Thrivival

Parents; how to Be supportive of your child/teenager who struggles with depression.

One of the most important things you can do for your teen is to work on strengthening your relationship. Try to build empathy and understanding by putting yourself in their shoes. You might be frustrated that they seem down and irritable a lot of the time and don’t seem to be doing much of anything to help themselves. But if there isn’t much in their life that is making them happy, or something intensely disappointing has happened to them, it’s understandable that they might avoid things they used to enjoy and retreat to their room. Depression makes even doing the smallest things more difficult.

Try to validate their emotions, not their unhealthy behavior.
Be compassionately curious. Ask them questions about their mood gently, without being emotional.

For some parents, this can feel passive, as though you’re not doing enough. But being there for them and communicating your acceptance is exactly what they needs from you right now. It’s actually a very active way to strengthen your relationship.

Is my child or teenager experiencing the normal mood swings which come with hormonal changes? Below are a few signs to watch:

Do you often feel sad, anxious, worthless, or even “empty”?
Have you lost interest in activities you used to enjoy?
Do you get easily frustrated, irritable, or angry?
Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends and family?
Are your grades dropping?
Have your eating or sleeping habits changed?
Have you experienced any fatigue or memory loss?
Have you thought about su***de or harming yourself?

Parents, talk with your child/teenager if you see any of the above signs and determine if help might be needed.