First I am sorry to hear that your son is having such a difficult time. It is heartbreaking for us as parents to watch our children be sad and not know how to help. However, this sounds like a situation that may require more help than you can give. While it is perfectly normal for young adolescents to have periods of sadness and even fairly profound mood swings, it is definitely NOT normal for them to experience prolonged periods of unhappiness and chronic difficulty finding joy in activities as you describe. It may be that your son is suffering from depression or another underlying issue causing more severe symptoms that need to be addressed by a professional. School can be difficult, kids often have some problems adjusting to the rules and rigorous work load and fitting in with peers in middle school can be overwhelming. But, again, sudden onset tearfulness, prolonged periods of sadness and difficulty finding joy in previously fun activities are all warning sides of a more serious problem.

It would probably be a good idea to have your son see a professional at least for an evaluation and opinion. A qualified child psychologist, MFT or adolescent psychiatrist should be able to give you an idea about whether your son is struggling with regular preteen issues or if there might be something more serious to investigate.

Also you can learn more about childhood depression and stress by visiting the websites at the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychological Association. (www.aacap.org and www.apa.org).

Wendla A. Schwartz, MD
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist