Is my 14 year old depressed

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My 14 yr old daughter has started high school this year and seems to be having a really hard time adjusting to school. I’m very surprised because most kids really love it there . He older sisters certainly did , as do all kids I have known.
I really thought by now that she would have gotten in the groove , but it just isn’t happening.
Her moods are bad and attitude negative almost all the time .
She never has anything positive to say about ANYTHING</p>

<p>She has always been on the sensitive side and resistant to change , but this time it is just worse than usual
I know that there aren’t any bullying issues
I know there are are no substance abuse issues
She does feel out of place because most of her friends are involved with either field hockey or soccer , both of which take up a lot of time , so she is somewhat isolated from her friends
We have urged her to join various clubs, of her choosing but she doesn’t really have a lot of interest in those either.</p>

<p>I do think she has some self esteem issues , though puzzled why. She is very pretty , very kind and and has some creative talent ( unfortunately , in an area that she has heard us say we don’t want her to pursue as her older sister has a degree in it that has proven useless to her thus far in landing a job ) </p>

<p>Today I took her out for a ride so we could be alone and chat since I am truly worried about her
I was so sad to hear her talk , though she insists she isn’t depressed
She feels like it is too late for her to get involved in something new she has a passion for which of course isn’t true</p>

<p>I just don’t know what to do…is it just normal teen angst , or something more
At what point do I decide , if at all that she needs outside help </p>

<p>I feel like such a newbie parent because I never had to deal with these issues with my other two…they had their ups and downs , but just generally got thru them with much more ease</p>

2

<p>When my mom thinks I’m depressed, we do activities together. Your daughter’s creative? Is there any place you can go to do pottery or beading? What about sewing? I find it’s easier to talk when I’m doing something. And if she enjoys these things, maybe it’ll become a hobby and give her something to do.</p>

3

<p>Hello, I am currently a high school senior and have personal experience with my parents saying I was depressed. In actuality, it’s just a transition phase. I honestly wouldn’t get worked up about it bc she is a freshman. If you said she has not had any other signs of “depression” when she was younger and her social life is fine. So just relax a bit and give it some time, so she can transition.</p>

4

<p>IF you really believe your daughter might be depressed? I would highly recommend you get a professional opinion on the subject. </p>

<p>You can start with your pediatrician, who will refer you to someone if need be.</p>

<p>In the meantime, parent to parent, I’m sorry you are worried. Coming up on the back end of my kid’s teen years? I can say they were way more stressful than I even realized at the time. Good luck.</p>