Teenage depression can easily go beyond occasional sadness and melancholy. If left uncared for, depression in teens can lead to problems with school, at home, and at work. Long term, depression can even lead to serious or irreversible situations for the teenager in question. They may begin inflicting self harm, running away, developing eating disorders and more.

It may not always be easy to tell whether your teenager is depressed. Teenage years are a common time for mood swings and sadness. Teenagers are dealing with a wealth of new emotions and hormones. There are some things that you can look out for to differentiate between normal teenage emotionality and serious depression. If you think your teenager might be suffering from depression, look for these warning signs:

- Unusual displays of hopelessness regarding normal everyday situations.
- Withdrawal from activities with family members and friends.
- Frequent crying and tearfulness.
- Drastic changes in sleeping and eating habits. Lack of sleep and appetite are particularly strong signs.
- Lack of concentration. You may notice this difficulty in everything from schoolwork to mundane tasks around the house.
- General fatigue. This may appear as a lack of energy or a lack of enthusiasm for things that once excited the teenager in question.
- Feelings of worthlessness, especially when emphasized with excess guilt or shame.
- Finally, the biggest red flag is any mention of death and suicide.

Depression is different in teenagers and adults. While adults generally show excess sadness, teenagers will usually convert these feelings to outward hostility and anger. Teens may choose to externalize their feelings and become grumpy and frustrated. You may notice sudden outbursts of anger.

Teenagers may also develop physical aches and pains. If a medical examination reveals no cause for these, the cause may actually be depression. This is not something commonly found in adult depression sufferers.

If you feel that your teenager might be suffering from depression, be sure to both talk and listen to them. They will need your support to move through their troubled times. If you feel like you need help holding your teenager’s emotionality, seek out a specialist. There will be therapeutic counselors in your area ready and willing to offer support.