Question about my 12-year-old's behavior change?

My 12-year-old son's behavior changed literally overnight about two weeks ago. One day he was happy, going out with friends, chatting on his cellphone/texting and always very careful with his appearance. One day around two weeks ago, he suddenly did not want to go to school (I made him go anyway - he was not sick), his friends came over and he didn't want to see them. He goes to school, comes home and goes to his room. He's not eating like he used to (he used to be a vacuum when it came to food, now he hardly touches a thing), he doesn't open up about school or talk to us much at all and he does not seem to care much about his appearance - he goes to school wearing layers of clothing and his hair uncombed. The one thing that baffles me and his step-dad is that despite the fact that he doesn't seem to care how he looks, he takes two or three showers a day and sometimes late at night (2 nights ago he was in there at 3 AM!)



I've tried to talk to him as did his step-dad and his dad - he insists he's fine. We think otherwise. Today his teacher called to say he's not paying attention in class and he's missed turning in three assignments. When I asked him about it, he looked like he was about to cry and just said he would do the assignments.



Do 12-year-olds have sudden onset depression? Could the shower thing be a kind of OCD? Or is this just him becoming a teenager (he'll be 13 in August)? My husband, his dad, step-mom and I all agree he's acting very unusual and our next step is probably taking him to therapy, but I decided to ask and see if anyone could shed some light on his behavior.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
if he's having trouble w/ his friends or sumthing he probably doesn't wanna tell u. i'm about the same age and i kno i would never tell my parents if i was having trouble w/ friends. if it was w/ like assignments or sumthing i would ask my paretns or someone so it's probably not that he's having trouble academically. therapy mite freak him out. maybe u should give him a little time unless he's rlly not eating or is showing signs of like severe depression or sumthing like that. it could be mood swings? maybe something w/ bullying? if it is i doubt he'll tell u unless u rlly like make him tell u. u can try tho.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
too old. do not want.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
It's a phase he'll eventually grow out of it. I'm a 14 year old girl and my friends and I probly wouldnt like a boy like that. Sorry to say... I hope he grows out of it.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
He may just be having a rough time with school, girls, friends, etc. Something had to have happened.



%26quot;Sudden onset%26quot; depression in a twelve year old? I wouldn't go that far.

And in the bathroom, you get the most privacy, no one dares come in. Maybe he's thinking, or having some alone time- i would watch the symptoms and his behavior before doing anything, of course.



. If he insists he's fine, I would just back off for awhile and see where this goes- he may just be feeling down or having trouble with his social life, girls, etc. Give it time and revisit the issue in a few weeks.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
why take him to therapy? i was alot worse than that, and mainly it was probably puberty or depression. during puberty, your mental state changes. you can go from one day being happy from the another being moody or depressed. this ranges from both boys AND girls during that age.



my advise is to not push him to talk, if he wants to be alone then just let him be alone. he'll come out of his shell in no time, just let him work out things for him self; after all, he's becoming a teenager.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
He probably had something happen at school if one day he's fine and the next he's totally weird. I'm 12 and something like that happend to me. I snapped out of it because I had my family so if i were you talk to his friends and schoolmates to see if they know anything, you probably have but just reassure him that you are here for him if he ever wants to talk hopefully its just a phase.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
Your son, may be that way for a long time. It's probably the hormones, and a girl. He may have been rejected, that day. I have had the same experience when I was 13(I am 17 now) and I was like that for 2 years. Your son, probably, now, thinks about kissing girls etc, and he cannot make it happen. That may be a silly reason for you, but it's a big thing for a 12-year-old boy.

Sudden depression is possible, so I suggest that you overprotect him, because he may go nuts, sometimes, but allow him to have his free space, and try to be friendly but not annoying. It may be the start of a difficult period for you, so be prepared. I hope it's not, because I know how my parents felt.Question about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
something small propbably happened but because of hormones probably sent him over the edge. keep an eye on him, but dont invade his space or he wont come to you when he really needs helpQuestion about my 12-year-old%26039;s behavior change?
maybe he is depressed or maybe..