4 Guidelines for caring for children with depression & bull; hello healthy

Many people think that depression will only affect adults. In fact, children and adolescents also struggle with depression.

Depression in children is not just the rebellion and mood swings commonly seen during children's puberty. Depression in children is a serious health problem that will affect every aspect of a teenager's life. Fortunately, depression is easy to manage and you can help your child get through the tough times together. Your support and affection will go a long way in helping your child get back to being productive throughout his growing years.

Signs and symptoms of depression in children

Unlike adults who have the ability to get independent medical assistance, children and adolescents still depend on their 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 times, the signs and symptoms of depression that appear in your child are not always obvious. For example, classic depressive symptoms, such as always being sad and crying, may not appear in all adolescents who are suspected of being depressed. Irritability, rage, and anxiety are perhaps the most prominent symptoms.

To some extent, being moody and acting typical of teenagers is perfectly normal. However, if the changes occur non-stop for more than two weeks, interfere with the child's daily activities and affect family and school relationships, your child may have depression.

What should be done to help a child with depression?

If you think your child is suffering from depression, it will be very difficult to know what to do. While you can't get him to want to improve, there are a number of things you can do as a parent - and it all starts with staying by his side.

1. Be a supportive parent

Depression is a mental condition that can be very devastating if not taken seriously, so don't just wait and hope the symptoms will go away on their own.

Try to build empathy and understanding by imagining if you were in your child's shoes. At times, you may feel very frustrated by his behavior that he seems lackluster at all times and appears to be doing nothing to help himself. However, if there isn't much in his life that would make him happy, or something happens that really upset him, it's understandable that he might avoid some of the things he used to enjoy and lock himself in the room all day long. Depression makes doing even simple things incredibly difficult for the sufferer.

Try to justify how he feels, but not his unhealthy behavior. Also, don't take depression issues for granted, even if their feelings or concerns sound ridiculous to you. Attempts to dictate that "the world is not that bad" will only be accepted as a form of indifference towards them. To make them feel understood and embraced, acknowledge the pain and sadness they feel. Make your concern very clear, that you want to try to understand what is troubling him without trying to solve the problem. Even the best intentions of a parent can subconsciously appear as criticism rather than caring. Don't judge him, even if you disagree with his point of view.

Emphasize that the depression he is experiencing is not the result of anything he has been doing, or that he thinks he has done something that could make him this way. Depression isn't her fault.

Talk to her and listen to her pain, to show that you are there for her, you see her sadness, and you are trying to understand her - not to make it better. People don't like to be fixed. Listening to problems without judgment will make her see you as a friend, a place to turn to when she's ready to talk again.

2. Give praise for positive things

Make sure you don't miss embracing the positive things that your child does everyday despite struggling with difficult conditions, such as going to school, undertaking part-time work, cleaning rooms, or playing with siblings on weekends. These are all praiseworthy things he does, and it is important to convey a sense of gratitude and pride, rather than thinking that these things are the routine he should be doing. We all want to be appreciated and recognized for doing good work, even when that is expected of us.

Ask yourself how many positive things did you say to him today? How many negative things have you said to him? How many times have you tried to correct her behavior? The positives should always outweigh the negatives to help manage depression in your child. Let him know that you are proud of him, that he is doing a good job of taking care of himself, interacting with family members, or doing other tasks that require effort. Likewise, you don't have to make him realize that you are disappointed that he is no longer playing with his best friends as he used to, or is no longer taking his favorite extracurricular classes. Most likely he is also feeling disappointed with himself, and he does not need anyone else to remind him of "failures" in his life. What you don't know, he doesn't want to feel this way either, but there's not much that can help. If he could recover as easily as turning a palm, he would 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 seem at first to dislike the idea of ​​therapy, he or she may be able to open up to the idea over time with your guidance by initiating conversation and patiently guiding them in that direction.

Try saying, “Mom / dad knows you're having a hard time, and I have some ideas that might help you. If you feel you need help, don't hesitate to tell mom / dad. " The next best thing is to ask your child any suggestions he might have to let you help him.

If he does end up asking for your help, be prepared. Do research in advance. Finding the right therapist for your child is very important, and letting him choose the one 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 many other types of medication that might help with his treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), and behavior activation that have shown effectiveness in helping teens manage their depression. Make sure your child has a detailed and thorough examination that includes treatment recommendations to help guide the two of you.

Many teenagers successfully manage their depression with prescription drugs, such as antidepressants. While therapy alone 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 treat depression. If your doctor recommends medication, make sure you schedule a consultation with a pediatric psychiatrist, not a general practitioner, for more information.

4. Watch for suicidal tendencies

If your child is on medication but does not see much improvement, ask him if there is something wrong with the therapy he is undergoing. What did he find unhelpful or displeased about in his therapy sessions? Is there a good side to this therapy?

If your child is thinking of switching to a therapist counselor, it is best to talk to the counselor who is currently working on his case before making a decision. In general, therapy and / or therapeutic relationships can be improved.

Keep in mind that therapy is usually ineffective if the patient is not fully committed to it, or is doing it just to please others. Your child must have a strong desire to heal from within himself. Unfortunately, sometimes a person has to go through a more devastating slump before he really needs help.

Children with chronic depression often show tendencies to think, speak, or act that lead to suicide attempts, although unfortunately, this is often seen as the typical attention-seeking act of adolescents in general. However, given the high rate of attempted suicide and teenage death rates due to suicide in Indonesia, this kind of behavior must be taken urgently and taken very seriously.

Lastly, it's important to make sure you care not only for your child, but for yourself as well. Treating depression in children can be physically and emotionally exhausting, but understand that you are not alone, and get help for yourself.