What is Depression ?

Major depression is one of the mental, emotional, and behavior disorders that can appear during childhood and adolescence. This type of depression affects a young person’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, and body. Major depression in children and adolescents is serious; it is more than “the blues.” Depression can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug or chemical use, and even suicide.

What are the Signs of Depression?

Young people with depression may have a hard time coping with everyday activities and responsibilities, have difficulty getting along with others, and suffer from low self-esteem.

Signs of depression often include:

Sadness that will not go away                         
Hopelessness
Loss of interest in usual activities  
Changes in eating or sleeping habits
Missed school or poor school performance        
Thoughts of Suicide
Aches and pains that do not get better with treatment

Some young children with this disorder may pretend to be sick, be overactive, cling to their parents and refuse to go to school, or worry that their parents may die. Older children and adolescents with depression may sulk, refuse to participate in family and social activities, get into trouble at school, use alcohol or other drugs, or stop paying attention to their appearance. They may also become negative, restless, grouchy, aggressive, or feel that no one understands them. Adolescents with depression are likely to identify themselves as depressed before their parents suspect a problem. The same is true for children.

How Common is Depression?

Recent studies show that, at any given time, as many as 1 in 33 children may have depression. The rate of depression among adolescents is closer to that of depression in adults, and may be as high as 1 in 8.

Having a family history of depression, particularly a parent who had depression at an early age, increases the chance that a child or adolescent may develop depression. Once a young person has experienced an episode of depression, he or she is at risk of developing another episode within the next 5 years. This young person is also at risk for other mental health problems.

What Help is Available for a Young Person With Depression?

Many mental health care providers use interactive treatments to help children and adolescents with depression. The National Institute of Mental Health has made it a priority to evaluate the effectiveness of the following types of therapy:

Individual therapy - Family therapy - Group therapy

A child or adolescent in need of treatment or services and his or her family may need a plan of care based on the severity and duration of symptoms. In the best situations, this plan is developed with the family, service provider, and a service coordinator, who is referred to as a case manager. Whenever possible, the child or adolescent is involved in the decision-making process.

Tying together all the various supports and services in a plan of care for a particular child and family is commonly referred to as a “system of care” or a “continuum of care.” A system of care is designed to improve the child or adolescent’s ability to function in all areas of life—at home, at school, and in the community.

If you know of a child or adolescent who is struggling with depression, please call the CARELINE at 1 (800) 662-1002, for a free, confidential assessment and treatment options.

How Do I Help My Child Who Is Experiencing Anger.

As parents, families, teachers and members of the community, what can we do to help children cope with angry feelings--from frustration to rage?

Some young people turn to violence, because they do not see other ways to endure what they are feeling at that moment. They may not anticipate the repercussions of their violence. The following are a few tips:

Listen to what the child is saying about his or her feelings and be willing to talk about any subject. Young people today are dealing with adult problems such as love, sex, relationships, failure and rejection. Unfortunately, their minds and bodies simply are not ready for these stresses.

Provide comfort and assurance. Tell your child that you care about his or her problems. Show confidence in his or her ability to tackle life’s ups and downs. Children need support from individuals who care about them. They need to feel safe and assured through your care for them.

Tell the child that everyone experiences anger. Tell him or her about the last time you felt really angry and how you dealt with that anger in a positive way.

Encourage the child to shift gears—to spend some time doing things he or she really likes to do—playing sports, walking someone’s dog, or reading a book. A different activity can refocus thoughts and help alleviate some of the angry feelings.

Teach basic problem-solving skills. When upsetting situations arise, the child who has practiced these skills will be more likely to think through the consequences of different actions and will, ultimately, make a better choice than violence. Help your child to understand that alternatives are available outside of violent behavior.

Look at how you handle your own anger. Are you setting a good example? Would you want to be imitated by a child who admires you? You are the model for your child’s perception of dealing with anger. Managing your anger will provide a better example upon which your child can draw their attitude.

Acknowledge good behavior. When a child deals with his or her anger in a positive way, praise the positive choice. Take every opportunity to reinforce strengths. Positive reinforcement can provide motivation for good behavior.

If none of these approaches seems to work, and the child stays angry or withdrawn for a long time, professional care may be necessary to deal with the situation. Help is just a phone call away. Please contact the CARELINE at 1 (800) 662-1002, to talk with a behavioral health care professional who can assess your child’s behavior and determine an adequate treatment alternative. Treatment and education can improve you and your child’s life.

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