Needham Acts - Teens: Am I Depressed?

Am I depressed?

You might feel "blue" occasionally, or feel “down” for a while after something bad happens. With major depression however, feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and irritability may last for weeks or months and can eventually dominate your life. You might lose interest in activities you used to enjoy and your relationships with family and friends may begin to suffer.

Depression can affect you in many ways. It can affect your school attendance and performance. It can lead to running away, or feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. You might try to make the pain of depression go away by drinking or taking drugs, which only makes the depression worse. You may contemplate suicide.

Depression is not a sign of weakness—it is a real medical illness. Teens with depression can be helped with treatment, which typically includes counseling and/or medication. Unfortunately, most teens with mental health problems do not get the help they need. And when depression isn't treated, it can get worse, last longer, and prevent teens from getting the most out of life. So, it is important to get help immediately if you think you or a friend may be suffering from depression.