Depression in Children
Depression in children doesn’t look like depression in adults. It can be frustrating and confusing trying to figure out your child’s symptoms. Depression in children might have a clear cause (such as a death in the family), but the cause might also be hard to pinpoint.
Some children have more sensitive nervous systems and can be more susceptible to stress at home or at school, and the ever-changing expectations on childhood. Depression is not just a passing bad mood. If your child has seemed irritable, angry, and not-like-themselves for more than a few weeks, it’s time to call us.
We help families learn what’s really going on for their children…and help the whole family feel good again.
Childhood Depression Symptoms
- Tantrums
- Meltdowns
- Nightmares
- Trouble sleeping
- Headaches, stomachaches, tension
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Crying/Sadness
- Decreased energy
Depression in Teens
We know how awful it is when you see your child depressed, and how worried and powerless you feel. You miss the good times you used to have, and it seems like hard times are here to stay. You feel sorry for your child, but often angry and frustrated with their behavior, too.
It’s difficult to be a teenager in today’s world, and teen depression is far more common than you’d expect. A perfectionist culture, the constant onslaught of social media, and extremely high expectations on teen achievement in all realms make our kids highly susceptible to depression. Loneliness, isolation, feeling misunderstood, or hopeless can even lead some teens to make unhealthy or unsafe choices.
Your teen’s depression is treatable, but professional help will make all the difference.
Teen Depression Symptoms
- Trouble sleeping or too much sleeping
- Headaches, stomachaches, tension
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Withdrawing from peers
- School aversion
- Withdrawal from preferred activities
- Eating changes
- Isolation
How We Help Children & Teens with Depression
We know what you’re going through, and how hard it is on the whole family when your child is depressed. We know the confusion, frustration, upset, and anger that can come up for you as a parent when it seems impossible to help your child.
We’ll walk right with you. We’ll teach your child ways to manage their feelings, verbalize what’s going on, and reopen lines of communication with you and others.
Depression is no one’s fault, and it’s highly responsive to treatment. Even if you think your child or teen won’t want to come or doesn’t want to talk, don’t worry. We’ve seen and worked with all sorts of kids and teens, and we have many different methods of engagement and trust-building.
We look forward to helping you and your child feel happy and close again! We will help your child learn to express their feelings in a healthy way.