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Medical Video: 5 Types of Depressive Disorders
Many people think that depression will only affect adults. In fact, children and adolescents also struggle with depression.
Depression in children is not just a rebellion and mood swings that are commonly seen during puberty in children. Depression in children is a serious health problem that will affect every aspect of a teenager's life. Fortunately, depression is manageable and you can help your child through difficult times together. Your support and affection will have a big effect on helping your child get productive again through his growth period.
Signs and symptoms of depression in children
Unlike adults who have the ability to get independent medical assistance, children and adolescents are still dependent on parents, teachers, or other adults to be able to recognize their suffering and get the help they need.
Detecting signs of depression in children is not as easy as you think so far. Often, the signs and symptoms of depression that appear in your child are not always clear. For example, classic depressive symptoms such as always sad and crying, not necessarily appear in all adolescents who are suspected of depression. Irritability, anger, and anxiety are perhaps the most prominent symptoms.
To a certain extent, moody and acting typical of teenagers is normal. However, if changes occur nonstop for more than two weeks, interfere with daily children's activities and affect family relationships and at school, your child may suffer from depression.
What should be done to help a child with depression?
If you feel your child is suffering from depression, it will be very difficult to know what you have to do. Even though you can't make it want to improve, there are a number of things you can do as a parent - and everything starts from continuing to be by his side.
1. Be a supportive parent
Depression is a mental condition that can be very damaging if it is not taken seriously, so don't just wait and hope that the symptoms will disappear on their own.
Cobalak is to build empathy and understanding by imagining if you are in the position of your child. From time to time, you may feel very frustrated by his behavior that seems unenthusiastic all the time and seems to do nothing to help himself. But, if there aren't many things in his life that can make him happy, or something that really disappoints him, it's understandable that he might avoid a number of things that he used to enjoy and lock himself in the room all day. Depression makes doing simple things even extraordinarily difficult for sufferers.
Try to justify what he feels, but not his unhealthy behavior. Don't also underestimate his depression problem, even if their feelings or concerns sound ridiculous to you. Efforts to dictate that "the world is not that bad" will only be accepted as a form of indifference to them. To make them feel understood and embraced, acknowledge the pain and sadness they feel. Express your concerns very clearly, that you want to try to understand what makes it difficult for him without trying to solve the problem. Even the best intentions of parents can not be realized appear as criticism rather than caring. Don't judge, even if you don't agree with his point of view.
Emphasize that the depression he experienced was not the result of anything he had done so far, or he thought he had done something that could make it like this. Depression is not his fault.
Invite him to talk and listen to his suffering, to show that you are there for him, you see his sadness, and you try to understand him - not to improve it. People don't like to be repaired. Listening to a problem without judging will make him look at you as a friend, a place to turn to when he is ready to talk again.
2. Give praise for positive things
Make sure you do not escape embracing the positive things that your child does everyday even though it deals with conditions that make it difficult, such as going to school, undertaking part-time work, cleaning up the room, or playing with his siblings at the end of the week. These are all the best things he does, and it is important to convey gratitude and pride, rather than thinking that these things are routines that he should do. We all want to be respected and recognized for doing good work, even when it is expected of us.
Ask yourself how many positive things did you say to him today? How many negative things have you said for him? How many times have you tried to improve his behavior? Positive things must always outweigh the negatives to help manage depression in your child. Let him know that you are proud of himself, that he does a good job of taking care of himself, interacting with family members, or doing other tasks that require effort. Likewise, you don't need to make him realize that you feel disappointed that he no longer plays with his good friends like he used to, or doesn't take part in his favorite extracurricular class. Most likely he also feels disappointed with himself, and he does not need anyone else to remind him of "failure" in his life. What you don't know, he also doesn't want to feel this way, but not many things can help. If he can get well as easily as turning the palm of his hand, he will definitely do it.
3. Help him get help
Some teens will agree to get professional medical help when you ask for a consultation, and some may rebel. For those who at first seem to dislike the idea of therapy, he or she may be able to open up to the idea over time with your guidance by starting the conversation and be patient in guiding them in that direction.
Try to say, "Mom / dad know you're in trouble, and I have some ideas that might help you. If you feel you need help, don't hesitate to tell your mother / father. "The next best thing is to ask your child about any suggestions he might have to let you help him.
If he finally asks for your help, prepare yourself. Do research from afar. Finding the right therapist for your child is very important, and allowing him to choose what he thinks is best for him will make him feel responsible for his own treatment.
If he already has a therapist, it is also important to know that there are several other types of treatment that might help his treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), and behavioral activation that has shown its effectiveness in helping adolescents manage their depression. Make sure your child has a detailed and thorough examination that includes treatment recommendations to help guide you both.
Many teens manage their depression with prescription drugs, such as antidepressants. While only therapy can be effective for treating mild to moderate depression, the best results can usually be achieved with a combination of therapy and medication. There is nothing wrong with using drugs to deal with depression. If the doctor recommends the use of drugs, make sure you schedule a consultation with a pediatric psychiatrist, not with a general practitioner, for more information.
4. Be aware of suicidal tendencies
If your child is on medication but does not seem to improve a lot, ask him if there is something wrong with the therapy he is taking. What does he think is not helpful or does he dislike the therapy session? Is there a good side to the therapy?
If your child thinks of replacing a therapist's counselor, you should first discuss with the counselor who is currently handling the case before establishing a decision. In general, therapy and / or therapeutic relationships can be improved.
Keep in mind that therapy will usually not be effective if the patient is not fully committed to living it, or doing it just to please others. Your child must have a strong desire to recover from himself. Unfortunately, sometimes someone has to experience a more elaborate downturn before really needing help.
Children who suffer from chronic depression often show a tendency to think, speak, or act which leads to suicide attempts, although unfortunately, this is often seen as the act of seeking typical teenagers attention. However, looking at suicide testing rates and teen mortality rates due to high suicide in Indonesia, such behavior must be responded to in an emergency and dealt with very seriously.
Lastly, it's important to make sure you not only care for your child, but also yourself. Caring for depression in children can be very tiring physically and emotionally, but understand that you are not alone, and get help for yourself.
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