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Your letters: Teenage depression is not the end

For teenagers out there, have you ever felt demotivated by everything around you? Or felt useless and not want to do anything? Such a state is called depression

The Jakarta Post
Fri, May 29, 2015

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Your letters: Teenage depression is not the end

F

or teenagers out there, have you ever felt demotivated by everything around you? Or felt useless and not want to do anything? Such a state is called depression.

Teenage depression isn'€™t just about bad moods and a feeling of melancholy, but a serious problem because it can lead to drug and alcohol abuse, self-loathing, violence and even suicide.

I myself am in my teenage years and have been through this state many times.

Parents may think that it is normal to feel depressed because they went through it when they were young. But the fact is, it is a bit different, since our generation is affected by what we see on TV or the Internet; many films or videos on the Internet give bad examples of how to deal with depression and it sticks in our heads.

This is what makes it frightening for this generation. At the end of the day, parents need to be more concerned about their children regarding depression.

The teenage years can be tough, and it is normal to feel sad or down every now and then. But when the feeling doesn'€™t go away for quite a while, it may be an indication of depression '€” it could be caused by bad grades, social status, bullying, a broken heart or even family turmoil.

One of the most common causes of teen depression is social status. Teenagers face pressure, from changes during puberty to questions about who they are and where they fit in. They always seek attention from other people.

It is more likely to say that teenagers don'€™t know which path they have to take. I always tried to make friends with everyone around me. But they made friends with me because they needed something from me: insincere smiles and calculated kindness. And I always put on a '€œmask'€ to get along with them too. And every time I took it off, I was alone. Then in no time, I'€™d get depressed.

There are many signs and symptoms of depression in teens and it may differ from one to another, such as sadness or hopelessness, anger or hostility, tearfulness or frequent crying, withdrawal from other people, loss of interest, difficulty concentrating and thoughts of death or suicide.

For the parents out there who suspect their child or a teenager in their life is suffering from depression, deal with it right away. You have to show you care and love them. Let him or her know that there are many people around him or her who really care about him or her.

And encourage him or her to share what he or she is going through. Even though most of the time they would tell you that there is nothing wrong, since teenagers may be reluctant to open up or simply have a hard time expressing what they feel, you have to trust your instincts as parents.

Hanna Sabrina Alfian
Depok, West Java

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