Parents have been told how to deal with signs that their secondary school child is depressed.

According to David Coleman, writing for the Irish Independent, families should look out for their teenager acting withdrawn from their friends or relatives as one of the first indications that their child could be suffering from the mental illness.

He also recommended being aware of whether they are lethargic, have trouble sleeping or if they have lost interest in activities they used to enjoy.

Mr Coleman was giving advice to a mother-of-three concerned about her 16-year-old son "withdrawing deeper into himself" as he spends a lot of time playing online computer games.

This could have a direct link with his mental health as a recent study published in the Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine revealed that people who used the internet pathologically were 2.5 times more likely to be susceptible to the mental illness than those who did not.

It also found that young people who did not have a history of mental health problems could develop depression as a result of heavy usage of digital media.

Written by Donal Walsh

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