One of the most troublesome problems teens and young adults encounter at times is dealing with depression. We all can have a bad day at times, where we are just down in the dumps regardless of what we do. Unfortunately there are some individuals that frequently have down days and in those times a little knowledge of what depression is may prove beneficial.
Depression is a constant state that involves your whole being. From Psychology Information Online “a depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood” and an interesting item to note is that having 1, 2 or even 3 bad days may not mean you have a problem with depression. The time frame for depression, from my understanding, appears to require a slightly longer time frame. I have even read where weeks may need to go by before coming to a definite conclusion about just being depressed vs having depression.
There are signs and symptoms that occur some of which include isolation / withdrawal, anger / irritability and pessimism. There are even extreme signs when a person is feeling so down they lack the desire to practice basic hygiene or even get out of bed. These signs can vary though and more can be found within the article “Understanding Teen Depression”.
Some things to ask yourself when you are feeling down is why you are feeling that way, and how long has it been like that.
- Do you have stress currently that could be bringing you down?
- Do you have ups and downs throughout the day – happy in the morning but sad in the afternoon? Anything going on that may cause that?
- Do you find yourself affected by the weather outside? For example on rainy days do you just not feel as motivated as you do when it’s more cheerful outside?
All these items affect us and may bring us down but that does not mean that we have a depression disorder. It is also important to note, especially with adolescents and young adults, that with today’s technology and media influences we find ourselves having to live up to higher standards so we can ‘fit into’ our peer group. This struggle greats a burden on ourselves; which we often do not realize; and can have a contributing factor in our mood.
It is important to remember that depression – in its true sense – is not something that just goes away one night but is a lingering state of mind that occurs over weeks. Another important item to note is that if you do have concerns about yourself, ask for professional advice, this is not something you can diagnose yourself.
