Teen FAQ
For over 10 years, teens have been asking us questions on every topic imaginable. While we are no longer taking new questions, we have a wealth of information we would like to share with teenagers.
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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Suicide > Feeling down
Posted on: 04/11/2008
Question
Hi, i'm 18 (male) and have been feeling down lately. Since Xmas I have had thoughts of death, but i am not sure why. life is going great (i'm going to college and free money), but for some reason i feel sad most of the time, cry for no reason. i dont enjoy things like i used to and have thoughts of death, self harm and fear that i'll do something to myself. I DONT WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO MYSELF, I really need to know what is wrong with me?
Answer
Dear Teen, Sometimes we can feel down and it seems like it comes out of the blue. Sometimes there may be an event or ongoing situation that can trigger these down feelings, and we aren?t aware that our feelings are tied to something that has occurred. Which ever the case for you, the feelings that you describe sound like possible signs of depression. Some of the common symptoms of depression are a loss of pleasure in usual activities, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, problems with concentration and focus of attention, isolation, feelings of hopelessness, thoughts of self harm. Many young people experience depression, especially during the time of life when one faces transitions and questions about the future. I would encourage you to seek support, either from a parent or close family member, school teacher/counselor or to seek counseling with a qualified therapist. Often talking about our experiences and related emotions can help us to better understand ourselves and learn new skills for coping with our feelings. If you are interested, please check the information on our website to learn more about depression: www.pamf.org/teen/life/depression/teendepression.html.