Ordinary sounding expressions of teen angst may signal early depression

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/aaop-ose042617.php

Public Release: 4-May-2017
Ordinary sounding expressions of teen angst may signal early depression
Research at 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting finds that teens developing depression likely to use terms such as feeling 'stressed' rather than 'depressed'
American Academy of Pediatrics

While it's estimated at least one in 10 teens in the U.S. suffer from depression at some point, few will use the word "depressed" to describe negative emotions hanging over them. Instead, new research at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in San Francisco suggests, they're likely to use terms such as "stressed," or "down," and other words that may sound like ordinary teen angst but could be a signal of more serious, pre-depressive symptoms.

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Other common symptoms the teens in the study reported:

Increased anger and irritability toward others.

Loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed.

Marked difficulty falling and staying asleep, as well as sleeping too much.

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DeFrino said the teens often noted school pressure related to homework and expectations to succeed as sources of stress and difficulty. Arguments with parents, verbal and emotional abuse, divorce, separation, neglect, sexual abuse and home relocation were among major reasons cited for worsening mood. Teens also often attributed new feelings of sadness to deaths from illness and suicides of family members or friends.

The researchers also noted that, unrelated to expressed feelings of depression, two-thirds of the teens had visited their primary healthcare providers for physical illnesses such as ulcers, migraines, stomach pains and fatigue. These visits could offer an opportunity for a health care provider to identify feelings and check in with mental health concerns as well, DeFrino said.

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