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• November 12, 2009 3:35 a.m.

  I have overlooked these symptoms and i have all of them, i have for many years because of past history with my family. I feel really angry all the time and it causes me to overreact majorily. I try to get help but i dont know what is needed. I was taking lexapro that a physchiatrist prescribed me for about four months but i honestly felt no change in my mood and at points in time felt more like i couldnt control my temper once it was sparked..what should i do??? p.s. The lost of interest symptom with me is really bad. i feel like i never get excited about anything, im never happy even when i want to be, i just feel like im not myself at all.

  - Anthony

• November 6, 2009 12:57 p.m.

  I'm 15 and I have all of the symptoms. When I try to tell my mom she just says i'm to young to feel this way and only adults do. I like to take my anger out by sparring with my bro though...

  - Mekina

• October 28, 2009 4:59 p.m.

  Hi, im 18 years old and i feel like i cant live up to my step-fathers expactations.. i have alot of guy friends, but he makes it like im a bad person and always points out my flaws.. lately it has made me become more shut down and quiet everytime we talk. i have most of these symptoms, but withdrawal from family and friends. but everything else is real. i dont know why i have been getting such 'evil' thoughts. i want to see a psychiatric but i know my mother is going to say just talk to us (my mother & stepfather) but i cant..

  - Anne

• October 6, 2009 8:46 a.m.

  Your depression is treatable! Please ask your parent, trusted teacher Pastor, friend's parent, etc. for help now! Do not try to kill yourself- the permanent pain and scarring that is left behing is horrible. We know how much pain you are in but you don't have to feel this way- ask for help and talk to a live person now. This blog cannot treat you or diagnose you. As you can see, you are not alone- please pick up the phone now. You can do it!

  - Mayo clinic.Com Staff

• October 2, 2009 5:40 p.m.

  hi, i'm a 15 girl, sophomore and i've read through some of the comments here. I've noticed that most of the kids around my age i can really relate to...when i was a child i was raped, i've never gotten over it, it was by my mothers boyfriend of 8 years now... he did it in grade 2. i tried to tell my mother, but she called me a liar. my mother is an alcoholic and her boyfriend got her into booze in the first place. i've tried to kill myself 4 times, i already commented that...and i keep getting found. i have a phobia of needles, and so i can't inject an airbubble in the side of my neck to go fast... i get really snappy, a lot of the time, and i take my anger out on myself through cutting, especially in my school's bathroom during class. my marks are really low, and none of my friends really care and are quite stupid......i've had boyfriends in the past year, but i've always ended up dumping them because they cheat on me. i'm 5'3 and 82 pounds. im not sure if thats natural or not. my father's family hates me because i don't believe in god....my grandmother told me straight to my face im going to burn in hell for the rest of my life, alive or not. she's actually very well off. my mother tries to make me live her dreams, so she got me a horse which i care about, but wish she had a better owner. When i try to confront my mother, she tells me to stop " being emo" and " start playing sports" . which i hate, i'd rather sit in my room and listen to music...im unabl

  - Bea ( brittany )

• October 2, 2009 5:22 p.m.

  Hi, im brittany, i have all of those symptoms... i've already tried to kill myself....4 times but my mother found me twice, and the other 2 times i was unconcious i'm 15, and i really don't want to be anywhere what do i do?

  - Brittany

• October 2, 2009 1:07 a.m.

  I have been having troubles with my family and friends and everything else in my life. I checked the symptoms and I have all of them. Please get back to me as soon as possible.

  - emily

• August 16, 2009 7:58 p.m.

  mmm i have many of these signs. at least half of them. My depression first began in the 5th grade and it gradually increased. It did get really bad, i was constantly crying and having suicidal thoughts. My parents were not there for emotionally, so i had to just write down everything and keep everything bottled up.I never attempted suicide, but i wrote about it constantly in my diary. Today, i'm 18, however, my depression is still with me, but its not as severe as it used to be a year ago. My boyfriend has really made me happy and less depressed, and i can not thank him enough for that. It still makes me really sad that my parents are not there for me still. they tend to just ignore the problem and don't acknowledge the fact that something is wrong with me. But now instead of being alone, i have my boyfriend to talk to and my nana. But do try to talk to someone, i really recommend it, they might be able to help, especially if you have supportive family.

  - rhi

• August 2, 2009 8:41 p.m.

  im 16 and have been depressed almost all my life. i remember when i was 5 and i would look at the stars and think about how insignificant i was compared to the universe. my parents then put me in a catholic school but religion made me feel worse about everything. it didnt make sence to me and that made me sad. i didnt have any friends untill the end of 1st grade when i met a girl who felt the same as i did. things got better. then in 4th grade it got worse then before because everyone started to make fun of me. in 5th grade i started to cut myself and confided in a teacher that i wanted to kill myself. i got help after that. but i stopped going to my apointments in 7th grade and got depressed again shortly after that. in 9th grade i became open with my atheism and felt the best ive ever felt. then last year(10th grade) i got severely depressed again and i am now. i never thought id live this long. im depressed because i think at a deeper level. my parents are alcoholics. my mom almost bled to death. they are both depressed and incredibly smart. my mom would take out her anger on me everynight when i was little. i have a speech impediment where i stutter. my doctor says neurons in my brain are fireing to fast in some part of my brain that causes it. its genetic. but i dnt stutter so much anymore. it was the reason i didnt have any friends because whenever i spoke i would be ridiculed. and thats it.

  - renata

• June 29, 2009 12:49 p.m.

  All of those signs describe me exactly. I just turned 21, but i've been this way since i was 16. I was ok over the last year, but lately its been getting so much worse again, i feel like I'm 21 and still don't know who i am and i should by now. Im afraid to ask for help because i don't feel like i can talk about why I'm like this. I know the cause of it but its a lot of stuff from my past that I'm trying so hard to forget, and i feel like if i talk about it, ill feel worse and end up becoming as depressed as i was a couple of years ago and i never wanna be like that again.

  - Diana

• June 9, 2009 11:33 p.m.

  It seems to me that everyone posting here is crying out for help. Most have stated that they're fairly young, & have asked for help from parents or teachers. I am a 30 mother of 4 I've suffered from depression all my life. My mother had a nervous break down when I was 7. wasn't able to walk for over ayear because of it . My father is dead now, he went blind & died prison after molesting little girls, including my sister (a complete basket case) my brother is a compulsive liar, & thief. I have anxiety/anger/guilt issues. I had to abort a baby for health reasons. My point in typing all of this is to show - we all have issues. my 11 year old daughter has issues & won't talk to me. It doesn't matter who you tell. Just keep looking till you find someone who gives a damn. SOMEONE WILL!!!! dont' let depression get the best of you.

  - MommaD

• May 30, 2009 2:44 p.m.

  Im 13 and turning 14 in October. My mom just had twin boys in September and she almost died. In school i thought everything would be great like last year. I was wrong. my team at school (my school does 2 teams per grade) has decided that if you get a F on a assignment that you completely fail that class. When I get home from school i help take care of my brothers everyday and i help put them to bed everynight. I watch them when my mom goes out. I have had signs of deppressions for the last few months. i have thoughts of suicide and I just told my parents that I have deppression signs and they still don't get it and they just say it will go away and it hasnt. They just dont get it.My dad just says to hang out with friends and I try when im at school cause we have completly diff. sceduals and they dont talk to me out of school at all. he says that i need more sleep and itll all be fine but i know it wont.

  - Michaela

• May 29, 2009 4:52 a.m.

  I am a 20 year old woman and have been diagnosed with major depression. I have been on an antidepressant for the past 6 months. I have and am still seeing a psychologist. My attitude on life has changed drastically and I am able to speak to my parents about how I am feeling. I find it important to open up to them. My mother never knew I cut myself for two years and she never knew I had suicidal thoughts either. I think many parents are clueless when it comes to depression and suicide. I started drinking excessively, did not go to any of my lectures and spent most of the time crying. I never knew as a young child that I had suffered from depression as a young girl. I think it is vital that parents tell their children about their medical history... I was clueless and that scared me the most. I am now healthy, have stopped cutting and am happy with life. So if I can do it, so can you. I know that many of you are scared and if you need a friend you are more than welcome to contact me, even if you just want me to listen, it sometimes helps just to listen. I would advise you all to speak to your parents and parents surf the net... there is always info on how to handle depression etc. Take your child to the doctor if you think they might be suffering from depression. STAY STRONG!

  - Yvette

• May 16, 2009 12:11 a.m.

  I'm a fifteen year old sophmore guy and lately I've been feeling relly bad. I feel worthlessness in everything I do and I always feel guilty for no reason. I'm constantly getting picked on at school amd have supper low self esteam. allways being compared to my brother, I am too weak too loud and my grades arnt good enough. I'm constantly in some sort of pain like headaches or stomach aches and no matter how much sleep I get I am always tiered. I've been angered easily and am ignoring my friends because I would rather sit around and do nothing. exercize doesn't help and I can't concentrate in school. whenever I confront my family about it they tell me that its "called being a teenager". I have had short thoughts about suicide but never act on them. and I am forced to put on a fake me whenever I'm around anyone. people expect me to be perfect boy but I'm just not. the pressure is getting worse and worse and it sucks.

  - No name given

• May 14, 2009 8:50 p.m.

  Im a female, 16 years old and a sophomore.. Lately, like in the past month.. everyday all i think about is how bad my life is and about suicide.. I've tried several times to try and suffocate myself, yet i know im better than that... but i dont know why i keep wanting to do it. i've been btrayed by friends, best ones in particular... i dont speak to my dad, im feeling the pressure to be academically well off like my older brother, and i fear that i will amount to nothing when i graduate. im scared to grow up, and i feel like im wasting away quickly and i dont know what to do anymore. ive had 2 breakdowns at school in the past week, and ive cried everyday for 2 weeks now. i snap out on people for no reason. and people are suddenly starting to see an erratically rude change in me.

  - anonymous

• May 13, 2009 2:43 p.m.

  Please seek help to those of you who have written in! A blog cannot diagnose or treat you- you need to take care of yourself by speaking up and ASKING someone for help- a parent, adult relative Doctor, nurse, clergy (pastor, reverend) now! Writing to this blog will not get the help you need. Writing that you want to kill yourself will not help either- suicide is not the answer and will cause unbearable, permanent pain to those you leave behind. Depression is treatable, so get help from a live person now! Help is available. You deserve to get help and feel better.

  - Mayo Clinic .com Staff

• May 10, 2009 3:04 p.m.

  I'm a 15 year old boy in his sophomore year in high school. I have been through a tough year, having done sports, music, and a crushing school schedule (AP class and all honors) I got little sleep. I feel many symptoms of depression, but whenever I tried to discuss this with family or openly displayed my unhappiness, I was told to "stop being emo" and to "snap out of it". I don't know what I can do to make them understand how I feel. I need to escape somehow, but I feel sometimes there is no way out. I feel hopeless, an empty weight in my chest constantly. I have made plans for suicide, but would rather not act on them due to the selfishness of the actions and the pain that it might cause my family. I get angry at myself for anything I do. When I don't perform up to my standards I sink farther into melancholy. I believe that failure cannot go unpunished. I cut as an emotional release. I don't sleep much, but am always tired. I feel worthless, and that I don't deserve what I have or what people give to me. In academics I previously excelled, yet now am failing to be able to pass the easiest exams. I don't know who to talk to or where to seek help. I fear being judged, that people would just say that I'm overrecting, that I'm weak. That I'm just a teenager. I hate going to doctors, not because I fear them, I fear that I would be harshly judged and mocked. When I try to talk to people, I just get angry at myself. And then get angry at myself for being angry

  - Anonymous

• April 28, 2009 9:09 p.m.

  A belated comment but...I experienced depression as a teenager and I am now a mum of 2 beautiful teenage daughters. My goal every day is maintain contact with my girls through talking, listening and touching. Sometimes asking what is wrong is just not the right question, sometimes just a cuddle can open up discussion. I also believe that my girls need to know that sometimes I am angry or sad or frustrated and that is ok, just as it is for them. And these feelings are normal and not part of any diagnosis - sometimes life just sucks and if we are tired or hungry or overworked, things that we would normally laugh off seem overwhelming. Person, the strong friend becomes stronger by letting others help them...I am sure your friends will be glad to listen to you. Try not to be too hard on yourself - just look at the achievements you have listed - great friend, good marks, volleyball and your family. This time will pass - Hopeful is right, you are loved and you mean a lot to your family and friends - just treat yourself as you would one of your friends who came to you for help. I am sending you a big cuddle and warm wishes and strength all the way from Australia! JTM

  - JTM

• April 25, 2009 7:52 a.m.

  i've been diagnosed with clinical depresson, an eating disorder and anxiety and ADD. my lifes been really hard lately even though im on medication. i'v learned to just take it one day-- only today and nothing else, because i cant handle it.

  - lar

• April 8, 2009 8:34 p.m.

  i have been feeling these signs for the past couple of years. but my parents are together, they dont argue every night, im not abused, no horrible thing has ever happened to me. i wont tell anyone because i am supposed to be the strong friend, and i always try to make others feel better by letting them talk to me and i just dont have anyone to talk to. i dont want my family to find out because i dont think they would understand and i dont want them to blame themselves so i have just been bottling it up for the past couple years. i used to be in volleyball but i stopped and i have withdrawn socially, i used to talk to everyone now i have few friends. my marks are dropping and even though i want them to be better i just cant bring myself to care enough to try and bring them up. and since i have no logical reason to be depressed icontinually make myself feel worse. everytime i start to feel depressed i get mad at myself becuase i have to reason/right to be despressed when there are so many people out there that are worse off then me and i end up making myself feel worse and hate myself. i used to think about suicide but couldn't bring myself to do it because i didnt want my family to pay stupid amounts of money for a funeral. i just wish it would all go away

  - person

• April 2, 2009 8:04 p.m.

  Hi im 14 and said to have anxiety and depression. This last year I pulled out of school, volleyball, and a social life. I am going to a therapist every week and currently switching from zoloft to Laxapro but I still feel the same. The future doesn't seem that great if it's always going to be constant struggle. Stories of people who overcame this are common. I just don't understand how they did it?

  - paige

• April 1, 2009 10:24 p.m.

  i just wanted to say to never give up, ever. it's like letting them win. it's giving in, basically. and it's not worth it. talk to your friends & family, they're trusting and loving and they'll support you. i'm currently twelve and i've known about my depression for three years. i regret not telling my family. now it's too late, at this point. but i write poetry, which sounds angsty but it helps, and my friends have been there for me. i've thought of suicide, etc., but it's NOT WORTH IT. it never will be. life is a rollercoaster and everything may suck, but it has to get bad before it can get better. remember that someone loves you & you probably mean a lot to them; think of your family. to them you are worth a lot. aren't they worth living for? remember to have hope and find ways to make it through your pain.

  - hopeful

• April 1, 2009 9:53 p.m.

  Lea- Did anyone get back to you?? My husband and I have the same problem with our son... almost carbon copy- except no accident... this just started all on its own as far as we can tell... we have been dealing with it for over 1 1/2 years... finally we are going to try a depression clinic to see if that will help...

  - Sally

• April 1, 2009 4:48 p.m.

  To Alll of you who have shared your pain, Please get help by talking to your doctor, nurse, school counselor, parent, friend's parent, pastor or clergy or an adult you know and trust. You don't have to feel depressed-there is treatment and hope. You need to ask! We cannot treat or diagnose ont his blog. Take the advice of your peers who wrote in on this site too. You are not alone-you have to talk to an adult you know first.

  - MC.Com Staff

• April 1, 2009 10:01 a.m.

  Brittany, please do not despair. There is help, try your high school counselor first or a local counseling agency. If you call them, they may be able to see you confidentially and at no cost to you. If nothing else, try the National Alliance on Mental Health phone number listed in this blog for referrals in your area. When I was your age I didn't talk to anyone about my feelings either and kept it inside. You are not alone and life can be good if you reach out for help. You have had a rough road but coming to adulthood soon and you'll need some help to get over the hard times right now. Good luck and I hope you will let us know how it went in making a call to someone. Hang in there, life can be good although it may not seem that way now.

  - BeenThere