depression or am i just a silly teenager?

[loza]

I've done so much research on depression and if thats what I'm going through and everything is saying that i do and i think i am experiencing depression. I so badly want to work out whats happening with me but i can't bring it up to parents or anyone because I'm scared they'll think low of me and think that I'm just an over dramatic teenager, normally I'm an 'energetic and happy person in front of people and it was just when i was alone but for the past few months its been really strong and I'm almost always feeling depressed. Can anyone help me? i don't know what to do.

[Karin]

As a parent I would hope that my child would tell me how they are feeling. I might not be ale to help but I  would generally know where to head to next. Talking is very important. So if you feel that you can't talk to your parent then maybe a friends parent or teacher. What you are feeling is ok but when it is affecting what and how you do things then help may be needed. Take care loza

[Zeal]

Hi loza,

Your tone of writing suggests you are mature and trying to work through these depressive feelings; so you're definitely not a silly teenager! 🙂

I recommend seeing your GP about your depressive symptoms. If you are 16 or over, these appointments will not need to involve your parents being informed. However, your parents could give you great emotional support. If it weren't for the complete support from my parents, I would not be as happy and healthy as I am now. Depression is not a weakness or a character flaw. About 1 in 5 Australians now experience depression in their lifetime. These millions of people are not all weak, and they did not ask for this illness. I hope this makes you feel less alone 🙂

I suggest having a calm talk to your parents about your intense sadness, so that they are aware of your situation. Choose a time when they are not stressed, overtired, or too busy. If you speak calmly and considerately, I can't imagine why they would respond negatively. I think they will be a bit worried about you, and probably give you a hug too! If you are overwhelmed about talking to both your parents, you could just approach one.

Good luck with talking to your GP, and hopefully with talking to your Mum or Dad too!

Best wishes,

SM

[Francesco]

Hi Loza,

Could I suggest perhaps contacting an anonymous helpline via over the phone to communicate your thoughts and feelings better? This could start paving the way for you becoming able to firstly understand what you are feeling and gain the confidence with talking to your parents.

 I appreciate that you have begun the process here by sharing this. Please dont think less of yourself because of your feelings. There is nothing abnormal about you and you are not less than anyone else.

You are definitely very self aware!

I encourage you to keep figuring this all out. 

Francesco.

[loza]

thankyou, that is a good idea.

[loza]

thankyou i think i will try and bring it up with my mum

[loza]

thankyou for the answer and support, i think i will try and talk with my parents and see if i can talk with my GP about it as well

[Felicity308]

Hi loza,

I’m sorry you have been dealing with this alone. I hid my depression for about 6 months from my parents because I was terrified that my dad especially would think I was weak and just seeking attention. In the end I couldn’t maintain the illusion that I was ok and it sort of just burst out and when my parents saw something was seriously wrong she pretty much forced me to see the doctor. My mum worked in the industry so she understood what was going on but my dad grew up believing that depression wasn’t a real thing. What surprised me was my dad made the effort to go to a doctor and get them to explain to him why I couldn’t stop crying, couldn’t get out of bed and couldn’t see people.   

You’re parents may not understand at first but they do love you and no parent wants to see their child unhappy.  

If you do think you can handle telling even just one of your parents, a good idea might be to book an appointment with a doctor and have your parents come with you. It’s quite hard to help someone understand depression if they aren’t experiencing it themselves and a doctor is more likely to be able to explain it in a way that your parents will understand.  

It’s such a big thing to go through alone so if you would rather not tell your parents I’d definitely recommend seeing a doctor or a psychologist on your own or even telling a friend you trust, it really makes everything so much easier once you have someone fighting for you.  

In the mean time, some of the things that help me to feel better are:            

• Exercise,   
• Meditation (look up mindfulness on the internet)
• Keeping a routine            
• Making sure I still spend time with my friends 

You’ve made a really positive step reaching out on the forum and don’t forget that you always have people here who support you.