Child :%$amp; Adolescent Depression: Five Signs :%$amp; Symptoms
1. Change in appetite
One of the keystone symptoms of any individual's depression, especially in children/teenagers, is a change in appetite. This change may be overeating, under eating, or not eating at all for a period of time. This does not mean that there is an eating disorder necessarily, but in certain cases this may lead to further pathological behaviors if the person feels good about the outcome that may be the result of such a drastic dietary change.
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2. Change in sleep
Like diet, sleep behavior can vary from person to person, but what you are looking for here is a significant change in sleep behavior that does not make much sense. For example, for a person that does shift work for a living, it would be totally appropriate for the person to sleep all day coming off a night shift. On the contrary, it would be abnormal behavior for an individual to sleep the day away coming off a relaxed weekend.
3. Loss of interest in favorite activities
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I think this is a pretty obvious change to look for in your child. I want to be
clear that losing interest in a particular activity over the course of time, or
"outgrowing" an activity is not what I am referring to. I am referring to a child
that, for example, loves a sport and is in the midst of the season and resists
continuing the sport.
4. Irritable mood :%$amp; Irrational response to frustration
Besides "tip #5", this is a big indication that something is not going right for your child. If you feel that your child is often angry, or overreacts when he/she is frustrated, take notice. This is not always "adolescent defiance"; it may be underlying depression that presents itself as irrational anger in young people. Behaviors like hitting walls, verbal abuse, fights at school, violence against siblings and other family members are significant. Oh, and by the way, people closest to the depressed person usually get the brunt of this behavior. I hear parents regularly complain about how they always get such nice behavior reports from others about their children, but at home it's a very different story.
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5. Statements of despair
I saved this one for last, because I would hope that if any parent hears
statements form their child that are disturbing they would look into how their
child is functioning emotionally. If you do experience any upsetting
statements from you child, talk to them about what they said, wrote or drew.
This communication can come in any form. Do not take any of these
expressions lightly. Your child is trying to communicate with you about how
he or she is feeling.
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