How to help Children And Youth That Are Frequently Depressed
Without help, childhood or youth depression can affect learning and growth throughout life. Depression can become habitual and chronic. Long term depression can affect body chemistry, making treatment more difficult. Depression can lead to unrealistic ideas about living. It can lead to suicide. Depression can be due to a combination of: genetics; traumas and prolonged stresses of all kinds, unexpressed anxiety; feeling powerless; fear; anger; poor role models; allergies; exposure to environmental pollutants; nutritional imbalances; poverty and resulting low self-esteem; lack of choice; lack of effective stimulation; uncontrollable chaos. Depression is often due to the child or youth being very intelligent and sensitive to what is going on in the family/world, yet feeling powerless to change anything. See the depression as a language that things in the child or youth’s life are not right and that the child or youth needs support, compassion and love. Depression is not a word to use to describe sadness or loneliness. Illness and medical conditions can cause or contribute to depression. Sadness and loneliness are necessary parts of growing up and being human.
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First, We Would Investigate |
Second, We Would Investigate |
For Long Term Support |
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On Our Own We Would Try: • Replace sodas, juices, sugars, fats, fast foods with water, veggies, whole grains, nuts, protein, fruit, slow food • Long Walks/Hikes • Nature • Bedtime Stories and Chats • Wholesome Pleasures • Back Rubs and Foot Massages • Pets • Less or No TV, Movies, Video/Computer Games |
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For Parents: • Get a medical assessment. • Treat your child or youth’s depression seriously. Do not tease or make fun of this condition. • Listen as much as you can if your child or youth is willing to talk. • Get support from other parents whose children & youth are afflicted with these symptoms. |
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Check out: www.KidsHealth.org; www.Medlineplus.gov; a book, The Mood Cure by Julie Ross. www.traumasoma.com/index.shtml (very technical); www.acestudy.org |