DEPRESSION IN EARLY TEENAGE CHILDREN

  Depression is somewhat common in all age group of people. Teenage children also feel some

depression, sadness, inferiority feeling. Depression is a serious medical problem which leads long lasting

effects on feeling, interest, behavior, and creates emotional, functional & physical complaints. 

Most of children don’t narrate their complaints or feeling but it is shown in their activity and behavior. 

Research

says about 20% of all teens experience depression before they reach adulthood, between 10-15 % suffer

from symptoms at any one time.

Sign and symptoms of depression in teen

• Loss of happiness, hopelessness, sadness, poor grooming

• Withdrawal of social activities, school activity and games

• Remain silent, not mix-up in friend circle

• Irritability, anger, hostile interaction, start to hide information

• Poor performance in academic activity and school examination

• Problem with peer group and parents

• Changes in daily routine like eating, sleeping, awakening, defecation etc

.• Changes in bodily expression like fear, frightened, stooping, speech etc

.• Tearfulness, crying in alone, sitting alone

• Feeling of worthlessness

• Loss of memory, forgetfulness

• Thoughts and comments of suicide in deep depression and try too.

The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe; it can be measure by several depression

inventory tools and scales.Cause of depression:There may be lots of cause of depression of teenage which can be explore by systematic intervention and talking with children, parents and peer group.

 Some of common cause is following

• Body appearance- during teenage periods lots of changes occur in body under influence of

hormonal changes, and teenage are more conscious their appearance, so it is most common

issue why I am not like others are? Why I am obese? Why I am so darker? Such like feeling

make them depress

.• Peer problem- Teenage have various issue regarding their peer group, negligence, fight,

opposite sex attraction and so on other issue which may make them depress.

• School atmosphere: Long term bullying, academic pressure, public insult, over expectation etc.

 • Violence: Victim of any domestic or academic violence, physical-mental or sexual abuse

• Self image: Having issue with self image threat and loss of confidence, guilt feeling, negative

thoughts

• Familiar atmosphere: Unhealthy family context, ritual or tradition, inappropriate interaction of

parents, negligence in family, sudden loss of beloved person, prolonged disease in family ,

unfortunate incident, over expectation of parents regarding perfection etc

.Counseling of a depressed teenage child:Counseling is a wonderful process to overcome in psychological problem. Some of children do not understand what they are doing, why they are doing. Teenage children need empathy, understanding, love and acceptance of their thought, guidance, and self realization during the

counseling process.

 Most of children do not cooperate easily so a good rapport is necessary

between teenage child and counselor.

Telling them about the condition will help them to identify the problem and cause and makes

the process of treating it. Continuous monitoring is must because a mild depression may lead

severe forms.

Breathing exercise, developing new hobby, learning coping technique will help them a lot.

There is some useful therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), transactional Analysis (TA),

Interpersonal therapy (IPT), Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), play therapy, psychodrama

and other more are helpful to cope with depression. A trained counselor can help well through

these therapies.

Some children may need medicinal intervention. Treatment of underline cause and symptoms

with appropriate medicine is also helpful alongside counseling.

for any kind of help and suggestion or counselling you can write us- Email- wecare.ktg@gmail.com

Dr. Bhupendra kumar Gupta

& we care Team