Depression

If you are feeling hopeless, wake up exhausted, and always feel you are to blame for things that happen, you may be experiencing depression. Depression can impact the way you think, feel, and act. It can cause an overabundance of sadness and an overall loss of interest. It is important to seek help if you are dealing with depressive symptoms, because it can lead to worsening physical and emotional issues. It can also lead you to have issues with functioning at work, school, and at home. Depression can be present in all age ranges. There is hope and although living with depression is difficult, it can be treated.

Recognizing Depression in Children

Understanding the Signs

Depression can occur in children. It is more likely to be seen in children who experience loss, have attentional issues, have conduct or anxiety disorders, or have a learning disability. Depression may look different in children versus adults which is why it is important to be able to recognize some of the symptoms:

Frequent sadness and crying.
Decreased interest in activities (A child who used to love to play baseball no longer has an interest for no apparent reason).
Persistent boredom.
Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure (A child who gets an answer wrong on their spelling test and responds by emotionally breaking down).
Increased irritability or anger

Identifying Depression in Adolescents

Key Warning Signs

It is important to look out for depressive symptoms in adolescents, as they are at an increased risk of suicide. Depressed teenagers may abuse drugs or alcohol as a way to make themselves “feel better”. They may also get themselves in trouble at school and with the law. Depressed adolescents may not always act sad. Therefore, it is important to look out for some of the other warning signs:

Thoughts or expressions of suicide of self-destructive behavior.
A change in eating and sleeping patterns (Sleeping all day or refusing to eat real meals).
Frequently missing school and poor academic performance.
Talks about or tries to run away from home.
Difficulty with relationships
Social isolation (Staying in their room and having no interest in interacting with peers their age).

Recognizing Depression in Adults

Understanding the Impact

Depression impacts 1 in 15 adults a year. It is important for adults to be aware of their depression since it can impact daily functioning. Not every adult’s depressive symptoms are the same, which is why it is important to be aware of the wide variety of symptoms an adult may be dealing with:

Weight loss or gain without changing diet.
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
Increase in purposeless activities (Inability to sit still, pacing around the house).
Loss of energy and increased fatigue.
Feeling worthlessness or guilty.
Thoughts of suicide.
Loss of interest or pleasure

Our goal is to help you find significant improvement with your depression symptoms. Talk therapy has been found to be very impactful for individuals dealing with depression. Family or couples therapy has also been found to help with cases of depression, and here at Psychological Assessment and Treatment Services we offer individual, family and couples’ therapy. We want to help you, contact us today to set up your first appointment!

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