The feelings and emotions of teens are going to fluctuate. They are going to rise and fall, and it’s a pattern that’s normal in adolescence. One reason for this is that the brain is undergoing significant change during this stage of life. Because of the significant changes that occur in adolescence, teens experience all sorts of emotions, moods, and physical discomforts.

However, when it comes to sadness, there could be a variety of reasons causing this emotion. First, it’s important to know that the main symptom of depression is a pervasive feeling of sadness that is heavy and often feels oppressive. However, it’s very easy to feel sad as a teen, without necessarily being depressed.

Nonetheless, here are some possible reasons behind feeling sad:

• loss of a loved one
• breakup with a girl/boy friend
• fighting depression
• experiencing cutting or self-harm
• seasonal affective disorder
• feeling suicidal
• not meeting your parents expectations
• having difficulty with accepting your body
• trouble accepting yourself
• feeling like you don’t fit in
• not doing well in school

There might be many reasons to feel sad. Teenagers will experience discouragement, feelings of not fitting in, uncertainty about the future, an inability to meet the demands of parents and teachers, and this may result in a sullen mood.

Furthermore, when someone asks you whether you’re sad, you might not be able to identify a painful mental state. Instead, you might express a physical ailment, such as a headache or stomachache. Teens may sometimes appear joyless and irritable, and for those who feel uncomfortable expressing sadness (common among adolescent boys), sadness might be expressed through anger or self-destructive behaviors.

However, it’s important to know that depression is something a bit more severe. If you’re consistently feeling sad, then it might be something work checking out. It might be something to discuss with a school counselor, parent, or therapist. Depression can get worse if it’s not treated. And as depression worsens, you might then experience suicidal thoughts, which could lead to attempts and even death. For this reason, it’s essential to discuss your feelings of sadness with someone you trust, if they are persistent and ongoing.

However, if you’re feeling sad from time to time, then perhaps you need some uplifting. One way to do that is to spend time with others you appreciate. In fact, the greater relationships we have, the better we feel and the less tendency there is to feel sad. But more specifically, if you’re feeling sad you can rely upon a friend or family member to talk out your feelings. You might need someone to hear you and validate your feelings.

Another way to lift yourself is to journal. Explore what’s going on inside. Take a dive into your feelings, thoughts, and dreams. Discover what other feelings of positivity exist within you beside sadness.

Lastly, another way to feel better is to inspire yourself. What movies, books, or articles share an inspiring story that can help you lift out of the sadness and into creating your dreams?

Sadness might be a feeling you experience from time to time as a teen, but it doesn’t have to always bring you down. There are always steps you can take to feel better.