Sometimes it is difficult to spot the difference between an unhappy, moody teenager and a depressed teenager. With so much upheaval what with peer pressure, exam pressure, relationships with family members, opposite sex, same sex, not to mention all those hormones causing havoc resulting in huge mood swings.
However, findings show that one in eight teenagers exhibit some symptoms of teen depression. If left this depression may turn into a more serious debilitating condition. Help is out there though and the earlier you seek that help for your child the better!
Some of the symptoms to look out for are:
- Sadness, anxiety or a feeling of hopelessness
- Apathy
- Pains in head or tummy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Self consciousness about body
- Difficulty making decisions
- Excessive or inappropriate guilt
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Irresponsible behaviour e.g. playing truant, stealing, forgetting chores
- Staying awake at night and sleeping late during the day
- Drop in grades
- Excessive use of alcohol or drugs
- Preoccupation with death and dying
- Staying in bedroom for hours after school
Not every child presents with every symptom but if you can mark some of those listed above maybe it is time to check out what is going on with your son/daughter.
The first step is to contact your GP and arrange for a psychological check up for your child. You will be better informed then which help would best suit your child.
At Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic we have noticed an increase in the numbers of teenagers who are coming for help suffering from teen depression. We offer a Free Initial Consultation for parents and teen to assess the conditions and to ascertain the therapy best suited for the individual child. For many, many teens the results are very positive as we empower them to take control back, to release themselves from the cycle of negative thoughts which result in negative feelings. We work with their GP who is the primary carer and if medication is prescribed the client continues to take it until told otherwise by his doctor. However, the therapy we provide gets to the root cause of the problem which not only gives the client the tools to let go of these all consuming negative thoughts/ feelings once and for all and live life as it should be lived … each day a gift to be enjoyed!
Link to Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic website
Link to Related Articles:
Hypno-Psychotherapy and the Treatment of Clinical Depression
Addressing the Emotional Root Cause of a Condition with Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy
