Living Healthy 5 Depression affects a lot of teens and is more common than we realize. Many teens with depression do not get the help they need. Your child’s doctor can screen for depression and work with you to get help. Teens going through depression may: ■ Feel tired. ■ Get into trouble at school. ■ Feel sad or negative, become easily upset, or have anxiety. ■ Not be interested in things. ■ Have physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches. ■ Have trouble concentrating, remembering or making decisions. Depression can come from a family history of depression, stress, body image issues, abuse or neglect, adverse childhood experiences, relationship or family problems, or losing a loved one. Depression can look different for everyone. It is important for your teen to have a yearly screening with their doctor during checkups, even if you do not see signs of depression. Screening for depression takes just a few minutes. The doctor may ask your teen to fill out a questionnaire about symptoms of depression. They may also ask to speak to your teen alone. If the screening shows that your child may be going through depression, the doctor may refer your child to a therapist or medical provider who works with teens. They may talk about different ways to treat depression, like talk therapy, medication, support programs, changes to diet, exercise, meditation or a combination of these. Not treating depression may lead to a higher risk of depression in adulthood. Getting treatment sooner may help your teen develop coping skills to use throughout their life. Struggling or in crisis? Call or text 988 anytime to talk with a crisis counselor. Need mental health services? Call Carelon Behavioral Health 24/7 at 855-765-9700. Teens and depression
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