Everything you say can be absolutely, perfectly normal for a 14-year-old to be going through. Or, it might not. Part of the key is you. Is it normal for you?
What is it about your world that is so different from your friends' world? I am willing to bet that they do not really have perfect or painless lives; it may just look like it from the outside, but no teenager sails through without some angst and issues. There's too much going on from the years of about 13 to 17 to even hope for contentment sometimes.
Wanting to be appreciated for who you are is important. Was there someone in your life who used to appreciate your drawing and writing who is not there anymore? Or did it used to be fun for you, and now it doesn't seem fun if others don't like it?
A lot of girls your age go through similar issues with being smart. Girls are as smart as boys, but somewhere around the 7th or 8th grade, they can often start hiding how smart they are so they can be liked by others. They might even act dumb, or helpless, as a way of flirting. Do your friends ever do this?
There are plenty of teens (about 1 in 8) who experience depression. Some of the symptoms are losing interest in things you used to be interested in, withdrawing from people you used to hang out with, wanting to stay home and sleep instead of doing things you used to like to do, a change in your weight or eating habits, a change in your activity levels, and general feelings of anxiety or dread. Here's a good article about it:
In that article, there are sections that talk about the following:
•Depression Is Common
•How Do People Respond to Someone Who's Depressed?
•Why Do People Get Depressed?
•What Happens in the Brain When Someone Is Depressed?
•Types of Depression
•What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
•How Is Depression Different From Regular Sadness?
•Getting Help
•When Depression Is Severe
Will you take a look at it and see if you think it might be what you are dealing with?
Comment Reply
Sardonyxmemoirs,
Everything you say can be absolutely, perfectly normal for a 14-year-old to be going through. Or, it might not. Part of the key is you. Is it normal for you?
What is it about your world that is so different from your friends' world? I am willing to bet that they do not really have perfect or painless lives; it may just look like it from the outside, but no teenager sails through without some angst and issues. There's too much going on from the years of about 13 to 17 to even hope for contentment sometimes.
Wanting to be appreciated for who you are is important. Was there someone in your life who used to appreciate your drawing and writing who is not there anymore? Or did it used to be fun for you, and now it doesn't seem fun if others don't like it?
A lot of girls your age go through similar issues with being smart. Girls are as smart as boys, but somewhere around the 7th or 8th grade, they can often start hiding how smart they are so they can be liked by others. They might even act dumb, or helpless, as a way of flirting. Do your friends ever do this?
There are plenty of teens (about 1 in 8) who experience depression. Some of the symptoms are losing interest in things you used to be interested in, withdrawing from people you used to hang out with, wanting to stay home and sleep instead of doing things you used to like to do, a change in your weight or eating habits, a change in your activity levels, and general feelings of anxiety or dread. Here's a good article about it:
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html
In that article, there are sections that talk about the following:
•Depression Is Common
•How Do People Respond to Someone Who's Depressed?
•Why Do People Get Depressed?
•What Happens in the Brain When Someone Is Depressed?
•Types of Depression
•What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
•How Is Depression Different From Regular Sadness?
•Getting Help
•When Depression Is Severe
Will you take a look at it and see if you think it might be what you are dealing with?
April 6, 2010 - 9:32amThis Comment
Reply