Stressed and Depressed

[Going_Crazy]

Hi, I am a teen and i need some advice,
Lately i have been really stressed and depressed, i go through highs and lows, sometimes im ok and i will be sociable, othertimes i just sit and cry in my room for hours for no apparent reason. I don't go as far as hurting myself but i do get really unhappy and bored with my life. I don't know what to do, or who to talk to. I know for a fact i often attention seek, i exadurate illness such as dragging on a sprained knee or getting stressy with people, i also imagine what it would be like if i had a massive accident(like i said, there are no further intentions to try it), it's really bad and i get so worried about my mental state sometimes and i hate it but i dont know how to stop this either. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Being a teen is difficult for most people and it isn't unsual to feel the way you do, but that doesn't mean you have to just put up with it....

There are many things you can do to stop the extremes of your mood swings or depression, but the starting point is to go and talk to your family doctor or someone you trust about how you are feeling and try to get an appointment with a counsellor or therapist. You probably should also see a doctor for a physical checkup... sometimes, what you describe can be caused by hormonal changes (which might be helped by the pill or in other ways) or by a problem with your thyroid (which again is often easily treated).

The bottom line is don't try to struggle with this by yourself -- it's not necessary and with a bit of help you can feel a lot happier.