Depression or Unmotivated Teen?
Are you concerned about depression in your teen? Unmotivated, lazy, not applying himself, and not working to his potential were words a mom used to describe her 16-year-old son as we discussed her concerns. This 11th grade adolescent seemed to be a lost soul since he did not care about school grades, was defiant at home, and was pushing others away. Mom was concerned about him and as she put it, “He doesn’t even realize how much he’s messing up now and how much it will come back to haunt him later.” We decide to test him to help give her direction and determine if his struggles were due to an underlying disorder or something else. Testing revealed no learning disabilities but the teen was depressed which was causing him not to care about now or later. Based on this information, mom obtained the right help for her son.
Depression in Teens is Real
Depression in teens is real and anxiety and depression often co-occur. These are mental health issues that do not go away on their own and can appear as your teen being agitated, unmotivated, disinterested, flippant, argumentative, withdrawn, and experimenting to fill an unmet void. If you suspect your teen has depression or anxiety, seek treatment. We offer testing to rule out other problems and determine the true issue. Alternatively, you can talk to your medical provider.
Support for Depressed Teens
Counselors offer support to teens willing to participate in the process. A type of effective counseling is cognitive behavioral therapy. This goal oriented counseling helps your teen reframe negative thinking and change thought processes which, in turn, change behavior. Counselors are available at psychologytoday.com or sfacc.net. If your teen is open to reading a self-help type of book check out the book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe The World or Anxiety Relief for Teens by Regine Galanti.
If you have an unmotivated teen, call our office as we test children ages 5.5 through college for dyslexia, ADHD/ADD, depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders. Call (561) 625 4125.
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