What can be signs of depression in adolescence?
Depression among young people is unfortunately more common than previously thought. The full picture of the illness with depressed mood and lack of interest and drive is similar to that of an adult, but the first signs of depression in young people often look somewhat different. It is not easy to recognise them, as mood swings, motivation problems and other symptoms of depression during puberty are not uncommon even in healthy people.
They only become suspicious when they persist over a longer period of time, when the teenager loses himself more and more in negative thought spirals and brooding and can no longer get excited about things that are important at this age. Besides this low mood, a drop in performance at school or social withdrawal can be signs of depression. Alcohol and drug consumption can also be at the beginning of the illness. However, conflicts and impulsiveness, which many families have to deal with, are not among these early warning signs. Only when the adolescent withdraws more and more instead of expressing his or her feelings should attention be paid to further depression symptoms.
What can be signs of depression after a separation?
Being depressed after a separation is a perfectly normal and necessary reaction. Grief is important to be able to process the end of the relationship, and many subconscious biological processes take place in the body and the brain in response to the separation. Many of the symptoms of this lovesickness therefore coincide with those of depression, but are usually only temporary and a normal part of a separation.
However, if the symptoms persist, i.e. if the typical depression symptoms appear over several weeks, the lovesickness can turn into a depression. The signs of this are not the symptoms themselves, as these also occur in healthy people after a separation, but rather the intensity of these symptoms and their temporal course. In a depression, the joylessness remains, physical symptoms (e.g. sleep and concentration disorders, loss of appetite) are added or become worse. Even several weeks after the separation the person feels no joy, broods for hours and in the worst case has suicidal thoughts. In such a course of events and the occurrence of other accompanying symptoms, depression is therefore likely.
Division into stadiums
Depending on the severity of the depression, it is not always easy to recognise signs of depression and is not equally easy for the patient and relatives. It is therefore important to see a psychiatrist or a psychotherapist so that he or she can provide the patient with an adequate therapy, depending on the severity of the depression. However, in order to be able to control how severely one is affected by the depression, there are a few points of reference which can be used as a guide.
However, these clues cannot replace a professional analysis by a psychiatrist. In order to recognise a depression and also to regard it as a depression and not as a temporary moodiness, it is important that patients have the negative symptoms for at least 14 days. There are several main symptoms which must be present for at least 14 days at a time.
The main symptoms include deep sadness, loss of interest and lack of energy. There are also many secondary symptoms. These include reduced concentration, reduced self-esteem, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, lack of future prospects, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.
In order to recognise from all these symptoms how severe the depression is, the expert help of a doctor or psychologist is required. According to the so-called ICD-10 regulations, a patient suffers from a depression that is not as severe as the depression itself. It is more important to recognise the depression and to acknowledge it as a serious mental illness.
After all, depression also requires medical help. It is therefore important that the person affected or the patient himself/herself recognises the depression and takes action to prevent it from becoming entrenched and persisting (chronicised). To learn more about the types of depression, click here. – mild depression if he or she has 2 main symptoms and 2 secondary symptoms, under a
- Moderate depression, if he has 2 major symptoms and 3-4 minor symptoms and is suffering from
- Severe depression if he has all 3 major symptoms and 3-4 minor symptoms.
