Is my teen depressed or just lazy

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Not all teen "laziness" is laziness. Changes in behavior can be a normal part of adolescence, but they may also signal depression or another underlying issue.
• The story behind the behavior matters. Parents should look beyond the behavior itself and try to understand what may be causing it, especially if it is unusual for their teen.
• Teen mental health remains a concern post-pandemic. Experts say rates of mental health challenges have improved since their peak during the pandemic but have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
• Excessive social media use may affect mental health and motivation. Too much screen time can contribute to low mood, reduced motivation, and difficulty engaging in everyday responsibilities.
• Seek professional help when concerns persist or worsen. If behavioral changes are severe, ongoing, or interfere with daily life, professional evaluation and support may be needed.

Teenagers are known for certain behaviors: staying up late, sleeping in, sleeping a lot, and even isolating themselves in their bedroom. But how can a parent know if this behavior is something to be concerned about, a simple lack of motivation, or just a normal part of growing up? Or, in more blunt terms, is your teen depressed or just lazy?

The short answer is, it could be either.

Kiti Freier Randall, PhD, a pediatric neurodevelopmental psychologist and chief of the Division of Psychological Services for the Department of Pediatrics at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, said the answer lies in the story behind the behavior.

"All behavior tells a story, and knowing what the story is about is really important," Freier Randall said. "If it's not a typical behavior, you want to know what's going on behind the scenes."

LOW MOTIVATION OR SOMETHING MORE?

Teenagers go through all sorts of changes physically, physiologically, emotionally, and psychologically. With those adjustments, low motivation or a temporary change in behavior could be normal. Most people, in general, have days when they just feel off and need a little more rest. The problem is when the behavior is acute or persists.

When a teenager is suddenly not interested in things they used to enjoy, like going to school, hanging out with friends, or playing sports, parents should take notice. Loss of interest in something as addictive as screen time could also be a big indicator that something is wrong, as well as major mood changes. If a teenager is depressed, a parent may also notice shifts in the amount of sleeping, eating, and drinking.

"Everybody thinks it means less of those things, but excess could also signal a problem," Freier Randall said.

THE PANDEMIC PROBLEM PERSISTS

While the causes of depression are many, medical experts continue to point to the pandemic and social media as major contributors for mental illness among teens.

The pandemic, which the World Health Organization declared over in 2023, is still having a lasting, negative impact. Just last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and the Children's Hospital Association (CHA) issued a joint press release that said children's mental health remains a national emergency, four years later. Those groups originally declared the national emergency in 2021 after seeing major spike in mental health-related emergency department visits and suspected suicide attempts.

"While it's come down, we're not at peak anymore. It is not at the pre-pandemic rates," Freier Randall said. "So we still want to look at what's going on there and what's happening for our young people."

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MENTAL HEALTH

Before the pandemic, researchers were already studying the mental health impact of social media on kids. This landmark 2019 study concluded that "Adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media may be at heightened risk for mental health problems, particularly internalizing problems." And, according to this major study, social media is addictive.

Jamie Pivonka-Jones, a pediatric neuropsychologist at LLUCH, compares social media to candy.

"It's sweet, quick, and fun. It's okay to have a little bit for special occasions," Pivonka-Jones said. "But when you eat it all the time, you get cavities, you get a sugar rush, and then a sugar crash."

This "brain candy," as Pivonka-Jones calls it, can have a similar impact on the brain. It feels good to ingest at first, but after the initial dopamine rush, people can be left feeling low, sluggish, or worse. Too much social media can also lead to low motivation, because doing necessary activities like chores or homework is, to put it simply, not as fun.

HOW TO HELP YOUR TEEN

So, whether a teen is lacking motivation or showing signs of depression, there are things a parent can do to help. Like Freier Randall suggested, it starts with assessing the story behind the behavior. If a teen is simply lacking motivation, limiting screen time and increasing responsibility can help. It is also recommended to let a child take a break or have a lazy day on occasion, if behavior returns to normal.

If problems escalate or persist, it may be time to reach out for professional help.

For more information about youth behavioral health programs offered by Loma Linda University Health, click here or call 909-558-9113.