Do I have depression?

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In the last 3 or 4 weeks, I've been having trouble with girls. I think it may have triggered off depression, because there are a lot of bad things in my life, especially issues within my family, which have all been brought forward into my mind.I checked the symptoms in the depression section, and i'm worried. I did however notice that it kept saying 'adults.' I'm 15, so can this be hormone related?These symptoms match the ones on the depression page:1. Inability to concentrate. I've been having a lot of trouble thinking lately, and grown a really short attention span. I used to enjoy making computer games, but now when I try, I get bored within a few minutes.2. Loss of interest pleasure. I've masturbated every few days since I was about 11, and I recently didn't want to for an entire week. I just can't be bothered with it, which is really wierd.3. Decreased appetite. I'm not a huge eater, but lately I have not been eating much at all.4. Hopelessness. I feel hopeless nearly all the time, aswell as failure.5. I haven't thought of death or suicide, but I have thought of cutting/burning. I've been resisting it for a week or so.6. I'm very irritable, but it might just be my hormones.Just talking about this seems to have made me feel better, but there is still worry in me. I don't want to have depression, I want to be happy, but I just can't be lately.Any help appreciated.

It's definitely a depressed mood. However, there is a reason for your depressed mood - problems with girls, problems in the family, other bad things. Clinical depression is where there is no particular reason for a depressed mood, or where it runs on longer than would be expected. At present I would assume that it's a natural reaction to the problems you're having. Remember that problems are temporary. You're not hopeless, even though you feel you are; you're not a failure. You're in a down, but life has ups as well.

Ah I see :smile: Hopefully I'll feel better soon.

If you don't start feeling better within couple of weeks, however, you may want to pursue the problem a little further. You could talk with a family doctor to start going down that path.I have somewhat figured out that my cycle is about three weeks of depression followed by about one week of feeling hopeless because I know the next three weeks will be hell. I need to learn to get more done in that one week so I can control the depression weeks more.

15 was a really hard year for me, but now i've been finding out more about myself and others and i'm a lot happier.