Alloy.com

"Is this normal, or am I depressed?"

You Said:
"I feel so out of it lately. I have trouble sleeping and when I do have time to sleep, like on the weekends, I sleep hours longer than I used to. I never want to hang out with my friends and things I used to enjoy aren't fun anymore. I sit at home on the weekends alone, and I don't laugh as much as I used to. I go through mood swings, and at times, I'm irritable and crabby. I can't seem to get out of the phase, and it's been around for about a month. Am I depressed? Should I be worried, or is this a typical teenage thing?"

We Say:
Something is definitely off, but we can't say what it is for sure. Think about what's been going on in your life that triggered these feelings. Did you feel like this after you had a fall out with your friends, a break up with your boyfriend, or trouble at home? It's time to dissect your feelings and get to the bottom of this. Once you figure out what got the ball rolling, you'll be able to deal with the problem and hopefully move on.

You say nothing really happened, and you just started feeling this way for no apparent reason? Then maybe it's time to talk to someone. Talk to your parents and ask them to take you to see a doctor. The doctor will be able to assess if you're really depressed or if you're just in a slump.

In the meantime, why don't you try new activities? Maybe you're just bored with the way things are and you need a little change in your life. Don't push away your friends, but lean on them for support and comfort. So what if you're a little crabby and moody? Your friends will be there for you no matter what. Whether you're really depressed or not -- one thing is for sure, it's not gonna go away if you stay cooped up in your room all the time.


You Say!