Recognizing Depression in Children
Written by Casille Kristol, MC LAC
It's normal for kids to feel sad, down, or irritated, or to be in bad moods from time to time. But when negative feelings and thoughts persist for a long time and limit a child's ability to function normally, it might be signs of Depression.
Depression is a type of mood disorder where kids may feel sad, discouraged, or irritable for weeks, months, or even longer. Depression can also show up as negative thinking where the child can focus on problems and faults, being mostly critical and self-critical, and complaining a lot. It also affects a child’s energy, concentration, sleep, and appetite. This can manifest as the child losing interest in activities and schoolwork, seem tired, giving up easily, or withdraw from friends or family.
It can be hard for parents and other adults to know when a child is depressed. An irritable or angry mood might seem like a bad attitude or disrespect. Low energy and lack of interest might look like not trying. Parents (and children and teens themselves) may not realize that these can be signs of depression.
Offer support and show your feelings of love and concern for your child. When children have depression, it's hard for them to enjoy the things they used to enjoy and make the child feel worthless, rejected, or unlovable. It can make everyday problems seem more difficult than they are.
When depression is severe, it can lead kids to think about self-harm or suicide. Never assume that your child is “just being dramatic” if they exhibit any signs of suicide such as saying things like "nothing matters" or "everyone would be better off without me", please seek assistance from a mental health professional.
Our Comfort and Care Counseling services are available for warriors, their siblings, and their parents in order to provide them with the care and support they need to work through difficult times.
Turmeric is a good supplement to aid in depression treatment. The research shows a potential positive correlation of turmeric aiding in depression but there is still a lot of research to be done in long-term studies and studies done with larger populations. Learn more here.
In case of an emergency, please call 911.
If you or your child has thoughts of suicide, call the national suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 which is available 24/7.
Reference: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/understanding-depression.html