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what are the warning signs?

The most obvious warning sign is a sudden change in behavior or personality – whatever direction that may be. Be aware of an extreme change in ones reaction or lack there of to responsibilities, events, activities, and people they used to care about.

Youth trying to cope with grief may go through many stages before they are able to come to terms with their loss and before they are able really to function back to par with their normal selves.

They will most likely go through many of the following:

1. Appearing to be in a state of shock or disbelief
2. Emotional numbness
3. Sporadic releases of emotions (i.e. uncontrollable crying)
4. Constantly unaware of things going on around them (i.e. conversations, big events)
5. Trouble concentrating or thinking clearly.
6. Appearing passive and uncaring about things around them, or even things they used to care about.
7. Heightened defensive reactions
8. Providing simplistic solutions to every-day problems
9. Displaying a lack of concern for anything or anyone.

Some external warning signs to look for in a child or teen experiencing anxiety are:

1. shortness of breath
2. fainting
3. frequent urination
4. dizziness
5. sleeplessness
6. tremors & shaking
7. loss of appetite
8. profuse sweating
9. complaining about a pounding heart rate
10. inability to sit still or concentrate

Anger can be a hard feeling to identify in youth. Often anger stems from feeling hurt, then the need to express how much the person hurt them, then the action (yelling/fighting/etc.). It is important to open up a dialogue with the child when they are not angry – and discuss why it effects them so much and alternative ways of acting on those emotions.

Some external warning signs of constant anger are:

1. rapid talking
2. raised voice
3. shakiness
4. trembling
5. cold hands
6. rapid breathing
7. sweating
8. grinding of teeth
9. biting lips
10. choked feeling
11. cracked voice
12. the inability to maturely cope with small, daily problems
13. constant fighting (verbally or physically), especially with friends
14. constant behavioral out-breaks
15. violent behavior
16. destroying of personal or other’s property

With depression, it is important to always remember that everyone experiences depression at some point in his or her life. But it is also important not to lessen the severity of depression in youth and it is also pertinent to monitor the length of time it lasts and if it continually affects their day-to-day performance. Sometimes depression simply stems from an adolescent realizing they are leaving childhood and entering adulthood. This may be a necessary phase for the teen to go through.

Learning to deal and assist someone who is depressed is important because depression may lead to suicidal tendencies.

The following are some possible signs of depression:

1. Carelessness in everyday activities (lack of concern for homework, friends, eating, etc.)
2. Lack of motivation or follow through, or they may appear constantly tired
3. Talk of injuring themselves, hopelessness, and sudden/unexplainable mood change (If they suddenly become extremely positive and content with life, this may be a sign that they are pleased to know they have finally come to a satisfying conclusion to dealing with their depression, and that solution may be suicide.)
4. Talk of the latest self-destructive act or methods
5. A history of prior suicide attempts

When dealing with youth who have low self-esteem, it is important to bear in mind that this could be the root of many other social and psychological problems (e.g. anxiety disorders, poor social judgment, compulsive overeating or anorexia, poor academic performance, expulsion from school, vocational aspirations, cheating, depression, delinquency, drug abuse, unwed pregnancy, etc.). Youth with low self-esteem also tend to feel hurt a lot. To combat this feeling they may express overt defense mechanisms.

Adolescents who have low self-esteem will often feel or express feelings of:

1. Despair or vulnerability, saying something like, "There is nothing I can do about it anyway"
2. Extreme hostility
3. Bragging
4. Being extremely critical of others or display complete apathy
5. Acting shy, withdrawn, or anxious