Teen depression
Teen and children depression is not a new phenomenon, but it used to be underdiagnosed and underestimated in the past. Studies show that depression in children and adolescents has become more common in the recent decades, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there before. The wrong belief that in the past children did not suffer from depression may have started from the fact that the people did not know as many things about this disorder.
Depression in children could be overlooked or attributed to other problems, such as disobedient behavior or problems at school that actually tend to hide the actual depressive feelings.
Today, there is more information and more resources available to identify and treat depression for any ages.
Dear Parents,
Depression is not a choice, a fad, or simply a passing state of sadness, and it has nothing to do with boredom, parenting, or a lack of responsibility in children. It is a persistent, real and serious mental health disorder that can affect people of all ages, including children and adolescents.
How do I know if my teen has depression?
Children and adolescents with depression may experience a lack of energy, fatigue, and discouragement, which may cause them to retreat from their usual activities and avoid social interactions. This lack of energy is a symptom of depression and has nothing to do with boredom or laziness. They may become more withdrawn and avoid participating in social activities such as parties, meeting friends or other social events. Social retreat should not be confused with shyness which can be a personality trait, while social retreat is a consequence of depression and negative feelings.
It is particularly important to differentiate between depression and other temporary negative mood. Depression is a persistent mood disorder lasting weeks, months or even years with significantly impairing the quality of life of affected children, and requiring specialist treatment for recovery, while other temporary negative mood states are caused by ordinary events (such as a bad grade or a fight between friends) that go away on their own or with minimal intervention and effort.
Symptoms of Depression in children and adolescents
It is particularly important to realise that late onset of depression in children can have particularly serious consequencesbecause untreated depression has a negative impact on a child’s life, including social difficulties, academic difficulties, behavioural problems, and eventually even suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
According to the WHO, suicide occupies one of the leading places in the ranking of the main causes of death in children and adolescents, which is extremely worrying. Consequently, it is our duty as adults to be alert, informed and open-minded to identify Depression in adolescents and children as early as possible.
Symptoms of depression in children and adolescents include:
PERSISTENT SADNESS
IRRITABILITY / AGGRESSIVENESS
(sometimes it can be the main symptom!)
SOCIAL RETREAT
LOSS OF INTEREST IN PREVIOUSLY ENJOYED ACTIVITIES
POOR SLEEP AND APPETITE
FEELINGS OF USELESSNESS OR GUILT
DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING OR MAKING DECISIONS
SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR BEHAVIORS
Nowadays there is more information and more resources available to identify and treat youth depression. However, even under these circumstances, depression in children can be difficult to identify, as it is possible for a child to live with this disorder for a long time before being diagnosed. This is because the symptoms of depression in children can be different from those of adults, and children do not have the ability to clearly express how they feel.
There are also other reasons why depression in children may be discovered or treated late, such as social stigma associated with mental health problems, denying that a child can have a problem, or lack of access to mental health resources.
Many times, behind of an irritable or even aggressive child there can be a child suffering from depression. They can use anger/aggression as an emotional outlet to deal with inner tension. At the same time, anger/aggression can be a way for children and adolescents to draw attention to their emotional needs or to feel safe in a world that seems unstable and meaningless to them.
So when dealing with an irritable/aggressive child the solution is not applying punitive measures (punishment) to correct their behavior, this will only make the situation worse, but to try to find out what is actually behind this way of acting.
So how should I behave as a parent?
Instead of minimizing or ignoring depression in children, we should encourage a caring and empathetic approach.
We should encourage children to talk to us about their problems and take their symptoms seriously. If we suspect that a child may have depression, it is important to see a doctor or mental health specialist for evaluation and appropriate treatment as soon as the first symptoms may appear.. Unfortunately, there are still quite a few cases where the first contact with mental health services for children suffering from depression occurs only after they have made an extreme gesture – for example a suicide attempt.
Others don’t even manage to reach that point…
So instead of blaming children for their symptoms, we should be empathetic and supportive. We can help them find appropriate resources to deal with depression and support them through the recovery process.
Depression is NOT a fad and should NOT be ignored.
Dr. Simina-Maria Berci – Specialist in pediatric psychiatry
Contact us for an appointment or to discuss any other details or concerns you have that we can help you with:
more blog posts
Appointments in IAȘI:
Appointments in TIMIȘOARA:
Contact Iași:
Str. Străpungere Silvestru nr. 60, bl. CL11, sc. B, ground floor, Iași, county: Iași
Contact Belcești:
com. Belcești, B entrance, Bl. 4, county: Iași
Contact Timișoara:
Str. Simion Bărnuțiu nr. 34, Timișoara, county: Timiș