Seeing Your Child
Through Depression

Depression has long been acknowledged as a condition that many adults suffer from, but doctors and psychologists have only started studying depression in children during the last thirty years or so. Today, counselors and professionals in the medical field see that children can suffer from depression, and there are behavioral signs that can help parents see when their children need help.

What Does Depression Look Like in Children?

Parents may find it difficult to detect depression in their children because this is quite frequently masked by behavior that parents consider “normal”. Here are some indicators that can help parents decide whether their child may be experiencing Depression:

  • Withdrawal from friends and activities they used to enjoy.
  • Decreased energy.
  • Difficulty focusing.
  • Appetite changes, such as eating more or less than usual.
  • Changes in sleep patterns, sleeping excessively or not enough.
  • Outbursts of emotion.
  • Extreme emotions.
  • Feeling sad or hopeless
  • Physical complaints like headache, stomachache or back ache. This may result in frequent absences from school and a drop in grades.
  • Anger and/or irritability.

Causes and Treatments

There are many possible causes for depression in children. Stressors, such as pressures in school, lack of friends, adjustments to new environments, can all lead to depression in children. Conflict and tension in the family is also known to cause depression. Apart from instability in family life, children can also become depressed after living with a parent who is depressed.

Depression is a condition that can be treated; it is not a lifelong sentence. Today, psychologists and counselors use various interventions to help children recover from depression; these interventions can change the way children look at themselves, their lives, and their environment.

Taking the First Step

You are not alone in facing your child’s depression. Help is available. Call Carolina Counseling Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC, to begin your work with a contracted therapist who can support you and your child through this. Call today to schedule your first appointment.

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