Helping A Child With Anxiety Or Depression
Realising that your child may be struggling with their mental health and experiencing anxiety or depression can be hard to accept. Sometimes parents can feel like its their fault or want to know why their child is struggling with a mental health problem. This is completely understandable, but the most important thing you can do is to reassure your child and not judge them for how theyre feeling.Ways to help a child whos struggling include:
- letting them know youre there for them and are on their side
- try talking to them over text or on the phone if they dont feel able to talk in person
- being patient and staying calm and approachable, even if their behaviour upsets you
- recognising that their feelings are valid and letting them know its okay for them to be honest about what its like for them to feel this way
- thinking of healthy ways to cope you could do together, like yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness
- encouraging them to talk to their GP, someone at their school or Childline. Especially if theyre finding it hard to talk at home.
- take care of yourself and get support if you need to. Try not to blame yourself for whats happening and to stay hopeful about your childs recovery.
Tms Therapy For Anxiety
TMS therapy is touted as the future in depression therapy.
Its actually more effective than medication for treating depression.
BUT, you know TMS also treats anxiety?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a safe, highly effective treatment of many behavioral health conditions, like obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, and anxiety disorders.
Today well be covering the effectiveness of TMS for anxiety.
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How Do I Get Rid Of My Childs Anxiety
Encourage your child to face his/her fears, not run away from them. When we are afraid of situations, we avoid them. However, avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations maintains the anxiety. Instead, if a child faces his or her fears, the child will learn that the anxiety reduces naturally on its own over time.
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Getting Your Teen Evaluated
A thorough evaluation by a professional is required to determine if your teen has depression, assess the severity of the problem, and weigh the treatment options.
Schedule an assessment for your teen with a medical doctor or mental health professional who specializes in helping teenagers. Seeing your child’s pediatrician can be a good first step.
Common Conditions Your Teenager May Be Dealing With:
- Acne, eczema, other rashes
- Thyroid problems
- Weight management concerns/disorders
This is quite the list and most of these things will pop up in young adulthood. They can be difficult to manage alone, or your teen may be wondering if its all in their head. Its important to address these concerns sooner than later to treat them before they progress and become chronic.
The Causative Factors For Each individual Are Different,
The causative factors for teenage depression and anxiety are different, thus treatment will depend on the specific imbalances in your child, but some things remain the same for all. See my recommendations for creating the conditions for health in your teen through a naturopathic approach.
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Symptoms Of Teen Depression
The signs and symptoms of depression in teens are often different than in adults. Because teen depression often disguises itself as the normal mood swings of puberty or teen angst, it’s often ignored until something serious happens, such as a suicide attempt or risk-taking behavior. Here’s what to look for if you suspect your teen has depression:
- Anger and irritability
The teen years are also a period of physical, emotional, and social upheaval. This alone can cause mood swings and depressed moods. The stress of becoming a young adult can cause bouts of sadness and depression.
Because teen depression can have so many causes and because mood shifts can be so common in teens, parents can have difficulty differentiating between the two. Consult a professional as soon as possible if you suspect depression in your teen.
For parents, this means you should note all depression signs, be aware of your teen’s moods, and discuss your suspicions with your teen’s doctor.
Talk to your teen to learn what could be contributing to their depression. They may be able to give you an answeror they may not know themselves. Either way, talking to your teen will help you keep the lines of communication open while they are working through their depression.
How Do You Know If Your Child Is Mentally Ill
What are the warning signs of mental illness in children? Persistent sadness that lasts two weeks or more. Withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions. Hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself. Talking about death or suicide. Outbursts or extreme irritability. Out-of-control behavior that can be harmful.
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How To Help A Depressed Teenager
Depression is very damaging when left untreated, so dont wait and hope that worrisome symptoms will go away. If you suspect that your teen is depressed, bring up your concerns in a loving, non-judgmental way. Even if youre unsure that depression is the issue, the troublesome behaviors and emotions youre seeing are signs of a problem that should be addressed.
Open up a dialogue by letting your teen know what specific depression symptoms youve noticed and why they worry you. Then ask your child to share what theyre going throughand be ready and willing to truly listen. Hold back from asking a lot of questions , but make it clear that youre ready and willing to provide whatever support they need.
Final Thoughts On Overcoming Anxiety And Depression
Our kids need to know they are loved, worthy, valued and created on purpose for a purpose. Their difficulty in overcoming anxiety or depression does not define them. Their worth is found, not in the struggle but in their identity as a child of God.
If you would like to talk to someone further about your childs depression or anxiety, or need help finding a counselor in your area, Focus on the Family offers a one-time complimentary consultation from a Christian perspective. You can reach a counselor at 1-855-771-HELP .
Instructions & Documentation
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How To Help Someone With Anxiety
All of us worry and get scared from time to time. But those with anxiety may feel consumed by fears of things that might seem irrational to others. It can be hard to relate to these concerns, and as a result, many people dont know how to best help someone with anxiety. People are often dismissive of people experiencing anxiety, says Joseph McGuire, Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist with Johns Hopkins Medicine. With other medical illnesses, you may be able to see physical symptoms. But with anxiety, you dont necessarily see what the person is dealing with. So its important to be sensitive to what the person with anxiety is going through, even if it doesnt make sense to you. Its distressing to watch a loved one experience panic attacks and face anxiety every day, but there are things you can do to help. It starts with recognizing the signs of excessive worry and understanding the best ways to support your loved one.
What Are The Symptoms Of Parental Depression
Depression affects a parents mood, sleep, appetite, and energy level. Typical symptoms of depression include persistent sadness and the loss of interest in activities that used to bring pleasure, along with sleeping too little or too much, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite , poor energy and thoughts of suicide. Untreated depression raises the risk of substance abuse.
Signs of depression that are specifically related to parenting include:
- Lack of responsiveness to a child. Parents with depression are less likely to respond appropriately to the cues of their young children, Smith says.
- Inappropriate parenting behaviors. Some depressed parents are neglectful and disengaged from their children, while others are hyper-intrusive and over-engaged, Smith says. What these seemingly opposite behaviors have in common, she says, is the fact that neither is sensitive to a childs cues.
- A childs tardiness or truancy at school. Children may consistently arrive late or miss school because their parents dont have the energy or organizational skills to get out the door on time.
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What Causes Separation Anxiety In Babies
Babies begin to understand this when they are 612 months old. However, because they do not have an understanding of time, they do not know when their caregiver will come back. This causes them to become afraid and agitated.
When children become more independent during toddlerhood, they may develop a greater awareness of separation from their caregiver. This may result in them going through another phase of separation anxiety.
In many cases, separation anxiety will fade naturally as a child gets older. However, certain factors can trigger or exacerbate it, such as:
- the arrival of a new sibling
- a new or unfamiliar childcare setting
- a new caregiver
The best way to approach separation anxiety is to address the anxiety and fear the infant feels. This can help them feel more comfortable with separation over time.
Encourage Them To Think About What They Enjoy Doing
Take a step-by-step approach towards helping them do these activities when they feel able to. This could be things like exercising or playing sport, listening to music, doing something creative like colouring or drawing, watching a favourite film, reading a favourite book or going for a walk with you.
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How Do Antidepressants Work
The most common antidepressant medications for children are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors . These medications increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that can help increase feelings of happiness and well-being.
Use extra caution with antidepressants in children. Some children show no improvement with the medications, or may even feel more depressed. If a healthcare provider recommends antidepressants, watch your childs condition closely. Never allow your child to stop taking antidepressants suddenly. Doing so can cause serious side effects or make depression worse.
Anxiety And Depression In Children: Get The Facts
Many children have fears and worries, and may feel sad and hopeless from time to time. Strong fears may appear at different times during development. For example, toddlers are often very distressed about being away from their parents, even if they are safe and cared for. Although some fears and worries are typical in children, persistent or extreme forms of fear and sadness could be due to anxiety or depression. Learn about anxiety and depression in children.
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Try To Model Healthy Ways Of Handling Anxiety
There are multiple ways you can help kids handle anxiety by letting them see how you cope with anxiety yourself. Kids are perceptive, and theyre going to take it in if you keep complaining on the phone to a friend that you cant handle the stress or the anxiety. Im not saying to pretend that you dont have stress and anxiety, but let kids hear or see you managing it calmly, tolerating it, feeling good about getting through it.
Moms Raising Sons To Be Men
Mothers of boys have the special calling to shape future men of God. Popular speaker Rhonda Stoppe, mom to two sons, knows this opportunity is a challenge, a joy, and probably the most important work of a womans life. Drawing from years of experience, this inspirational resource will revive the faithfulness and fortitude a woman needs to partner with God as they shape the character and heart of a future godly man.
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Enough Already What Can I Do
Lets face it: these tools are just as much about helping you as they are about helping your child. It hurts to see them sad, and nothing makes you feel worse as a parent than walking away from your baby when he or she is in tears. You instinct is to fix quickly and comfort. However, if you focus on a plan to help them get stronger and more resilient, as opposed to fixing their fear, youll both feel better in the long run.
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Dont Ignore The Symptoms
Depression is a serious issue that affects approximately 20 percent of high school-aged students before they reach adulthood. Anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of high school students will experience a symptom of depression at any point in time. It is important that you do not ignore the symptoms of depression when it comes to your teens health in Dallas, TX.
Some of the programs we offer at BasePoint Academy:
- Individual and Family therapy sessions
- Various therapeutic approaches including: expressive art, role playing, gardening and guided imagery
- Skills coaching and academic support
- Highly trained, qualified, and dedicated licensed therapists
- Life skills management and group
- Relapse prevention
- Medication Management
- Mindfulness and Meditation
Healthy interpersonal skills early interventions into your teens life will help you identify the signs of substance abuse, high-risk self-harm, and other varying levels of risky behaviors. Our treatment programs are specifically designed for each individual teen based on their mental health needs when they arrive at our facility. Call today to schedule a complimentary assessment with our team so we can help your teen on the road to healthy sustainable recovery in Dallas TX.
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Keep Goodbyes Brief And Upbeat
Drawn-out goodbyes can prolong distress, so keep goodbyes brief and positive. It may help to create a goodbye ritual, such as a special handshake, or providing the child with a special blanket or toy to comfort them.
It is OK to comfort a child who is experiencing separation anxiety, but do not linger. Give them full attention and affection, and then leave.
Providing comfort and reassurance during the day may help ease nighttime separations. However, often a little extra support is necessary at bedtime to help children feel secure before they fall asleep.
It may help to:
- stick to a bedtime routine
- ensure they have a security toy or blanket with them
- stay calm and relaxed while saying goodnight, as children can detect their caregivers moods
- avoid sneaking out after they fall asleep this can cause distress if they wake up again
- comfort the child if they wake up by rubbing or patting them until they calm down, then leave
- when possible, avoid taking them out of the bed and rocking them to sleep
age of 3 years and begins to fade as the child develops a greater understanding that their caregiver will return. However, some children can continue to experience separation anxiety for longer periods.
When separation anxiety persists into later childhood, it is known as childhood separation anxiety disorder . This is a mental health condition that causes a level of separation anxiety that is unusual for the childs stage of development.
Depression In Teens: The Warning Signs And How To Help Them Through
One of the things that can make depression so difficult to recognise is that the symptoms can be things we all struggle with from time to time sadness, hopelessness, lethargy, lack of engagement. When these very normal human experiences happen in a combination, duration or intensity that start to interfere with day-to-day life , its possible that depression might be waving a heavy hand over your teen.
During adolescence, the rates of depression skyrocket. According to the World Health Organisation, depression is the number one cause of illness and disability in adolescents. But theres something else. Research shows that in half of all adults who have problems with their mental health, their symptoms showed up before age 14. Three-quarters had symptoms by age 24. This puts flashing lights around the importance of noticing when our teens are struggling and making sure they get the support they need. The earlier symptoms are caught, the easier it will be to stop those symptoms expanding into something bigger and more difficult to shift.
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Communicate With Your Spouse
When you have a spouse with mental illness, it can be easy to feel as if you are walking on eggshells, fearful that you will say or do the wrong thing or that your own concerns are not worth bringing up. It can be common for both of you to attribute legitimate relationship issues with symptoms of mental illness, keeping you from dealing with them as real conflicts. You may also both resent the patient-caretaker dynamic that so often emerges when a partner has a mental health disorder. Talking to your spouse about what both of you are experiencing can be essential to understanding each other and learning how to effectively nurture your relationship in troubled times.
The hard part has been the unspoken expectations and resentments that can pile up between us when were navigating an illness episode, says Mark Lukach, whose wife struggles with bipolar disorder. After the first one, we have had to have some really hard talks. Talking through our experiences let us share our pain, resentment, and tensionand realize that were in this together and have an unshakeable bond.
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Every relationship goes through four life-changing seasons: Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. Each season plays an important role in taking your relationship to the next level. And depending on how you navigate each season, your relationship will either flourish and grow, or it will slowly die. Whether youre single, dating, engaged or married, join licensed professional counselor and relationship expert, Debra Fileta as she takes you on an eye-opening psychological and spiritual journey through the four seasons that she has observed in every healthy relationship.
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