One-third of teenagers report having experienced at least one episode of depression. Surprisingly, less than 20 percent seek help for it, according to a recent survey sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you think your child may be depressed, don't let it go untreated. Get answers to your most pressing questions about recognizing and treating this condition from Dr. Francis Mark Mondimore, M.D., author of Adolescent Depression: A Guide for Parents. Then visit the Troubled Teens message board for advice and support from other parents.
1. How can I tell if my teen is depressed?
Everyone gets down now and again. When being down becomes an everyday affair
2. Are there different types of clinical depression?
In discussing serious depression, psychiatrists talk about mood disorders. The most common and one of the most serious mood disorders is major depressive disorder. Teens with this problem have frequently incapacitating symptoms of depression that often last up to a year without treatment. Low, depressed mood, loss of interest in and the ability to enjoy things, sleep and appetite disturbance, low energy and feelings of failure and worthlessness are common.
