I feel depressed and I'm 16, I don't want to tell my mom unless she doesn't believe me...

[Bubble-Cupcake]

I don't know how to feel anymore, I'm losing weight because food doesn't interest me, I feel really low, I have no energy at all, I constantly want to cry, I'm having problems sleeping at night.

[Photogeek]

Hi and sorry your feeling tearful and sad. You are only sixteen and teen years

Can be hard at the best of time.

I think it would be best to confide in your Mom and get her to make an

Appt. With your GP. He will be objective about your symptoms and give

You help. Tiredness could be anemia too but really a visit to the Doctor would

Be a great start.

There are a few great young people on the site who would be a support to

You too. So do take courage in your hand and talk to your Mom.

Let us know how you get on and you did right to share these feelings.

Hugs

Hannah x

[gardengnome]

you could see the g.p. first and then tell your mum what he thinks----you might use a web page to break the ice with your family. it is going to be exhausting trying to pretend to everybody that everything is all right, when you know that it isn't. Your mum will do what she can to help. You might not want to make your mum worried, but she is bound to be even more worried is she sees you going down hill. At least if you tell her, she will have the reassurance that you are trying to help yourself, and hopefully she can act as an extra support if you need to assert yourself with the medical professionals, honestly the more people you can get on your side the better...

[cld6]

Hi,

I completely understand where you're coming from. At your age I had anxiety and didn't tell my Mom or any of my family because of fear they wouldn't believe me. I'm 19 now and have chosen not to tell my family about my depression or my anxiety, so you may be able to take something from my experience. Whilst I think I do prefer the fact that my family don't know, it can make it very hard sometimes.

If you're having a very bad day, eg if you genuinely can't get out of bed, your Mom may just think you're being lazy and not be able to understand since she wouldn't know about the problems you're having. You could tell your Mom, and even if she didn't believe you or thought you were overreacting, you could still then schedule a GP appointment for yourself. That would be confidential seeing as you are 16, and your Mom wouldn't have to know you'd seen your doctor.

I know I sound very hypocritical, but I would try telling your Mom if you feel able to. Might it be easier to talk about it on here some more first to practice the sort of thing you'd like to tell her? The sorts of symptoms you experience, or whether there's anything in particular that sets you on a downward spiral?

Hope you feel okay soon,

Clare

[Hidden]

Hi, it sounds as though you are struggling with low feelings. You are an adolescent and often problems that have been around since childhood leave effects that only surface during teenage years. That may be so for you as you say you think your mum may not believe you. If you have some idea why you have feel low you may find it helpful to speak with a counsellor and your GP could refer you, if you have no idea why you have always felt low then he could refer you for psychotherapy which is a longer process but can help you to look at the things that prevent you from being happy at such an early time in your life. It would be sad to leave things and not get help to overcome the feelings as if not understood they may become more entrenched and result in your becoming depressed throughout adulthood. You might also find it helpful to read about what makes children depressed since you have always felt low, that may help you to begin to understand where those feelings come from. If you cannot pinpoint your low feelings to particular events in childhood, a useful starting point for reading would be to read 'A Secure Base' by Bowlby as he stresses the importance of emotional security for a child's happiness.

Suexx