Managing Depression in Teenagers
Caring For Someone With Depression
Managing depression can be a complicated juggling act of accommodating the depressed persons moods and needs against living a "normal" life.
You may find that at times your teen is able to be involved with whatever is going on at home.
They may even feel ready to start a new project or join a new club, only to find that they can't cope and need to drop everything to be quiet and withdrawn for a while.
You will learn to enjoy your teen when they are "there" and try not to feel let down when they need some space again.
Yes, this leaves you open to manipulation and you may find your teen has you running around in circles catering to their special needs.
Like I said, it's a complicated juggling act.
You'll need to keep encouraging your teen to be involved in life, invite them to everything the family does, include them, but let them drop out if they genuinely don't seem to be coping.
Just prod them to do a bit more than they think they can manage occasionally. They can often do more than they think they can.
Your teen’s counselor will help guide you with this.
Living With Depression in Teenagers
Sharing a house with a teenager who is depressed can be extremely stressful.
They can be disobedient, rude, violent, sullen, unpredictable, and manipulative.
Depression is a difficult illness. Your teenager may look well, they can walk about, they may look ‘normal’. So it can be hard to reconcile this with the fact that they don’t want to be part of what you are doing, won’t help around the house, and won’t try anything.
You’d really like them to just get over it!
They just can’t.
This doesn’t mean you should baby them or let them get away with things you wouldn’t normally.
- Keep to your usual house rules.
- Give them a list of (possibly modified) chores to do.
- Help them with managing depression, but encourage an older teen to be responsible for keeping track of their own counseling appointments, and things like that.
If they are being rude or disobedient and you are tempted to absolutely lose it, stop and count to 10.
- Your teen needs your unconditional love and support.
- Try to think what may be happening to trigger the behavior.
- All teenagers push their parents away. Depressed teenagers do it harder as they believe they are worthless and are expecting to be rejected anyway.
Build up a support Network
Depression often comes with a stigma. Despite being so widespread, a lot of people just don't take it seriously. They may be full of sympathy and then be critical of your teen's inability to just "shake it off".
This can make it embarrassing to talk about. If you let this type of small minded thinking get to you, you (and your teen) will become isolated very quickly.
You'll soon find out who you can really talk to. With those who are not as supportive as you'd like, just be matter of fact about it. If they haven't got the empathy to realise the gravity of the situation, then it's best to just stick to facts in a non-emotional way.
- Don’t lose contact with your friends.
- Keep your teenager’s friends around.
- Join a support group.
- Keep your own interests.
- Seek out professionals like counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists qualified to treat depression in teenagers, and to help with managing depression.
Keep Life 'Normal'
In the early days of your teenager's diagnosis you may find the whole house revolves your teen and their needs.
Younger kids may have to play quietly in order to allow your teen to have some rest.
Usual appointments may be missed. Outings may be cancelled.
You may find that everyone is tiptoeing around and waiting...waiting for what? This isn't like a cold or flu. Your teen isn't going to just wake up tomorrow and announce that they feel better now.
Depression takes time to lift. That's why managing depression is so important.
As soon as you can, restore all the normal activities and life to the household for everyone other than your depressed teenager.
It's very important to avoid your entire house taking on a black shroud of depression.
Take guidance from your teen's counselor and health professionals as to how much your teen can take on.
As soon as the health professionals give the ok, you can get your teen back into as much of their usual routine as possible.
The first thing would be to get them out of the house for a walk every day.
They may be resistant, so offer to go at night, after dark. Offer to start with a stroll around the block. Just keep making it sound easy.
Just about every book and magazine article I've read recently states that physical exercise is very helpful in shifting depression.
Beating The Black Dog
Get your teen doing something to take their minds off themselves.
A dog is great therapy if it suits your home and lifestyle.
Bill Leak, one of Australia's top cartoonists and portrait painters, said recently on his ABC1 television series 'Face Painting' something like:
"The best way to beat the 'Black Dog' is a black dog'.
Why not give it a try?
Any colored dog will do!
Managing depression in teenagers can be just as stressful as any other illness. Make sure you look after yourself.
Help your teen to be involved in life, and don't give up on them.
What Are the Signs of Teenage Depression?
So how do you know if you teen is suffering from depression or just being a sullen, slobby drama queen? You know, just normal?
Read about the three most common types of depression to help you decide if you need to talk to your GP.
Read more here...
Help For Teenage Depression
You and your teenager do not have to "tough" this out by yourselves.
There are many ways to treat depression. Some alleviate the black mood, some lift it completely.
Your teenager may never suffer from depression again, or they may battle it periodically through out their lives.
Commonsense says that managing depression now will give the best outcome for your teenager's longterm health.
Read more here...
Teen Suicide
Teen suicide often comes without any warning. It's not something that parents want to think about, but as with everything, knowledge is better than ignorance.
When you are managing depression with a teenager then you must know what to look out for.
Sometimes, suicide can be a quick decision based on a single traumatic event. Again, know what to look out for.
Read more here...
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