All My Children

A persistent sad or negative mood

Most parents may at some point, if not frequently, complain that their teenager has a “lousy attitude.” It isn’t at all unusual for adolescents to experience emotions and mood swings that seem out of proportion to the circumstances. But the depressed child or teenager seems to be in a perpetual slump.

Unfortunately, you won’t hear a young person say, “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been depressed for the past several weeks.” Instead, you may see any of a number of the following signals that would appear disconnected: Continue Reading »

DEPRESSION: AS COMMON AS THE COMMON COLD

Depression is by far the most common and important emotional health problem in America. In terms of its frequency among the population, depression could be compared to the common cold. But the similarity ends there.

• The sneezing and hacking of a cold is readily apparent to the person who has it, as well as to everyone around him. But depression can be manifested in a bewildering array of symptoms, many of them physical, but may not be recognized by the individual himself or by those closest to him.
• Cold viruses are usually vanquished by the immune system within a week, while untreated depression can continue for months or even years.

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A complex blend of genetic, biochemical, personal, family, and spiritual factors can interact to cause depression. These include:

• Genetics and biochemistry. For a great many individuals, depression is primarily the result of a malfunction of neurotransmitters, compounds that participate in the electrochemical communication between nerve cells in the brain. Very often the vulnerability to a neurotransmitter disturbance appears to have a genetic origin, such that a number of members of the same family may be affected. This vulnerability, among other things, accounts for an individual becoming depressed for no apparent reason or struggling with depression throughout life.

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A parent’s role in dealing with depression can be broken down into three key tasks:

Be alert for signs of depression.

These have already been listed, but it bears emphasizing that parents are often caught off guard by their child’s or adolescent’s depression. This disorder can occur even in the most stable home where children have been reared by devoted parents who provide consistent love and limits. Remember that for many individuals depression is caused primarily by a biochemical imbalance in the brain and not by bad parenting or a personal crisis. Don’t assume that “it can’t happen in our home” because in doing so, you might ignore or write off as a “bad attitude” significant changes in mood or behavior that desperately need your attention. Continue Reading »

Many of the unique features of depression among young people also increase their risk of suicide. In particular, the intensity of their emotions and a shortage of life experiences that might allow them to imagine a hopeful future beyond an immediate crisis may give rise to self-destructive behavior, especially on an impulsive basis. In order to reduce the chance of a tragic loss of life, be aware of not only the signs of depression, which have already been listed, but also of the following risks and warning signs:

• A previous suicide attempt. This is considered the most significant predictor of a future suicide; more than 40 percent of adolescents who commit suicide have attempted it at least once in the past.

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Try to recognize disguised reactions.

Children will often react to death in ways that serve to protect them against their terrible feelings of loss. Some of these reactions include:

Indifference.

A child may become listless and emotionless, displaying a degree of indifference to her loss that seems inappropriate. Children who suffered a major loss (for example, one or both parents) may go through the funeral this way, without tears and seemingly intent on returning to their usual activities as quickly as possible—yet without relish. This may even aggravate other family members: Doesn’t she care about what has happened? If your child reacts this way, it is important not to try to jolt her into a more “genuine” reaction. Instead, make yourself available to her, spend lots of time together in an atmosphere of caring. Don’t pressure her. In time, she will most likely open up and collapse in your arms, pouring out grief that was not apparent immediately after the death occurred. Continue Reading »