Adolescents
Depression
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Does your teen appear sad and down for a significant length of time?
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Has your teen displayed a strong interest in the subject of death?
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Do you think your teen might be experiencing suicidal thoughts, or has made suicidal gestures in the past?
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Has he/she appeared more irritable and/or with mood swings?
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Have your teen's eating habits changed? Has he experienced weight loss/gain?
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Is your teen more isolated and withdrawn from family members and peers?
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Has your teen lowered his academic performance?
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Do you think your teen might be using alcohol or drugs?
Did you answer yes to most of these questions? Then you should NOT wait any longer. It is extremely important that the depressed teen receives prompt, professional treatment. An average of one in every 8 teenagers in the United States might be suffering from depression. Depression is serious and, if left untreated, can lead to social and domestic problems such as running away, low self-esteem, eating disorders, self-injury behavior, internet addiction, drug abuse, self-loathing—even irreversible tragedy such as homicidal violence or suicide. Suicide is the third national leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds and the sixth leading cause of death for 5- to 14-year-olds. I would like to help your teen develop healthy cognitive patterns. This will improve his personal outlook and his perception of the world and alleviate depression preventing a future relapse.
