 Hello Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Do you ever feel sad? Of course we all feel sad sometimes and these feelings can come and go. As children, there tends to be a lot of firsts, a friend moving, a low grade, a heartbreak which can intensify the feelings with each new experience. But if a teenager, young person, or child feels persistently sad and moody, affecting the way they do everyday tasks, they may fall into a depressive spiral that goes beyond a short-term situational depression. With that said, here are 7 signs a young child or teen could be depressed. Number 1 Overreliance on a smartphone Do you take out your phone as a source of safety when you're anxious or during awkward situations? Phones are important in our daily interactions with the world, however, heavy smartphone usage is also linked to depression. While busying yourself with your phone can provide instant gratification at first, it also pulls you away from forming meaningful connections. And can worsen your mood in the long run. If you spend more time scrolling through your social media than with actual friends and family, it may be time to reassess your smartphone usage. Number 2 Withdrawal from friends and family Do you distance yourself from friends and family and not open up? Social withdrawal is a common sign of depression. According to University of Kansas professor Stephen Illardi, people who are clinically depressed feel a strong urge to pull back from friends and family, which can end up worsening their depression. Counteracting the urge to withdraw isn't easy, but it's the first step to overcoming feelings of isolation. Reach out and reconnect with your friends and family. You can do this by scheduling fun hangouts with them and allowing yourself to be open with them again. It may be hard at first, but it'll help you to let people in your life again. Number 3 Difficulty concentrating Do you sometimes feel like you're not paying attention to others? According to behavioral therapist Natasha Santos, the processing speed to take in information efficiently is impaired when we're depressed. When parts of the brain involving memory retrieval face irregularities, depressive symptoms like concentration difficulty can occur. This can lead to trouble in school and home, especially when no one believes or supports the child, worsening the depressive state. Number 4 Low energy Do you complain about how tired you are all the time? According to research published by Helia Ganyan and others, fatigue is a very common occurrence for people who suffer from major depressive disorder, affecting about 90% of those who've been diagnosed. Low energy can make it hard for kids to do everyday tasks like getting out of bed, washing their face or brushing their teeth. Can also worsen when the symptoms of depression like failing to eat a proper diet, which can be a tough cycle to break if not properly managed. Number 5 Feelings of guilt Do you often talk about how you feel like you don't deserve nice things? Feelings of guilt can cause a great toll on people, especially young children. This can stem from a troubled family environment growing up, social pressure, culture, among a host of other factors. But it doesn't have to be that way. And there are many ways to overcome these feelings. Reframing the situation with a therapist or someone you trust can help you move past the guilt. For giving yourself and taking responsibility, also go a long way. Number 6 Loss of interest in fun activities Have you stopped participating in things you once considered to be fun? If so, you may be experiencing something called anhedonia, or a loss of interest in once pleasurable activities. If a child rapidly develops signs of disinterest towards life or their hobbies, it could be one of the key symptoms of depression. They could also feel other symptomatic signs show up alongside this disinterest, like anxiety, stress, and overall feelings of being stuck in life. Combating this will require taking small steps, everyday tasks that make you a little bit better each time. And number 7 Changes in eating habits Do you exhibit poor eating habits? Whether you're eating and sleeping too much or too little, falling into the extremes can be a sign of depression for kids. In particular, overeating can be a way for some kids to cope with difficult feelings, says clinical psychologist Susan Albers of Cleveland Clinic. The reason why you may look for sugary food and carbs is that they help increase the serotonin levels in your brain, which boost our mood, temporarily. Eating too little, on the other hand, can be caused by diminished motivation. You may be feeling too anxious, worried, or hopeless about things going on around you that eating doesn't cross your mind. So do you or anyone you know show these symptoms? Let us know in the comments below. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Also, remember to subscribe, like, and share this video with those who might benefit from it. Thank you for watching. Until next time.