There are many things about being a teenager or young adult that can be difficult. Not only are you going through many life transitions, but your brain and body seem to be changing in ways that seem unfamiliar to you! It is normal to have emotional ups and downs as you navigate this part of your life, however if you feel that these stressful times are affecting your ability to enjoy life, or your sadness lasts for a long time (weeks to months), it may be time to talk to a trusted professional about depression.
Hello, I am Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, and during this video I will be talking about Depression in adolescents and young adults.
There are many things about being a teenager or young adult that can be difficult. Not only are you going through many life transitions, but your brain and body seem to be changing in ways that seem unfamiliar to you! It is normal to have emotional ups and downs as you navigate this part of your life, however if you feel that these stressful times are affecting your ability to enjoy life, or your sadness lasts for a long time (weeks to months), it may be time to talk to a trusted professional about depression.
Depression is a medical illness that can happen throughout the lifespan, but symptoms of depression can begin in adolescents or in young adulthood. Activities that you once found enjoyable, may not seem exciting at all. You may notice that you are sleeping too much, or not enough and your eating habits may have changed. You may find yourself distracted easily, and feel unmotivated towards school work or agitated easily by friends and loved ones. Some people feel aches and pains, headaches and stomach aches for unexplainable reasons.
Loved ones around you may start to notice your mood changes and tell you things like, “You have nothing to be sad about.” Or “ Just snap out of it, be happy!” If only it was that simple. Because depression is a medical illness, feeling sad feels much more intense and lasts longer than it may for others. it is not something that you can easily change because someone else wants you to just “be happy.” It is not a weakness or something that you need to be ashamed of, and it certainly does NOT define who you are.
You can help depression become less powerful over your life when you take control over it. It is important to remember that we do still have control over the power to choose how we will deal with it and, most importantly, recognizing we do not have to deal with it alone. If you find yourself feeling depressed, please take the time to reach out to someone and discuss your feelings with a trusted provider. Treatment can help depression get better