How to Diagnose Depression in Teens

Sufferers of teenage and adolescent depression might have symptoms such as feelings of sadness, low self-worth, difficulty concentrating, fatigue and suicidal thoughts. Risk factors for teenage depression include child abuse, family history of depression, recent loss of a loved one, breakups and bullying. Because teenagers often have unpredictable moods, adolescent depression can be difficult to diagnose.

Instructions

1. Make an appointment with the teenager's doctor or pediatrician. Before the appointment, be prepared to discuss the depression symptoms and when these they started to manifest. You will also need to relay any life events that could be related to the mood changes.

2. Go for an initial consultation with the physician. He will take an account of the teen's medical history to help determine if substance abuse could be a factor. Teenage depression is often related to heavy drinking and drug use.

3. Take the teen for a panel of blood tests. Blood work and other diagnostic testing can be used to determine if the symptoms are a result of a medical condition.

4. Receive a referral to a psychiatrist. If nothing medically is wrong, your pediatrician is likely to send you to a psychiatrist to diagnose the depression.

5. Allow the psychiatrist to perform a complete psychiatric assessment of the teenager. Through one-on-one counseling sessions, the psychiatrist can diagnose the depression. She will also look for related disorders, such as manic depression, schizophrenia and generalized anxiety. She will also evaluate whether the teen is a danger to herself or others before recommending any sort of treatment plan.

References

• Medline Plus
• Family First Aid