Introduction
- Increased bouts of anger,
- More irritable and appears sullen and withdrawn
- Expresses boredom frequently and loss of enjoyment in fun activities
- Too little or too much sleep
- Fluctuations in weight
- Feelings of tiredness and difficulty concentrating on tasks
- Suicidal thoughts
Treatment
The treatment for depression is a procedure that takes time and patience. Much of this may also depend on trial and error due to the fact that no two children or people are alike; thus, what works for one person may not work for the other. Furthermore, it is always advisable to continue the treatment for as long as possible as patients may sometimes experience relapses.1. Educate the patient
2. Seek Counselling
The next step in treatment is always counseling, and the earlier you start these sessions, the better. Counselors will assess the possible causes of depression and hence be able to prescribe the right kind of treatment. Depression usually stems from factors like genetics, stress, bullying, and hormonal changes, among other things. Depending on the age and some other factors, the counselor might prescribe a play therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), etc. If you are visiting a psychiatrist, they will prescribe appropriate medications depending on the severity of the illness. Sometimes, it takes time to find the right psychologist who understands your child’s needs. Hence, you may have to make several phone calls and appointments before finding a suitable one. Do not be disheartened, however, as this is all part of the process. Try to contact Clean Recovery Centers, to get started.3. Encourage a healthy lifestyle
This is one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to battling depression, particularly at home. A healthy lifestyle is one that encompasses proper exercise, diet, and sleep patterns. As such, you should encourage your child to take up a sport or engage in some form of physical activity. All children enjoy eating junk food, and while you should not cut this out, it is also essential that you get them to eat healthy items, like fruits and vegetables. This is also useful as the child’s medications will require them to eat a healthy diet. Finally, ensuring that your child gets enough sleep and monitoring their intake of medicines can immensely improve their overall mood.4. Inform their school and teachers
Battling depression is never an easy task and can hugely affect a child’s performance at school. If this goes unaddressed, it may leave the child feeling more inadequate and isolated than ever. Thus, an extremely crucial step is to inform the school and the teacher about what your child is facing and come up with strategies that may help improve their performance. This could be in the form of increased time periods for submitting assignments, providing copies of notes, etc.Conclusion
In conclusion, depression is an extremely complicated illness that makes patients prone to outbursts and relapses. As difficult as it might be, parents must have the ability to remain calm and patient during the course of the treatment. Thus, we hope that this article successfully highlights some of the key ways you can help your child get through depression.References
How to Choose the Right Therapist for Your Child https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-therapist-for-your-child/A New Prescription For Depression: Join A Team And Get Sweaty https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/10/22/656594050/a-new-prescription-for-depression-join-a-team-and-get-sweaty
Clean recovery centres https://www.cleanrecoverycenters.com/contact/