Give more love and encouragement.
It makes a huge difference.
Remove any negative energy around him and show him total support.
I have always told my children that they are wonderful and don’t ever forget that because I was sincerely depressed in my teens.
It would also help to take him to counseling or NAMI program.
I did this with my daughter and both of us took over the program.
They separate the teens and the parents for group sessions and it is free.
I noticed that everyone was looking at me as a Counselor.
I was not but I had a lot of valuable information to give.
Same with my daughter.
Psych evaluation FIRST. Then you will know what you and your son are battling. You can’t create a plan with a lack of information or diagnosis. One step at a time, Momma. Don’t overwhelm yourself 
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sometimes meds are the only thing that will help. help him now before he ends up dead from suicide or it gets worse andnits so bad he cant pull him self outta it as an adult. obviously i dodn kill myself but i was very depressed at his age and at 30 now, its very hard to pull myself from 16yrs of depression. i recently just discovered a way to cope with self harm…meds help…sometimes more thentherapy, cause therapy u cant make him talk… het him help
Be open to medication. Therapy.
He’s not too young. I wish my parents would have gotten me the help I needed then so I wouldn’t have to figure it all out on my own as an adult my issues started when I was around 13 and I needed therapy and I needed antidepressants if I would have gotten that at 13 it would have prevented a second Suicide attempt when I was 16. Ask your son what he wants.
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Talk to his pediatrician. Also look into counseling. Currently dealing with depression and anxiety with my 13yo
Outdoors and sunshine 
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I would be getting him into therapy or counselling it would hel0 him alot and as for meditations i would be leaving the option open for him as they do help alot and could give him his young teenage years back.
The doctor and psychologist will go though it all with him and you. I would leave the choose to him but please get him the help he needs.
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I’m the same when it comes to medication when they are so young. It’s good they are talking to you. Definitely keep that going and just being a good listener so they know they can trust you and go to you with anything. Also maybe look into some kind of outlet like running, boxing, martial arts, whatever they would be interested in. Even if it’s something they aren’t really sure about just try it once or twice because it could open them up to it. Counseling is also really good. Having someone outside your normal day life to talk to can help. Sometimes if you contact the school counselor they will talk to them and they can also point you in the right direction for counseling. Wishing you all the best 
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He doesn’t need anti-depressants. He’s going through hormone “poisoning”… a teen thing… therapy is always a good thing. A trip to the doctor TOO !!!
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Talk to your pediatrician.
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Doctor and therapist asap. I was on medication since around 11 for almost 10 years. (I regret being on it that long though!). The fact you want to help is awesome please give kiddo all the support he needs! He already hates how he’s feeling, don’t make it worse for him.
Take him to an endocrinologist. And get him evaluated for ADHD. I have been on antidepressants most of my life and it was my hormones and undiagnosed ADHD the entire time.
Therapy and a Magnesium rich diet… but if the therapists suggests medication, listen
Get him a counselor to talk too. Medicine is not always the answer.
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You may have to try several therapists or meds to get the right fit, but don’t get discouraged. They WILL help.
Enroll them in activities they’d like. Martial arts can help with mind, spirit and confidence also. Any physical activity can help produce serotonin to help boost mood. Activities can help provide social time, friends with similar interests, fun and skills. Geocaching, walks, bike riding, swimming are things you can do together too. RECenters, parks, museums can all have fun things to do for children and families. Get vaccinated and wear a mask to take full advantage of them.
Introduce music, crafts, sports, religious activities—whatever—to get them interacting with other people and out of their head for a while. The arts help express emotions we can’t put into words as well as those we can. Dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, journaling, building with Legos, photography, videos can all give a creative outlet to difficult emotions and thoughts. Less time with screens can help too.
Good luck! The earlier symptoms are caught and addressed, the quicker and better the outcome. Teach resilience. Often movies, stories and TV give people an unrealistic view that life should always be wonderful, carefree and upbeat, or that everything always ends up fine or neatly. Sometimes things end up badly, but that’s life. Bad experiences show us we can get through tough times, and often have much to teach us. Focus on the lessons and not the problem.
Just like the weather, life is often full of dark clouds, stormy weather, precipitation, cold days and bitter winds. Create expectations that life will always be challenging, but that doesn’t mean it is bad, just different. Cloudy days are good for sleeping, or can help us stay cooler in hot weather. Storms can be exciting, rain helps things grow and fills aquifers from which we get water. Cold weather brings beautiful snows, and makes ice skating and skiing and snow tubing possible, and makes hot winter foods and drinks taste better. Wind makes swirling leaves and waves; it blows in different weather, and generates energy, plus it can feel good on warmer days.
Keeping a gratitude journal or list can help everyone feel blessed. Teaching people to look for the positive can change one’s whole outlook. It’s like Mr. Rogers telling kids to “look for the helpers” in any disaster to show positivity in the midst of horror.
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Take him to an actual doctor to get a real evaluation and real treatment.
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Take him to the pediatrician ASAP and go from there. He is the person to direct you in the right direction!
I have my son in therapy he’s 12 btw he’s been in therapy since last year and it seems to be helping him a lot I definitely recommend it
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Yes, NO DRUGS!
Go running or walking with him; the one-on-one time will do him good …
Maybe find a good church youth group. Often those kids are very non-judgmental and will be his friend.
Watch his diet - sugar gives us a high then DROPS us … that is why suicides often occur after someone has had alcohol …
Sit with him while you watch comedies on t.v. or DVDs -
When I was young my mom sent me to counseling to talk about why I was too shy to talk at school. I grew up and was in a bad marriage so I went back and found out I had depression at the time I was old enough and decided to get on anti depression meds. But I stick with counseling and it helped a lot to talk to someone about my feelings.
Heal his gut!! Probiotics, cod liver oil, raw milk. Stick to a whole foods and nutrient-dense “diet”. Homeopathy can help heal on a deeper level as well as help his mind ease up on those heavy thoughts. No vaccines or allopathic medicine. If he’s already taking anti-depressants, homeopathy can help withdraw from them and replace them completely. Eventually, he will not need even homeopathy.
If there are underlying traumas, look for a holistic psychologist, not one that will be quick to prescribe something to SUPPRESS symptoms.
I swear by cognitive behavioral therapy.
Seek a counselor for him. He could possibly be helped just by talking to someone without medications. Sometimes it helps talking to someone he don’t know so they wont be judgemental. Good luck
Yes have his hormones checked, yes activities preferably not stressing Winning–another stress, yes psychiatric evaluation by psychiatrist for adolescents. Yes counseling. I won’t say no to medication. High risk is n suicide at this age. Sometimes the calmest periods are the most dangerous. Not regrets.
Find out what he likes. If he likes being outside see if he wants to play a sport … see what he enjoys and get him doing that. Did he have many friends ?