Depression or hormones ?

[Hershey's Kisses]

Well , some like to say that teens have no reasons to be depressed and arejust whiny hormonal children . Do you think that's the case with me ? Can't depression occur at any age ? People who say , "oh you're 13 ,you have so much to live for" are judgementsl . You don't know me , all you know is what I choose to tell you and I find that wrong . Anyway, I find myself always depressed . All I want to do is lay in bed all day and I'm unhappy all the time . I don't have any friends or any money to go anywhere so its not like I can leave can leave the house or hang out with so called friends . So is this just hormones and puberty or I am I depressed?

[Triceratops]

Probably hormones.

[Unconventional]

It is probably hormones but that doesn't mean it is definitely hormones. We cannot diagnose you with anything, we're not doctors. If you have concerns (which you obviously do because you've come here to post about it), then go and see your doctor and tell them about it. They will be able to tell you. It is possible to have depression at the age of 13, I had it.

[Hershey's Kisses]

I am moody all the time so it may be hormones . In sure it's possible to be depressed at 13, but I guess my doct would know ? My bro was on depression meds when he was my age and so were other people in my fam . Is s combo of both possible ?

[Iris]

It's very very possible to have depression when you're young. The people who say "you have so much to live for" etc. are ignorant. Depression often manifests itself differently than in adults, but it's still depression. Whether you have it or not, no one here is qualified enough to say, though the fact that your family members have it is a bad sign because depression can be biological. Go to a psychologist/psychiatrist and ask them.

[Weeping]

Sounds like it could be depression. The fact that others in your family has been there just increases the chance. You should really meet a doctor so you get help before (if it is depression) gets worse.

And people who think you can't actually be depressed at a young age don't know anything about it. I had a depression for the most part of my life until I turned like 15.

Here if you need to talk!
:hug:

[Triceratops]

You can feel depressed at a young age, but this "depression" is spurred on by hormones. It very rarely turns out to be an actual mental health problem for teenagers.

Just because a family member had depression, it definitely doesn't mean that you'll get it. Depression isn't genetic, but it's common for people to pick up on a certain relative's behaviour and attitude. Tbh I think you're convincing yourself there's a issue when there probably isn't - bear in mind that you are still very young. Self-diagnosis is what stupid people do. As already mentioned, go and see someone about it if you have concerns.

[Iris]

Depression isn't genetic, but it's common for people to pick up on a certain relative's behaviour and attitude

While it's true that if you have a family member that's depressed it heightens the risk of you getting depressed, depression can be genetic. It could mean that you've inherited a tendency to have low serotonin levels in your brain, which can be helped with antidepressants. Of course depression can also develop from bad experiences or trauma in which case antidepressants won't help as much and it would be best to go to therapy.

Either way it should not be taken lightly. Lots of teens aren't diagnosed and helped because people assume it's just hormones. While in many instances it really is just hormones, you shouldn't be so quick to assume that there isn't something more serious going on. But, again, no one here is qualified to say if it's hormones or depression.

[Triceratops]

If you have a family history of depression, then you are more likely to get it than someone who has no relatives with depression. Like I said, depression is not a straight up biological disorder, but you can inherit particular traits.

Normally when a teenager claims to be depressed, 9 times out of 10 it's just them being whining, self-pitying attention whores. Only a professional will be able to confirm whether there's a real problem or not.

[Iris]

If you have a family history of depression, then you are more likely to get it than someone who has no relatives with depression. Like I said, depression is not a straight up biological disorder, but you can inherit particular traits.

It's biological. Hereditary. Call it a disorder or a trait, it's still genetic.

Normally when a teenager claims to be depressed, 9 times out of 10 it's just them being whining, self-pitying attention whores.

Oh so you know, because I'm sure you know hundreds of teenagers with depression, and analyzed each one to come to the conclusion that they're "whining self-pitying attention whores." You're just one of those ignorant bitches who make it harder for people (like me) with depression because you haven't the slightest clue how terrible being depressed can be.

[Triceratops]

It's biological. Hereditary. Call it a disorder or a trait, it's still genetic.

A range of things can contribute to someone's depression. Environmental factors, experiences in life, and so on. Not always genetics. Even if your parent had depression, it still doesn't mean it's entirely hereditary. I'll repeat myself once again, someone who has relatives with depression is more prone to get it than someone who has no relatives with depression. It is not set in stone.

Oh so you know, because I'm sure you know hundreds of teenagers with depression, and analyzed each one to come to the conclusion that they're "whining self-pitying attention whores." You're just one of those ignorant bitches who make it harder for people (like me) with depression because you haven't the slightest clue how terrible being depressed can be.

I didn't say that. If you woke up and lived in the real world you would realise that most teenagers are attention seeking and want their problems to sound far more severe than they really are. Even this psych ward forum is infested with these kinds of people. I'm not accusing every teenager of doing this, because there are many teenagers who genuinely do go through clinical depression and a very hard life in general.

You have only been on this site for a little less than a month, so you won't have any clue who I am and my experiences and blah blah blah. I've shared a lot with VT, but not my entire life story. In actual fact I have been diagnosed with clinical depression, anxiety, paranoia and bulimia, so I do know what it's like to be depressed. I am very blunt and I will never hesitate to speak my mind - whether people like it or not. I am also a very strong person and I do not go around begging for pity and moping about how difficult my life is under any circumstances. I do what I can to help make things better for myself. People need to get over themselves - I managed to.

[Iris]

A range of things can contribute to someone's depression. Environmental factors, experiences in life, and so on. Not always genetics. Even if your parent had depression, it still doesn't mean it's entirely hereditary. I'll repeat myself once again, someone who has relatives with depression is more prone to get it than someone who has no relatives with depression. It is not set in stone.

-sigh- that's what I said in the beginning. I was simply disputing your statement that depression isn't genetic. Not that other important factors contribute to it. Depression can be genetic. It can also have nothing at all to do with genes. I think we'e agreeing.

I didn't say that. If you woke up and lived in the real world you would realise that most teenagers are attention seeking and want their problems to sound far more severe than they really are. Even this psych ward forum is infested with these kinds of people. I'm not accusing every teenager of doing this, because there are many teenagers who genuinely do go through clinical depression and a very hard life in general.

You're being hypocritical. You're telling me not to assume anything about you because I don't know anything about you (and you're right I shouldn't have and I'm sorry) yet at the same time you say that the psych ward is 'infested' with people who want attention. How do you know they want attention? You know nothing about them either. You can't even judge their facial expressions or body language; all you've got is a bunch of typed words. If you want people to give you the benefit of the doubt you should try doing that to others.

You have only been on this site for a little less than a month, so you won't have any clue who I am and my experiences and blah blah blah. I've shared a lot with VT, but not my entire life story. In actual fact I have been diagnosed with clinical depression, anxiety, paranoia and bulimia, so I do know what it's like to be depressed. I am very blunt and I will never hesitate to speak my mind - whether people like it or not. I am also a very strong person and I do not go around begging for pity and moping about how difficult my life is under any circumstances. I do what I can to help make things better for myself. People need to get over themselves - I managed to.

You're right I shouldn't have assumed anything. I was angered by the "attention seeking whores" comment since the issue of depression is very personal for me. I can see that it's personal for you too. But how would you like to be called that? How would you like it if people immediately assumed that you're "doing it" for attention? I respect that you're strong and have an opinion but usually people aren't moping or begging for pity, they just want to be heard, to know they're not alone, to give over a part of their life story in the hopes that someone who experienced that kind of thing can give them some advice. You may deal with your problems by keeping them to yourself and that's fine. But respect that some people deal with their problems differently. They're not weaker and they're not moping. It's just a different way to deal with their issues. There's nothing wrong with opening up and being vulnerable.

[Triceratops]

-sigh- that's what I said in the beginning. I was simply disputing your statement that depression isn't genetic. Not that other important factors contribute to it. Depression can be genetic. It can also have nothing at all to do with genes. I think we'e agreeing.

Okay fair enough, and yeah we probably are now lol.

You're being hypocritical. You're telling me not to assume anything about you because I don't know anything about you (and you're right I shouldn't have and I'm sorry) yet at the same time you say that the psych ward is 'infested' with people who want attention. How do you know they want attention? You know nothing about them either. You can't even judge their facial expressions or body language; all you've got is a bunch of typed words. If you want people to give you the benefit of the doubt you should try doing that to others.

I am normally not so quick to judge but when I sense bullshit I can't help but just jump the gun a bit. This thread is a prime example. When I said the psych ward was infested with attention seekers, I meant active members who have been here long enough to confirm this, not just some random newbie who's only made about 10 posts, for instance. In all honesty I have not always been so...brutally honest. For about the first year I had joined this site I was always patient, sympathetic and just generally as nice as pie. Almost like a school counselor haha :P but I guess when I tried to help so many people who refused help (not saying this is the case for this thread), my patience ran out and I just turned the tables.

You're right I shouldn't have assumed anything. I was angered by the "attention seeking whores" comment since the issue of depression is very personal for me. I can see that it's personal for you too. But how would you like to be called that? How would you like it if people immediately assumed that you're "doing it" for attention? I respect that you're strong and have an opinion but usually people aren't moping or begging for pity, they just want to be heard, to know they're not alone, to give over a part of their life story in the hopes that someone who experienced that kind of thing can give them some advice. You may deal with your problems by keeping them to yourself and that's fine. But respect that some people deal with their problems differently. They're not weaker and they're not moping. It's just a different way to deal with their issues. There's nothing wrong with opening up and being vulnerable.

I say a lot of things loosely, and I can understand that people can get upset by them. I'm sorry if I offended you. You're right, it is personal for me as well, but I suppose we just both react and deal with the topic in different ways.

I think everybody who has problems has been accused of attention seeking and making a bigger deal. I certainly have. People generally do assume because it can seem that way. I just kind of shake it off and ignore it because only myself and the people closest to me know the truth and know that I am not doing anything for attention. I am pretty thick skinned, but I appreciate that not everybody is like that.

I absolutely agree that there's nothing wrong with venting your emotions, hence why I'm not harsh to every other person who posts a thread in the psych ward forum. But you can't help but think it can be bullshit when you see the same thing over and over again and ends up being nothing. It's a bit like cry wolf in way.

I look like a complete and utter heartless bitch on first impressions, but I assure you I'm not once someone has got to know me better.

[Iris]

I am normally not so quick to judge but when I sense bullshit I can't help but just jump the gun a bit. This thread is a prime example. When I said the psych ward was infested with attention seekers, I meant active members who have been here long enough to confirm this, not just some random newbie who's only made about 10 posts, for instance. In all honesty I have not always been so...brutally honest. For about the first year I had joined this site I was always patient, sympathetic and just generally as nice as pie. Almost like a school counselor haha :P but I guess when I tried to help so many people who refused help (not saying this is the case for this thread), my patience ran out and I just turned the tables.

I really do get that. After a while you can get desensitized.The downside is you'll start being brutally honest to people who have not proven to be attention seeking too. For me personally I try not to assume that anyone's attention seeking, because even if they are then they've got to be pretty desperate for attention to be writing some of the things I've read here. And healthy, happy people usually don't do that. So fine, they'll get some attention, they'll feel a bit better. At least their trying to get their spoonful of attention here and not somewhere where they could harm themselves.

I say a lot of things loosely, and I can understand that people can get upset by them. I'm sorry if I offended you. You're right, it is personal for me as well, but I suppose we just both react and deal with the topic in different ways.

I think everybody who has problems has been accused of attention seeking and making a bigger deal. I certainly have. People generally do assume because it can seem that way. I just kind of shake it off and ignore it because only myself and the people closest to me know the truth and know that I am not doing anything for attention. I am pretty thick skinned, but I appreciate that not everybody is like that.

Yeah you need to start developing thick skin when you have problems that most people can't understand, which I find very ironic. We have to protect ourselves even more than most people. As if we don't have enough issues. The problem is that by assuming someone's acting depressed for attention just feeds society's belief that all of us actually are. It's bad enough that people without depression think we'e doing it for attention, we don't need someone who actually has depression and knows how tough it is to think that too.

I absolutely agree that there's nothing wrong with venting your emotions, hence why I'm not harsh to every other person who posts a thread in the psych ward forum. But you can't help but think it can be bullshit when you see the same thing over and over again and ends up being nothing. It's a bit like cry wolf in way.

Maybe the person's just venting and the problem is the same as before (which is very common with long-term things like depression) so it seems attention seeking and repetitive. Maybe their hoping someone new will come along and see their posts and be able to help them. Maybe....idk; there can be so many reasons why they'd keep posting. It's not fair to assume that it's because of a desire for attention.

I look like a complete and utter heartless bitch on first impressions, but I assure you I'm not once someone has got to know me better.

Yeah I can see that. I know what it's like to act tough and apathetic. Life's hard. Sometimes you have to do things that aren't...preferable, to try and get through hard times without getting hurt too much. I'm actually jealous of you because as hard as I try, I can't seem to get that thick skin, I can only act like I do. But on the plus side I can sympathize better so I guess there's some good in it....