I am 15 and I often feel depressed, unmotivated and unable to complete the simplest of tasks. I have felt extremely stressed and more and more depressed for the past couple of years and things that previously relived this stress have no effect anymore. I have no concentration for long periods of time which I previously did in subjects that interested me and I have also lost interest in many of my previous hobbies.
I have had a really hard time recently, my dad left over three years ago and I have a very tense relationship with him as he continues to hurt me, my mother and sister. This I think in some ways this has also affected my ability to have relationships with others as I find myself pushing people away and spending less and less time with my friends.
Recently I have lost my appetite and have become so tired that I find my self falling asleep in lessons even though I usually get 9 or 10 hours of sleep each night which is much less, I have found, than most people my age. I always find my self leaving things till the absolute last minute even though I know the effect it will have on me. I think I might use sleep as a way of forgetting.
I am reluctant to speak to a professional though as I feel that they would just laugh and tell me that it is just typical teenager stuff. I have mixed feelings about this my self.
I feel like I'm not coping very well with life any more and I just want to know if this is normal or not so I can try and get on with life or if this is more serious than I thought and I need help.
Thank you for taking your time to read this and I appreciate any advice or opinions given.
Any doctor that laughs and says "it's typical teenager stuff" isn't worth the medical degree he has. Finding someone to listen to you is what your first step should be. Don't forget that you're paying THEM. You get to interview THEM for the position of being YOUR doctor. Don't be intimidated. There are so many fantastic therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists out there and you just need to find one that fits with you. Don't diagnose yourself and get some help. You'd be amazed at what a treat and great feeling it is to be able to speak about yourself for an hour every week. None of us get that often, if ever, so take advantage of it. Relax, take a breath and find someone you like and trust.
What you need to do is vent, let it all out. I don't think any doctor will take this as a joke, you are hurting and you really need someone to listen and I'm sure they will. Just try it out, you will never know if it will help your situation unless yo give it a try.