Signs of nervous breakdowns in teenagers. Depression in a teenager: What to do

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The modern lifestyle has a negative impact not only on the health of adults, but also on children. Nervous disorders in children are very common, but parents are not able to identify this pathology, thinking that this is just another whim. With the younger generation, circumstances are much simpler, because they are able to talk about their feelings, and the signs of a nervous breakdown in a teenager help to make a final diagnosis. Children are very active and sometimes it is difficult to determine when an action comes from nervousness, and in what case it simply needs to release excess energy. Therefore, you have to resort to the help of specialists.

Parents need to monitor their child and note actions that become habitual. A nervous breakdown manifests itself differently in each person, and the same applies to children. One person withdraws into himself, while others, on the contrary, prefer to scream loudly and throw tantrums. If your child has taken up the habit of rolling on the floor and screaming wildly, it is best to contact a neurologist who can dispel all doubts. According to experts, neurosis occurs solely because of this, which causes the emotional state to become unbalanced.

The main warning factors include the following symptoms:

The occurrence of hallucinations;
Ahead of mental development their peers;
The child begins to fantasize or deceive in all seriousness;
Lost interest in life;
Strong interest in one subject at school (overindulgence).

These symptoms appear only at the initial stage of a nervous breakdown, and to prevent their development, contact a neurologist in a timely manner.

How do nervous disorders manifest in children?

Nervous tic. Very often, nervous disorders in children manifest themselves in this form, which is expressed in unconscious twitching of the limbs, cheeks, shrugging of shoulders, unreasonable movement of the hand, smacking, and so on. If you notice a nervous tic in a child when he is in a calm state, this is the first sign of a nervous disorder. With active activity, the tic disappears.
Poor sleep or insomnia. If your child previously slept well, but suddenly begins to toss and turn frequently, sleep restlessly and wakes up very often, you should also pay attention to this symptom. In this form of the disorder, children also talk during sleep, and it becomes very realistic.
Neurosis. This is the most serious form of the disease and parents should pay attention Special attention for the following symptoms: sadness, hysteria, phobias, frequent fears, obsessive movements, quiet speech, depression, panic. As soon as you notice these symptoms, consult a specialist immediately.
Stuttering. This form of the disorder occurs in children around the age of three years. During this period, the baby learns to talk. It is very important not to overload the child, as due to the information load, he may experience stress. Ultimately important healthy child, not a potential prodigy. Stuttering also occurs when separated from loved ones.
Enuresis. When a child experiences a strong shock or overstimulation, he wets the bed. During this period, unstable mood, numerous whims and increased tearfulness are noted.
Anorexia. This form of nervous disorder results in loss of appetite. If a child was forced to eat in childhood, then in adolescence this, as a rule, “results” in the desire for a slim figure. The best way to treat anorexia is early age, since teenagers show greater independence and rely on their inexperience.

Very often, the development of a nervous breakdown is caused by the incorrect behavior of parents, despite all the love on their part. To avoid the development of the disease and its appearance a priori, try to avoid the following actions:

Note the child’s shortcomings, constantly pointing out their weakness, as if trying to eradicate them. In this case, it is better to concentrate on the wealth that needs to be acquired;
Sending a child to two schools, clubs and other sections that he does not like, creating an overload;
Excessive guardianship of a child;
Scandals in the family;
Show that the child must achieve favor with his parents, earn it. Try to show your love.

Treatment of children

Treatment of nervous breakdowns in children consists of different techniques in psychotherapy. Depending on the age, both nonverbal and verbal therapy can be used. However, at the heart of any technique is the idea of combating anxiety and fears. It is necessary to reduce the patient’s anxiety and return him to a harmonious life. To do this, you need to remove all grievances, guilt and get out of stress. If a child has a nervous breakdown, it is advisable to conduct psychotherapy sessions with the whole family. However, in the case of teenagers, it is better to trust a professional without resorting to the help of parents. Moreover, some adults themselves have personality disorders.

As for the use of medications, they are used as an addition and only in advanced cases. Drugs, of course, can ease anxiety and temporarily cure a breakdown, but if the cause is not removed, which can be resolved exclusively with a psychotherapist, the disease will return again and, perhaps, with greater force.

What should parents do if their child has a nervous breakdown?

As a rule, children accumulate tension in kindergarten or a house that sooner or later breaks out. If you feel your child is on the verge of a tantrum, try the following:

When the baby is already on the limit and ready to throw a tantrum, smile at him, kiss him and tell him a joke.
Try to redirect the child's attention. This needs to be done sharply to cause surprise. One way is to pretend to be hysterical, making a preemptive move. In some cases, this causes surprise and reassurance.

What should you do if your child has already had a nervous breakdown:

Place your child in a cool shower. If he is unable to do this on his own, pick him up and take him to the bath. As a last resort, splash cold water on your face or put ice, a bag of frozen vegetables, or a towel soaked in cold water on your forehead. As you know, cold water slows down reactions in the body and washes away negative energy, emotions recede;
Use the mirror technique. The point is to repeat all the actions that the baby does. IN at a young age this causes great surprise and reassurance, hysteria is replaced by curiosity;
If an attack occurs, remove all dangerous objects away, as the child does not understand what he is doing and does not control himself. He can easily pick up an object and throw it wherever he wants;
Create an environment of privacy. Some people calm down when left alone, but you still need to watch your baby discreetly.

What actions should be taken after a hysteria has occurred:

Prepare hot tea and add a couple of drops of motherwort. This will calm the nervous system, the brain will come into balance, and the child will fall asleep;
Brew herbal teas with St. John's wort, mint, motherwort, fennel, and lavender more often. This is especially true if the child often cries and breaks down.

Don't forget about others preventive measures, in particular, B vitamins can remove negative emotional reactions and reduce the amount of stress. Cookies, cheese, egg yolk, beets, tomatoes, pears, spinach, cauliflower, carrots and others are very useful for the nervous system. dairy products. It has recently been proven that folic acid helps reduce the amount of the amino acid homocysteine, which has increased level in children prone to hysteria and nervous breakdown.

Signs and causes of nervous breakdown in teenagers

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Probably every person with age looks at the younger generation with caution, comparing his youth with the modern generation. In any case, it can be noted that teenagers behave extremely defiantly, noisily, aggressively and obscenely. At home, of course, almost everyone follows the rules of decency, but at school or on the street, behavior most often changes greatly. As a result, individuals who are very trusting, subject to strong emotions and unable to protect themselves, receive psychological injuries, and they hit a person an order of magnitude harder than physical ones.

The psychological trauma suffered can interfere with full development with age or throughout life if it is not removed. Since in the post-Soviet space it is not yet customary to go to a psychologist, people are forced to cope with these problems on their own.

What causes contribute to the development of a nervous breakdown?

Unfavorable group among friends or at school;

Inability to stand up for yourself and defend your point of view;

Unfavorable climate within the family;

Lack of a favorite activity;

Frequent stress and emotional tension.

Signs of a nervous breakdown:

The teenager begins to withdraw into himself, avoids all contact with friends, blames others;
Shows excessive activity. However, this is much less common, since an outburst of emotions, even in the most primitive and ugly form, helps a person get rid of negativity;
During relaxation, the limbs of the body begin to twitch;
Poor sleep and insomnia;
Constant dialogues and disputes within the individual;
Depression and apathy towards the surrounding world.

Parents should show maximum attention, because suicidal acts often occur among the younger generation and one gets the impression that modern school education only contributes to this. Show more care, try to spend weekends together, going out into the country for fishing or just relaxing. This will protect the teenager from bad companies, if any. Encourage him to sign up for interesting sections, where there is a “healthy” team. If your child feels negative and dismissive from other teenagers, take him to sports section, wrestling or other types of combat. Thus, he will feel confident in himself and will be able to defend his point of view.

Treatment of adolescents

Like any treatment for a nervous breakdown, adolescents must follow certain rules:

Avoid conflicting communication, surround yourself with a favorable society;
Drink herbal teas with soothing herbs more often;
Do light sports;
Listen to relaxing music;
If you wish, do yoga, meditation;
Be sure to contact a psychotherapist who will help solve pressing problems and identify the cause of a nervous breakdown.

The intense rhythm of life, the high demands of reality, strict standards of compliance with society, and the incessant flow of diverse information have become familiar phenomena for many contemporaries. However, the existing way of things in society is intense, continuous, long-lasting, accumulating for the human body. negative impact on the psyche as a stress factor.

The brain of many adults has adapted to the effects of certain stressors and is able to provide adequate protection for the body, using various mechanisms of “defensive” reactions. However, the completely unformed, fragile, immature psyche of children and adolescents often becomes defenseless against many stress factors. In addition, the addition of hormonal chaos during puberty does not in the best possible way affects the emotional sphere of a teenager, often resulting in a variety of borderline neurotic reactions or transforming into mental pathologies, often manifesting in the form of depression.

During the puberty period, a large-scale revaluation and replacement of ideals occurs: the teenager stops idealizing his ancestors, strives to distance himself from his parents, but in most cases he is not psychologically ready to commit such a symbolic “murder” of former idols. True physiological “imbalance” of the emotional background is manifested in constant changes in mood: attacks of tearfulness, periods of blues, moments of oppressive melancholy, which are replaced by a phase of psychomotor excitement and euphoric jubilation.

In adolescence, even minor difficulties are perceived as insurmountable problems that bring unbearable pain. The death of parents, a dysfunctional atmosphere in the family, a break in relationships with their “first love,” unsatisfactory performance at school, social isolation, and failure in their endeavors cause a strong negative emotional reaction in children, forming depression and often pushing them to an act of despair—attempting suicide.

According to numerous statistical sources, depression in adolescents varying degrees severity is observed in 60-80% of adolescents, and in most cases, melancholic conditions lasting more than two weeks require professional assistance medical care. In childhood and adolescence, the problem of suicidal behavior has become the subject of close attention of scientists around the world. According to the American Psychiatric Association, suicide is the leading cause of death among children and youth: every year more than 500,000 members of the younger generation make suicide attempts, of which 5,000 cases result in death.

Pubertal disorder carries a high risk of developing depression in adulthood. Research conducted at the Maudsley Hospital showed that the consequences of depression in an adult are often long-term problems with adaptation in society, persistent difficulties in personal relationships, and an increased risk of suicidal behavior (in more than 44% of sample participants).

Depression in children and adolescents: causes

Numerous factors influencing the formation of depression have been established and confirmed. In the majority of clinically recorded cases, the disorder, which arose in the age period from 12 to 25 years, is of a hereditary nature (genetic predisposition to pathologies of the mental sphere). Depression in children and adolescents is much more common in cases where one or both parents in the family suffer from this illness in a severe form and periodically undergo psychotherapeutic treatment.

The second most important factor provoking depression in adolescents is a dysfunctional atmosphere in the family. Growing up in a single-parent family, drinking parents, the lack of a unified strategy for raising heirs, frequent quarrels and showdowns between relatives, and excessive, unfair demands on a child have a huge negative impact on the child’s psyche.

The impetus for the development of the disorder in a teenager is a variety of factors, based on the influence environment in case of flaws in the child’s personal identification (inadequate or incorrect self-image). Lack of understanding from loved ones, insufficient level of performance at school, low social status family, lack of authority among peers, distorted sexual orientation, the inability to achieve visible heights in sports are strong arguments for the mind to react to what is happening with depression.

Juvenile age- a crisis period of psychological maturation, coinciding with large-scale hormonal changes during puberty. Hormonal changes cause disruption of the neurotransmitters that control emotional sphere, and the resulting shortage of certain chemical substances triggers the development of depression. IN puberty The teenage complex clearly manifests itself:

teenagers are hypersensitive to outsiders’ assessment of their appearance and abilities,
their behavior combines extreme arrogance and ultimatum judgments,
spiritual sensitivity and attentiveness coexist with callousness and callousness,
shyness and modesty alternate with swagger and vulgarity,
the desire to be recognized by society coexists with demonstrative independence and love of freedom,
non-acceptance of generally accepted norms and rules, denial of authorities goes in step with the creation and deification of idols.

An important factor in the formation of the disorder is the instability and conflict of self-esteem, which has a rigid (inflexible), highly fluctuating, disorganizing nature. A low level of self-esteem, the formation of self-esteem under the influence of external assessments, a negative connotation of a retrospective, current and prognostic view of one’s personality is an ideal platform for mental pathologies.

Depression in Teens: Symptoms

Often, symptoms of depression in adolescents include changes in behavior and frequent mood swings. A child suffering from a disorder avoids social contacts, breaks off relationships with friends, and prefers to be alone. The following are the leading symptoms of depression in teenagers:

Frequent pain syndromes: headache, discomfort in the epigastric region;
Difficulty concentrating, absent-mindedness, forgetfulness, excessive distractibility;
Inability to independently develop the right decision;
Irresponsible attitude towards one's responsibilities;
Decreased appetite or excessive need for food;
Scandalous, rebellious behavior;
Feeling of oppressive melancholy;
Unreasonable anxiety;
Feeling of hopelessness and futility of the future;
Insomnia, interrupted sleep, daytime sleepiness;
Sudden loss of interests;
Consumption of alcoholic beverages, drugs;
Irritability, aggressiveness;
The occurrence of obsessive thoughts about death.

The diagnosis of teenage depression is made on the basis of interviews conducted by a psychiatrist with the child and his environment, taking into account the results specially adapted for childhood psychological tests. The stage and severity of the disorder, the presence of a risk of suicidal actions and, accordingly, the construction of a treatment regimen are determined after a detailed study of the clinical picture of the disease.

Teenage depression: treatment

Today, many methods for treating depression in adolescents have been developed and are successfully used, including the prescription of pharmacological drugs and psychotherapy sessions.

In cases where depressive disorder is mild and not burdened by suicidal thoughts and socially dangerous behavior, the first choice of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy. An illness that has a real reason for its formation - an obvious dysfunctional situation in the family - is successfully overcome after family psychotherapy sessions. The work of a professional psychologist with children with low self-esteem, indecisive, suspicious and timid adolescents is aimed primarily at developing adequate self-acceptance, new personal standards, an active life position and a sense of self-worth.

In cases where a teenager experiences acute or prolonged depression, there is a need to use medication or a combination treatment regimen, often carried out in an inpatient setting. Prescribing antidepressants, neuroleptics and anxiolytics to pediatric and adolescence– a serious and responsible task, since some drugs of these classes can provoke the emergence or intensification of symptoms of other mental disorders. For example: trade names of SSRIs with active substance Fluoxetine are preferable for depressive states that occur with motor retardation and increased drowsiness, while they aggravate symptoms in patients with psychomotor agitation, suffering from insomnia or experiencing panic anxiety, often causing manic manifestations. If you follow all the letters of the law, then there is a license for the use of antidepressants in the age group up to 15 years only for Amitriptylinum. However, in practice, other more modern “gentle” psychotropic drugs are used in effective therapeutic dosages, which have a minimum side effects.

In order for a teenager to experience the effective benefits of prescribed medications, he must not only strictly comply with all medical prescriptions, but also become an active participant in the process of overcoming depression.

Often adults perceive a bad mood in teenagers as a transitional age, regular whims. At one time, psychotherapists did not attach much importance to the topic of treating depression in adolescents, but the huge number of cases of suicide that children and adolescents have committed over the last period all over the world has forced us to reconsider this issue and study it in more detail. A study conducted by Australian researchers found that among 400 adolescents aged 10 to 14 years, ten percent had clinical depression, and about half were prone to depression in the future. What is depression in children and adolescents? Why does it occur and can it be prevented?

The period between the transition from childhood to adulthood is the most emotional and controversial. At this moment, the teenager is subject to various influences from the surrounding world; he may often become disappointed in friends, life situations, people. His psyche is still very unstable and vulnerable. A profound restructuring of the body occurs - sexual maturation, which is characterized by an increase in the activity of the central nervous system and the development of the activity of the endocrine glands. At this moment, the processes of excitation in adolescents prevail over inhibition, as a result of which they often react inadequately to the comments of adults, peers, and surrounding events. All young people are subject to these changes, only the intensity of the process is different for each of them.

Depression in adolescents is a severe psychological disorder that is characterized by a sharp decline in mood, negative statements or intentions, emotional distress, and often thoughts of suicide. This psychological condition is considered a serious illness that adults must pay attention to, as it can lead to psychological disability or mortality. Depression in children and adolescents is quite common, but it is not always possible to recognize it in time. Between the ages of 11 and 16, children tend to withdraw into their own world, isolate themselves from family and friends, and be alone. Sometimes, in order to identify a serious problem in time, the basic attention of parents is not enough. Like any disease, depression has its own causes and symptoms, so the task of adults is to help the child in a timely manner and not to miss the onset of the development of the disease.

The main signs of depression in teenagers are:

irritability over trifles, anger, tearfulness, rudeness, malice;
worries, worries, anxiety, melancholy, restless sleep, loss of appetite;
fatigue, lack of strength, emptiness, apathy, decreased performance;
feeling of guilt, closedness, cessation of communication with friends, loved ones, desire to be alone;
problems with concentration, forgetfulness, irresponsibility, low self-esteem;
headaches, heart, stomach pains;
refusal or abuse of food;
insomnia at night and excessive activity during the day;
thoughts of death and suicide, which can also manifest themselves in creativity, drawings, statements, self-mutilation, and committing reckless acts that are unsafe for life;
consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, promiscuity.

Parents and teachers simply must pay attention to the symptoms of depression in teenagers. And if at least three points of signs of depression are observed in a child, it is important to direct your attention to this and contact a qualified specialist.

Depressive states in adolescents are also characterized by eczema, intestinal colic, anorexia, night cries, and enuresis. Such children are more likely to get colds, infectious diseases. Adults should be wary of a teenager’s lack of a smile, a constantly melancholic expression on his face, frozen facial expressions, and crying for no reason. Children prone to depression may sit motionless for a long time and lie with their eyes open. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between capriciousness, bad character, and teenage rebellion. However, if a teenager’s bad mood does not leave him for several weeks, he needs to seek help, since the consequences of worsening the condition in depressed teenagers can be very dire: aggressive attacks, drug addiction, vagrancy, suicide attempts.

Causes of depression in teenagers

As a rule, depression does not arise out of nowhere. There are always certain factors that influenced its occurrence and development. The main reasons that can trigger teenage depression include:

Hormonal changes in the body. As a result of the chemical processes occurring, a teenager may experience a state of anxiety, nervousness, and mood changes. Hormonal changes in the body in adolescents are considered to be the main cause of depression.
Rethinking the outside world, inconsistency of ideas about the real world, teenage maximalism, egocentrism and categoricalness.
Unfavorable family environment: quarrels in the family, divorce of parents, alcoholism, drug addiction, coldness and inattention of parents, illness and death of loved ones.
Problems with appearance and perception of oneself as an ugly duckling. It is especially pronounced in girls.
Social status and wealth. Often the cause of depression is the inability to dress beautifully, vacation abroad, or have a fashionable gadget.
Personal experiences: unrequited first love, separation from a loved one. The first sexual contacts can shock a teenager and cause disappointment. The lack of sex education leads to him making mistakes, and this affects his self-esteem and leads to isolation.
Failures in school life make the teenager deeply unhappy. Bad grades reduce a teenager's self-esteem and isolate him from his peers.
High demands from parents cause the child to fear punishment, feel guilty and worthless.
Heredity. If any of your relatives suffered from depression or other mental disorders.

Sometimes there can be several reasons, and together they only aggravate the situation. Children need friends, close people whom they can trust, open up and communicate with. In search of self-affirmation, a teenager finds solace in online communication on the Internet, which narrows his range of interests. The child is hiding from real life, which further aggravates his condition. Teenagers who were injured during childbirth, suffered from hypoxia, encephalopathy, intrauterine infection, are very sensitive to climate change, and are characterized by seasonal depression.

The role of parents in solving the problem

Most adults, faced with such a situation, in a panic ask themselves the following questions: depression in a child - what to do? How to help a teenager? The role of parents at this difficult stage for the child is simply invaluable. They must show maximum attention, tact, and caution, because the teenager’s future may depend on them. Parents should talk to teachers about the problem and during this period try to protect the child from ridicule, harsh criticism, and surround him with attention and care. It is very important to tell a teenager how much he is loved and appreciated, to communicate more with the child, not to leave him alone with his problems, to always be there, to support, to help the teenager, to become a true friend. However, there are situations when parents themselves are unable to cope with the current situation. How do you understand that the moment has come when you need to seek help from a specialist? There are certain signs that adults simply must pay attention to:

Isolation of a teenager from others, the desire to constantly be alone.
Visible signs of self-harm.
Obsession with the theme of death, the afterlife.
Refusal to eat for more than five days.
Aggression, conflicts, breaking the law, immoral behavior.
Progressive apathy towards everything that surrounds the teenager.

Between the ages of 10 and 12 years, depressed children tend to experience deteriorating health and eating and digestive disorders. They become withdrawn and lose interest in everything. From 12 to 14 years of age, children experience some inhibition, as a result of which they may begin to study worse and spend more time on the street. They develop a fear of being punished, anger, aggression, and protest arise. However, the most problematic period is considered to be the age from 14 to 19 years, when they begin to think about the meaning of life and their upcoming choice of profession. It is adults who should be there during this time period, suggest the right decision and act as advisers. Parents must provide emotional support, listen and hear their child, organize correct mode day, provide a nutritious, balanced diet, and fill the teenager’s life with positive emotions. Love, patience and care can work real miracles.

Treatment of teenage depression

It is important to understand that depression is a serious illness that must be treated by specialists. There is no need to try to solve this problem yourself, especially if it has begun to become progressive. A depressive state destroys the fragile psyche of a teenager, so you shouldn’t hope that the problem will solve itself. A psychotherapist or psychiatrist will conduct the necessary tests, studies, analyze the expressed symptoms and prescribe the necessary treatment. Therapeutic program consists of the following components:

psychological tests, therapeutic studies, laboratory tests, neurological examination;
vitamins, antidepressants, hormones if necessary, immunocorrectors, painkillers and stimulants;
psychotherapeutic individual and group sessions.

With a mild form of depression, the teenager should remain in his usual routine, attend school, and do everyday activities. Treatment of severe cases of depression with suicide attempts occurs only in specialized institutions under constant supervision. Qualified specialists will appoint best option therapy that will focus on how to get out of depression. Sometimes a course is enough psychological consultations to identify the main problems of a teenager, teach him to deal with negative thoughts and control yourself. If the situation in the family is difficult, then such consultations are carried out separately with the teenager’s parents. If you have family members who have suffered from depression or any other disorder, it is important to tell your doctor.

To lift a teenager out of a deep depression, antidepressants are often prescribed. Any medications can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor to avoid negative consequences. The mechanism of their action is to equalize the amount of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in the teenager’s body. The lack of these substances leads to the emergence and development of a depressive state. Treatment with antidepressants in adolescents has not yet been fully studied, so before you start taking them, you need to weigh everything carefully. These medications are unsafe for a young body, so the choice of drug and dose should be made only by qualified specialists. The fact is that it is necessary to take a teenager out of depression with the help of antidepressants very carefully, since in the first two months their use can increase the risk of suicide. Antidepressants also tend to have side effects in the form of sleep disturbances, increased fatigue, drowsiness, and addiction to them. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate! This is very dangerous for a teenager's health!

Patients should be closely monitored and treatment should be reconsidered if their condition worsens. In order to lift a teenager out of severe depression, the latest generation of antidepressants with a minimum number of negative side effects are successfully used: Pyrazidol, Azafen, Amitriptyline. Herbal sedatives and tranquilizers are also successfully used, such as Tenoten, Adaptol, tinctures of peony, motherwort, and valerian. The most successful way to treat depression in adolescents is a combined method, when psychotherapy is used together with medication.

Teenagers who are surrounded by attention from all sides and provided with support and acceptance, regardless of the situation, recover much faster from depression. Balanced diet, healthy image life, physical activity, walks fresh air, positive emotions, healthy relationships in the family and with friends, doing favorite things guarantee a mild course of teenage depression. Teenagers can be brought out of a depressed state much faster if there is a positive atmosphere of love and mutual understanding in the family.

“I cry all the time - whether there is a reason or not!” What to do with tears over trifles if they interfere with a normal life? And why do people cry for no reason? Excessive emotionality since childhood? Not at all.

The modern rhythm of life is accompanied by regular stress, haste and tension. Surely, each of us, against the background of overwork, was overtaken by sudden, causeless tears. Let's try to figure out what are the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. And let's look at simple practical ways to cope with the problem.

Why do people cry for no reason?

Everyone has probably thought about where crying without a reason comes from when they are in a difficult emotional situation. Even when . Have you probably witnessed or actor such a picture. We remember that tears are an expression of emotions accumulated in our body. But what exactly can trigger tears for no reason?

Reasons why you want to cry for no reason

Accumulated neuroses and stress.

Stress overtakes us at work, in transport, on the street, at home. That the most amazing irritation and nervousness often arises on vacation, where a person does not expect it at all. It is almost impossible to predict and prevent such a phenomenon. Negative emotions consume us and accumulate in the body. They negatively affect our nervous system, weakening it.

Without realizing it, we become “exhausted” from overwork and stress. And tears for no reason become the body’s reaction to the emotional overload with which our exhausted nervous system unable to cope on her own.
Severe stress due to long-standing events.

The human brain is capable of absorbing and remembering the most vivid moments. We are talking about positive and negative phenomena. Even if it seems to you that everything has long passed and been forgotten, memories are stored at the level of the subconscious, which is sometimes capable of behaving unpredictably. Why do they cry for no reason at the most unpredictable moments, when everything seems to be fine? Try to look for the cause of sudden tears in the past - perhaps you have not been able to let go of some events. Maybe it's a reaction to a memory. Your brain has found something “painful” in a specific situation, movie, music track. And he reacted with unexpected and causeless tears.
Disturbances in the body.

Unreasonable tears can also occur against the background of hormonal imbalances. Most often society. An excess or deficiency of certain substances in the body affects a person’s emotional state. Along with the “tearful” reaction, the body produces other unforeseen consequences - weight loss or gain, drowsiness or insomnia, poor or increased appetite.

If the tears that appear on their own are not accompanied by emotional stress and disturbance emotional state, contact your ophthalmologist. It happens that you don’t want to cry, but tears appear involuntarily. This can also be caused by a blockage or cold in the eye canal. At the same time, there may be discomfort in the corners of the eyes.

“I constantly cry for no reason, what should I do about it?”

If, in addition to causeless tears, you begin to notice other problems in the body, you should definitely make an appointment with a doctor. Perhaps you are lacking some substance in your body and it would not hurt to get tested for thyroid hormones. In any case, a specialist will examine you and help identify and eliminate the root of the problem. If necessary, he will refer you to see a psychotherapist, whom you did not consider necessary to go to on your own.

But if causeless tears are caused by chronic fatigue, rest is indicated for you. Based on the situation, choose the best course of action. Evening walks before bed and relaxing baths will help cope with irritability. Or maybe you need a day off for good sleep? And if you haven’t gone anywhere for a long time, plan a picnic or fishing for the weekend. Rest helps to cope with the consequences of chronic neurosis and normalize the nervous system.

How to react to causeless crying?

Where's the best place to cry?

Even strong people have the right to tears and there is no need to be afraid of it.
If you really want to cry, it’s better to cry in a psychologist’s office, at the same time together you will find the real reason and be able to solve your problems.
Suppressing feelings and emotions is much more dangerous.

“I often cry for no reason. What to do when tears appear at the most inopportune moment - at work, on the street or in public places?

First of all, do not be alarmed by this reaction of the body. If your emotionality suddenly manifested itself, even attracting the attention of others, this is not the worst thing in life. You can handle everything. If for some reason you feel like crying for no reason, there is still a reason. You need to look for her. But first of all, you need to calm down. Try the following techniques if you experience sudden tears:

Talk.

Moral support loved one- a great way to cope with worries, calm down and look at what is happening in a new way. Sometimes talking with a stranger can save you. Without fearing the reaction of loved ones, you simply express what worries you. Against the backdrop of emotional unloading, sudden tears also occur.
Self-control.

If you often find yourself in tears for no reason, you will have to learn to control them. This cannot be done without initial efforts. Don't try - it won't do much good. It’s better to consciously set yourself to calm down. Take a deep breath several times, follow your breath, focus on it, get up, drink water, try to switch your attention to any object around - look at it and tell yourself about it: what color it is, why it is here, etc. Your job is to shift your thoughts to something that doesn't cause you to have an obvious emotional reaction. Try to achieve complete muscle relaxation and redirect the flow of thoughts, this will help you calm down.
Medication assistance.

Any pharmacological drug must be taken as prescribed by a doctor. But you can also purchase a complex of vitamins on your own - despite the popular belief that causeless tears need to be “treated,” it doesn’t hurt to do some simple prevention. Vitamins and mild sedatives are suitable if you often feel anxious or upset. There is no need to shy away from medical support; your nervous system requires care just like other body systems.
Help from a psychoanalyst.

There is no need to be afraid of psychotherapists. Do you feel that it has become difficult for you to cope with surging emotions? Or maybe causeless tears began to “attack” you very often? Make an appointment with a specialist. Your doctor will help you determine the cause of your increased emotionality. In the process of a simple conversation, you yourself will reveal to him your irritant. It is easier for a psychoanalyst to understand what provokes your condition. Unreasonable tears can occur against the background of regular nagging from the boss, inattention from the husband or misunderstanding of the children, or they can hide much more serious psychological disorders, which are almost impossible to cope with on your own.

Only by understanding the causes of tearfulness can you find the best way solutions to such a problem. Learn to respond to disruptions in your body in a timely manner to avoid unexpected emotional shocks. Take care of yourself. If your body gives a signal - it will be crying for no reason or other manifestations - do not let them pass your attention. Your body will thank you.

Lately, Vera has become extremely unpredictable. Not only did she go to short skirt and tights (beauty requires sacrifice), so before the exams she completely turned into a nervous and always irritated person - she was rude to teachers, quarreled with her peers, and when she realized that won't pass physics, attempted suicide. Friends interfered...

It is known that the physical and mental state of adolescents develops especially intensively: the body changes, the emotions , there is a desire to prove to everyone that they are right, and under the influence of stress, the behavior of adolescents becomes extremely unpredictable.

According to scientists, teenage girls are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression than boys. It is believed that this is due to more developed emotionality.

How to distinguish normal stress in a teenage girl from depression?

Important criteria are the duration of manifestation and severity. Duration is understood as a prolonged change in mood and behavior, lasting several weeks, months, or even years. Heaviness is understood as a change in the child’s quality of life.

For example, a girl not only refuses to be friends with one or two peers, but also stops communicating with everyone, does not want/is afraid to leave the house, and dreams of moving away from everyone.

The second example is when a girl doesn’t just stop eat after six , but actually refuses to eat, causes vomiting if she has eaten too much. He buys tons of magazines with dystrophic models, spends hours looking at their photographs, and constantly asks to buy new clothes to become like them. Throws tantrums if demands are not met.

It is important for parents to recognize deviations in behavior from the norm and take timely action.

How to recognize?

So if your daughter:

Suddenly I gave up all the hobbies that I loved very much before (I didn’t switch to similar ones, and I gave up on them);
Refuses to go out with friends/parents, does not want to leave the house;
I started studying worse , it became more difficult to perceive educational material;
Started to quarrel with parents/siblings more often;
Irritated for no apparent reason;
Suffering from fatigue and at the same time insomnia or, conversely, excessive drowsiness;
Eating more than usual or torturing himself with diets. Complains of abdominal pain;
Constantly says phrases like “I’m tired of everything”, “I’m fed up with everything”, “I’m tired of everything”, “Nobody understands me”, “Everyone is like that (universal insult)!”, hints/threatens suicide, enthusiastically talks about the suicides of others, for example , says that “the blood from the vein flows beautifully.”

It's worth taking action - this is teenage depression.

Causes of depression in teenage girls

Sex-role socialization that accompanies puberty. The influence of others (the media, peers) forces girls to strive to be more attractive. Sometimes the desire to become ideal becomes self-destructive. Eating disorders develop (anorexia, bulimia).
Social change - transitions from primary school in middle and high schools.
Decreased self-esteem. Usually, at the age of 9-10, girls have a positive attitude towards themselves, as if they have the attitude “I am a princess! Everyone loves me". As they grow older, their self-esteem declines. One third of girls emerge from adolescence with the flawed “I’m nothing, I’m not cool, I’m ugly, etc.”, less confidence in themselves and their abilities, and a low level of aspirations.
Stress, problems communicating with peers, family conflicts.
Experienced physical and/or sexual abuse, parental neglect.
High intelligence quotient (IQ above 180). It is believed that children of high intellectual level are less fit and happy than children whose intelligence is lower. In addition, the negative influence of society is always added. For example, in some schools, talented children are often ridiculed and humiliated. Their classmates follow the unspoken rule “Being smart is unfashionable.” The desire to go against everyone is regarded as a betrayal of the team. And since children with high intelligence often cannot protect themselves, they immediately become outcasts and become depressed.
Hereditary predisposition , permanent residence with loved ones who suffer from depression.
The presence of serious physiological diseases, taking certain medications (steroids, painkillers).

How not to get depressed yourself, thinking that “I am a bad mother”

Once the children wrote an essay on the topic “Your best friend.” One student, coming up to me, whispered, “My best friend is my mother,” and cried from her frankness. I'm sure any mother would be happy to hear something like this.

If your daughter cannot tell you this, if you notice signs of depression in her, it is easy to fall into depression yourself under the slogan “I am a bad mother.” Having listened to teachers, read books, and watched her daughter, the mother develops a treacherous feeling of guilt, which makes the situation even worse. How can you avoid falling into this depression yourself?

What causes depression in teenage girls?

1. You need to realize that your child is a living person. He can experience both positive and negative feelings. This is fine. If the mother strives different ways avoid the daughter from showing these feelings, or worse, turn a blind eye to it - she does not accept them.

What to do? Sometimes you really want to answer your daughter: “These are all little things, they will pass” or “It’s not serious, grow up first.” A more advantageous option would be if you say: “I see that you are sad/bad/you don’t want to see anyone. If you want to talk, I'm always here."

2. You also need to realize that your child cannot be perfect. No matter how much I would like to raise him like this. In fact, an attempt to “create an ideal child” is nothing more than an attempt to realize yourself as you once failed to become.

What to do? Firstly, you should not compare your daughter with other children like: “You have depression, but others don’t, other girls are so cheerful and sociable.” Your daughter and other children are in completely different environments and react to them as their nature requires. If a person feels bad, he defends himself with depression. And that's okay too.

Secondly, you should separate yourself from the opinions of society. If someone praises their children and attacks you, it means that this someone has arranged psychotherapy for themselves. He has problems and he decided to rise in his own eyes by using you. These are his problems, not yours.

3. You need emotional interest.“I’m always at work, when should I take care of my daughter?” - many mothers say. If it seems to you that you have paid/are paying little attention to your child, think about whether your child needs adult daughter your maximum presence nearby? Most likely no. Firstly, it is impossible, and secondly, it will quickly get boring.

What to do? In fact, your child does not need your presence so much as emotional interest in you. Not so much intellectual knowledge, but personal communication - joint activities, games, sports, fooling around, heart to heart conversations , throwing pillows and other pleasant little things.

In some ways I may be exaggerating, but the meaning is clear. Become for your child best friend- the greatest achievement that is possible. How to do this is described below.

How to prevent depression or how to help a teenage girl get rid of it?

1. Give your daughter a good, healthy sleep, make sure she walks in the fresh air more often, preferably in sunny weather. Sun stimulates the production of the happiness hormone - serotonin, which is responsible for good sleep, mood and appetite.

2. Include physical activity in the girl’s daily routine.- housework, oriental or modern dancing, sports, joint outdoor games, trips to nature, to the beach. With the help of active physical activity, endorphin is produced - the hormone of joy, which helps free your head from unnecessary thoughts and puts you in a positive mood.

3. Organize proper nutrition. Bananas, citrus fruits and chocolate (in moderation) are known to be the best antidepressants. Bananas are rich in serotonin, chocolate - phenylethylamine ( improves mood , increases concentration), the taste and smell of citrus fruits energize, invigorate, and help to concentrate.

4. Be your child's best friend. Eliminate the girl's loneliness. Don’t give her any reason to think that she is alone in this world, that no one needs her, that she is uninteresting. Chat with your child on topics that interest her, tell stories from your life, now or later they will definitely be useful to her.

If she resists (maybe you haven't communicated much before), closes the door, protests, tell her you want to talk about yourself. Don’t hide your problems from your daughter, share with her, discuss them together. The child should feel needed and irreplaceable. Teach your daughter to communicate with you - by listening to you, she will learn to share her secrets with you in return, and will see in you a person she can trust.

Individual or group psychotherapy. She will help the girl find out what exactly is going wrong in her life and how she can change the situation for the better. For example, how to get rid of problems at school, how to build good relationships with peers.
Taking antidepressants. Sometimes the doctor prescribes medications to help restore psychological and emotional balance.

Olga VOSTOCHNAYA,
psychologist