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Teenagers

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Starting to worry my 14 yr old DS is becoming depressed or is it just being a normal teenager?

3 replies

doingjustfinethanks · 30/08/2026 20:55

My 14 year old DS up until 6 months ago was full of chatter and always cheery. He was an absolute joy as a child, happy go lucky, great company and spent as much time as I possibly could with him and enjoyed every minute!
He does well at school and has friends. He’s always played sport at school and at clubs outside school, has never been a really keen sportsman but seemed to enjoy it when he’s there.
We’ve had a lovely summer but he’s become very quiet and withdrawn and now spends a lot of time on his own at the weekend playing video games and watching the ipad. I know it’s just a few weeks into school term (Scotland) but he has no interest in sport or being involved in anything extracurricular at school (most of his friends do).
He does go to cadets which he loves and we’ll often go away for a days walking which he also likes.
Im just worried as time goes on he’ll become isolated and depressed without any interests to keep him occupied.
my older daughter was heavily involved in sports and every club going at school and she says she would’ve struggled through the teenage years without that.
Is this just being a normal teenage boy hitting puberty (this is what my husband thinks) or am I right to be a bit concerned? I just don’t want to see him struggling through the next few years 😕

OP posts:
BibbityBoppityTwo · 31/08/2026 01:00

My DD around the same age started doing the same. I think it’s normal to a degree, but we do worry about her isolating. We make getting out and doing something each day a condition of screen time. She is likewise less interested in hobbies. We do find the more we reduce screen time the more open she is to other things, even though she doesn’t like it.

FergussSingsTheBlues · 31/08/2026 01:01

Yeah step in now and get that screen off him. My son has barely spoken for 2 years and is in therapy -
at first I thought it was teen stuff and to let him get through it with some kindness and space but he’s basically had a terrible screen issues has lost all his social skills and friends and confidence. I have spent summer rehabbing him and it’s been really tough. I feel like a massive failure because I thought he needed space but he actually needed stricter parenting from me. And this is a gifted student with a loving and attentive family. Don’t be us.

Lavendersong · 31/08/2026 01:13

Sounds like he’s fallen out with his friends

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