Help for Teenage Depression:
Teenager and Soooo lost, am I depressed?

Looking for help for teenage depression:

I'm a 14 yr old girl, I am from a foreign country then the one I am in now, I have learned to live here quite happily sice I was young when I arived but as soon as grade 8 ended and grade 9 started I felt horrable. Like I couldn't do anything right. I found myself longing to be back in the care free elementry days. I cant stay focused in classes, When I finally do talk to "friends" I say things I should not and it just makes me feel worse. To the point I feel like I'm either depressed or falling into the hole of it. PLEASE HELP ME! I feel like the biggest screw up in the history of my family!

Help,
Lost and always screwing up

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Thanks for reaching out. Without knowing what symptoms you are feeling it is difficult to know if you are experiencing any depression. You can read up on depression among teenagers and signs of teenage depression here on my site.

Even if it's not depression, it does sound like you are experiencing what all teenagers experience - confusion, despair, self doubt. I can recall having those feelings myself. Being a teenager was so tough!!

As much as teens hate to hear it, teenage years are very difficult. There are so many pressures these days that older generations never encountered. As a teen, we look around and try to navigate the world by observing others. What is acceptable, what is not. What is safe to say, do, be.....what is not. The key is to be yourself and know that you will not be liked by everyone, you will not be perfect. We all make mistakes and do stupid things. We all have regrets. These mistakes and regrets do not define you. Rather, they help you learn and grow so that you can continue to become the amazing person you are meant to be.

Go easy on yourself, don't be afraid of the judgements of others, and don't judge yourself. Rather BE yourself. BELIEVE in yourself. Also, read my article about the causes of teen depression. I think, after doing some research, you'll be able to determine if are depressed or not.

All the best,

Dana