My daughter is suffering from Depression
I have observed that my 18 year old daughter is always sad and little issues make her angry and upset. She has also lost interest in domestic activities. Our doctor told me she is suffering from depression. Please share information about the condition.
Catherine X.
Thanks for your question Catherine. I wish your teenage daughter a productive life. Depression happens to some teenagers and can affect how they think, feel and behave, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems.
Sometimes peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings, they become symptoms of depression.
What are the symptoms?
• Feeling of sadness, which can include crying spells for no apparent reason.
• Frustration or feeling of anger, even over small matters.
• Feeling hopeless or empty AND irritable or annoyed mood.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.
• Loss of interest in, or conflict with, family and friends.
• Low selfesteem and feeling of worthlessness or guilt.
• Fixation on past failures or exaggerated selfblame or selfcriticism.
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, and the need for excessive reassurance.
• Tiredness and loss of energy. • Insomnia or sleeping too much. • Changes in appetite, decreased appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain.
• Frequent complaints of unexplained body aches and headaches which may include frequent visits to the school nurse.
• Less attention to personal hygiene or appearance.
•Angry outbursts, disruptive or risky behaviour, or other acting-out behaviours.
What are the causes?
• Hormones. Changes in the body’s balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression.
• Early childhood trauma. Traumatic events during childhood, such as physical or emotional abuse, or loss of a parent, may cause changes in the brain that make a person more susceptible to depression.
What are the risk factors?
Many factors increase the of developing or triggering depression, such as;
• Having issues that negatively impact self-esteem, such as obesity, peer problems, long-term bullying or academic problems
• Having been the victim or witness of violence, such as physical or sexual abuse
• Having a learning disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Having ongoing pain or a chronic physical illness such as cancer, diabetes or asthma
• Having certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being overly dependent, self-critical or pessimistic
• Family history and issues with family or others may also increase your teenager’s risk of depression, such as:
• Having a dysfunctional family and family conflict
• Having experienced recent stressful life events, such as parental divorce or the death of a loved on
Some treatment options?
risk teen
What are some of the complications?
• Academic problems
• Family conflicts and relationship difficulties
Examples of preventive measures?
• The affected teenager should be encouraged and supported to;
• Control stress, increase resilience and boost selfesteem to help handle issues when they arise
• Support from friends and families and social support, especially in times of crisis
• Get treatment at the earliest sign of a problem to help prevent depression from worsening
• Maintain ongoing treatment, if recommended, even after symptoms let up, to help prevent a relapse of depression symptoms
• Treatment depends on the type and severity of your teenager’s depression symptoms. A combination of talk therapy (psychotherapy) and medication can be very effective for most teens with depression.
• If your teen has severe depression or is in danger of self-harm, he or she may need a hospital stay or may need to participate in an outpatient treatment programme until symptoms improve.