How to Know If You're a Depressed Teen

When you're a teenager, your body is going through a number of difficult changes, such as increased hormones and added stress from your school and social life. Adding depression to the mix can be very troubling, often leading to trouble with family and school, along with an increased likelihood to act out. Determining if you are depressed means watching for the signs and seeking the help of a medical professional - someone who can help you get your life back on the right track.

Instructions

• 1

  Watch for signs of depression in yourself, such as low energy and moodiness, a lack of motivation, a change in your body weight, no interest in doing things that used to interest you, a change in sleep patterns, isolating yourself from friends and family and thoughts of hurting yourself or others.

• 2

  Keep a journal of your feelings. Writing things down is a good way to determine how you really feel and looking over past entries will help you to spot a pattern in yourself.

• 3

  Schedule an appointment to visit your doctor. Tell your doctor about everything that you've been feeling and experiencing recently. The doctor will be able to diagnose you, or refer you to a psychiatrist who can determine if you have depression.

• 4

  Visit the hospital if you are feeling seriously depressed and thinking of hurting yourself or others. They will be able to keep you in the psychiatric ward for one to two days and evaluate your moods, along with performing screening tests for mental illness. If they diagnose you with depression, they will be able to refer you to a doctor who can start you on medication and treatment.