I feel depressed, but I don't know why

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For several weeks now I have been feeling depressed. It isn't just a sense of sadness, or tiredness. I find myself suddenly having the urge to cry, or hurt myself. The worst part of it is that I sometimes do wind up crying in school, or in front of other people. I think that I failed a biology quiz today because I was so upset, for seemingly no reason, that I didn't even care about it, despite the fact that I am normally a straight A student. After the sudden upsets, probably half an hour later, I feel better, again, very suddenly. These bouts occur every four to five hours, and over the past week have become progressively worse. Although I have no intention of harming myself these feelings scare me.

To be honest, at your age, I wouldn't be surprised if it was puberty.

Has life given you any trouble as of late?

I felt very similarly when I was your age and it lasted long enough that it couldn't have been written off as simply puberty (although that is entirely possible). I'm not sure I handled it very well back then, so I hope that you do better than I did.

Do you have hobbies/activities/interests? I think having something you enjoy doing is very important and the benefits linger into those times when we're not doing them. They give us joy and pleasure and something to look forward to. Exercise and healthy diet also play key roles in emotional health. Some vitamin and mineral deficiencies are linked to depression, for example (vitamins C & D, magnesium, potassium, etc).

Then there is the question of mental/emotional health. Are you frequently stressed, upset, anxious? If so, you should consider relaxation and coping techniques. When I was your age, I would have answered no to these questions and believed it, but in hindsight I know that that was alexithymia (inability to recognize my own emotions), so if your immediate answer is "no," please take some time to consider it properly and carefully. Lack of acknowledgment or understanding of your own emotions can easily lead to depression.

I hope that you're able to discern the cause and find a healthy way of overcoming the trouble soon. Please feel free to stop by here to ask questions or vent any time.

Thanks to those that responded. I don't really have time to write a full reply at the moment, so that's all I guess.

No problem. Hope you feel better soon.

Keep responding to us. The more you talk about it the better you will feel. We are all here for you. We really do care about you and these feelings will pass. You are being cleared of something. You are being prepared for something great in your life. These next two years are going to be amazing. Trust me