.
Almost everyone goes through the depression and mood swings during their adolescent years. If teens understand this fact, it might help them to handle their depression in a better way.
12 Best Natural Remedies For Depression and Mood Swings
Depression like any other ailment needs treatment. You can get help from a doctor or a therapist if your teenager is under depression. In addition to medications and therapy, there are a lot more natural ways of fighting depression and mood swings. The below tips will act as a parent’s guide to handling teenage kids, who are depressed.
Exercise
Exercising is a healthy way to deal with many physical and mental ailments. Exercise is great both mentally and physically. It helps to heal depression to a great extent. A 30-minute walk or jog, dance, or yoga can help them to get out of depression. Yoga poses, meditation and breathing exercises are sure to give them a better feel.
Get Them To Follow A Routine
The structure of their life can be stripped away by depression. You can get them back on the track by setting up a gentle daily schedule and healthy lifestyle. By setting up daily targets that they will need to achieve their mind would get lesser opportunity to deviate and ponder upon depressing ideas and thoughts.
Sunshine
Exposure to sunlight is a must. In dealing with depression, sunshine is very therapeutic. We all know that the sunlight supplies us the much-needed vitamin-D and the health benefits of vitamin D need no new emphasis. In addition to that, it influences our hormone balance and brain chemistry positively.
Eating Healthy
Mood swings in teenagers kill the appetite in some whereas some tend to overeat. If depressions affect their appetite, they need to be extra mindful to get the right amount of nutrition. It is important to eat nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables since proper nourishment and stress busting foods could influence their mood positively.
Sleep Deprivation
Lack of sufficient sleep worsens things and makes it more difficult. Therefore, it is important to get enough sleep and follow a routine.
Need To Express
Depression can block creativity and sense of humour of any individual. Hence, ensure that your child takes time to play and exercise his imagination. Laughter lightens up everyone’s mood. So, ensure that they have fun and make them watch funny movies.
Set Goals
When depressed, the feeling of hopelessness constantly crosses their minds. This reduces the zeal to accomplish their aims in life and makes them feel worse. Therefore, parents should set up daily goals and push them to achieve them and gain their self-confidence back.
Identifying Troubles
Teach them to identify the reasons for their depression and once the cause is determined allow them to confide in you or their friends. Talking to someone who cares is the best way to release their feelings and get a clear picture.
Taking Up Responsibilities
Taking up responsibilities can work as a depression treatment since they give a feeling of importance and accomplishment.
Being Optimistic
Being optimistic and making an effort to look at the positive things in life can help to boost their self-esteem. Remind them of their strengths and about how to be happy in life.
When in depression, one makes the worst decision. A lot of work is mental when fighting against depression. Next time your child feels terrible, get them to think logically. It may take time, but it is the best way to fight against the negative thoughts before they get out of control.
Herbs Can Help
There are many herbs like basil that relieve stress and depression, especially Chinese herbs. Many herbs fall under the adaptogens category. If you do a little online research on adaptogens, you can find out more about that.
Do Something New
Get them to do something new or different like take up a new hobby or learn something new. Doing something different can help them to fight against depression. Depression can take some time to heal so try to be patient with your teen.
Do not forget that laughter is the best therapy for our body and mind, hence don’t ever forget to have fun. Also, it is okay to cry at times because it takes off the weight and makes your feel light at heart. Try to schedule pleasurable activities in their daily life which will help to lower their stress and keep them active.
If natural treatments prove insufficient in treating your depression, then it is better to immediately consult a mental health professional. Let us know if you find our remedies useful, in the comments below.
