Facing The Danger Of Teen Suicide
Sometimes teens feel so depressed that they consider ending their lives. Each year, almost 5,000 young people, ages 15 to 24, kill themselves. The rate of suicide for this age group has nearly tripled since 1960, making it the third leading cause of death in adolescents and the second leading cause of death among college-age youth.
Studies show that suicide attempts among young people may be based on long-standing problems triggered by a specific event. Suicidal adolescents may view a temporary situation as a permanent condition. Feelings of anger and resentment combined with exaggerated guilt can lead to impulsive, self-destructive acts.
How Is Depression In Teens Diagnosed
When being assessed and diagnosed for depression it is common to receive an assessment tool or questionnaire from your doctor or a mental health professional. In addition to using an assessment tool, your healthcare provider will use the diagnostic criteria of the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which as of today is the DSM-5-TR. They review a list of reported symptoms, noting the onset, duration, and frequency of symptoms to arrive at a diagnosis.
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What Evaluation Might Look Like
Your child’s doctor can evaluate your child’s health, make a diagnosis, recommend treatments, and refer you to another professional, if necessary.
- A medical doctor can order blood tests, review family history, and evaluate current medications, sleep patterns, and diet to determine if there is a physical cause for the depression.
- A psychological evaluation or testing by a psychologist over several sessions can provide extensive information about the severity and nature of the symptoms, contributing factors, and the possible presence of suicidal ideation. This option is best suited for cases in which the diagnosis is unclear.
A therapist who specializes in treating teens will evaluate the symptoms based on talks with the teen and family members. They’ll then come up with specific recommendations that are the most likely to help your teen.
The process can take time. Help your teen understand that determining effective therapies and medications can be a trial-and-error process, and it might take several tries to get the treatment plan right. Also, many antidepressants take weeks to months to reach full effect.
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Status Of Psychological Treatments For Depression In Adolescents
The first review that applied the Criteria for Empirically Supported Treatments to evaluate the efficacy of psychological treatments identified seven trials on adolescent depression, and considered CWD-A to be the only treatment that had achieved probable efficacious status, based on the two trials by the research team of Lewinsohn , which demonstrated the superiority of CBT over WL. This paucity of results is understandable, considering that when the review was published in 1998, barely three years had elapsed since the development of the classification criteria for evidence-based therapy.
A subsequent review published in 2008 revealed the growing number of adolescent depression trials produced in one decade. They examined 18 new trials plus two published in 1996 , which had not been included in the earlier review, and concluded that CBT and IPT were well-established treatments, because there were at least two RCTs showing that they were superior to another treatment or to an active control condition.
These reviews included treatment trials with clinical samples and prevention trials with subclinical samples. In the current review, we focused only on trials involving adolescents with a diagnosis of depression that is, 18 of the previous trials, to which we added 9 more that were new or were not included in the aforementioned reviews.
How Can I Help My Teen With Mood Swings
If your teen is experiencing mood swings, you can start by understanding and recognizing what may be going on in their life.
Try not to assume things or automatically try to discipline them. This may worsen the situation and make your teen feel bad.
Opening up communication by spending quality time with your teen or checking in on them can show that you care and are there for them. It can also help you to learn more about them.
On the other hand, sometimes teens are searching for more independence, so giving them space can allow them to have privacy and time to themselves. You can always let them know that you are there when they are ready and comfortable to come to you.
You can also encourage healthy habits by being a role model and promoting good eating and sleeping habits.
Parents can teach their teens to engage in healthy activities like going outside, taking care of themselves, and spending time with their family and friends.
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How Do I Get Help For Depression
Youre not alone, and help is available. You can feel better. To get help:
- Talk to a trusted adult about how youve been feeling.
- Ask your doctor about options for professional help. Depression can be treated with psychotherapy , medication, or a combination of medication and talk therapy.
- Try to spend time with friends or family, even if you dont feel like you want to.
- Stay active and exercise, even if its just going for a walk. Physical activity releases chemicals, such as endorphins, in your brain that can help you feel better.
- Try to keep a regular sleep schedule.
- Eat healthy foods.
For immediate help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK .
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESNational Institutes of HealthNIMH Identification No. OM 21-4321
Which Teens Are At Risk For Major Depression
A teen may be more likely to have major depression if he or she has:
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Family history of depression, especially if a parent had depression when young
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Frequent physical complaints, such as headache, stomach ache, or fatigue
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Running away or threats of running away from home
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Sensitivity to failure or rejection
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Irritability, hostility, aggression
Symptoms of major depression may look like other mental health problems. Make sure your teen sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
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How Cbt Can Help Treat Depression In Adolescents
CBT can teach adolescents how to differentiate between their thoughts and feelings and regulate their feelings by questioning their assumptions and beliefs. CBT might also address behavior patterns that contribute to withdrawal and lack of enjoyment with strategies such as helping adolescents identify activities they have enjoyed in the past and planning to engage in them regularly. Parents/guardians will also have an active role in treatment in that they will receive education about the possible causes of depression as well as strategies their adolescents can use in identifying and modifying negative thinking and behavioral patterns.
Involve Your Child In Treatment Choices
When choosing a specialist or pursuing treatment options, always get your teens input. If you want your teen to be motivated and engaged in their treatment, dont ignore their preferences or make unilateral decisions. No one therapist is a miracle worker, and no one treatment works for everyone. If your child feels uncomfortable or is just not connecting with the psychologist or psychiatrist, seek out a better fit.
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Signs Of Depression In Teens
While the teen years typically are marked by teen angst, or general feelings of insecurity and apprehension, depression goes far beyond this. Depression is a serious mental condition that can be potentially life-threatening, and has lasting impacts if left untreated. There are several things you can look out for in teens.
The signs of depression in teens may include:1
- Profound sadness that lasts
- Unusually poor school performance or frequent absences
Complications Of Untreated Depression
The sooner you begin to diagnose and treat depression, the better, and when it comes to teens it is critically important to start treatment as soon as possible. The reason why it is so important for teens to receive diagnosis and treatment for depression quickly is due to the social and cognitive development that is also being experienced in this part of their life.
Teens already find themselves questioning a lot about their existence, self-worth, and ability to fit in with peers. Depression often isolates someone from their peers, friends, and family while negative self-talk is also convincing them that they are worthless and unimportant. Untreated depression for teens can lead to teens using alcohol and other substances to cope, engage in risky behaviors, or self-harm. Untreated depression can affect all other life domains for your teen.
Read Also: What To Do When You Think You Have Depression
Analysis Of The Effects Of Physical Activity Interventions On Remission Rate
Only 2 out of the 10 studies, which were included in this review, measured the remission rates to evaluate the antidepressant effects of their physical activity treatment in adolescents with depression. This was the study from Wunram et al. and the study from Hughes et al. . Remission rate data of the two studies was not analyzed quantitatively due to too low statistical test power. Here, we describe the results of the two studies that reported remission rate data qualitatively.
The study by Wunram et al. reported that, at postintervention, 29.9% of ergometer group participants, 50% of whole-body vibration strength training, and 17.6% of control group participants met criteria for remission. At 5-month follow-up, remission rates increased to 71.4, 61.5, and 25%, respectively. The remission rate data from the study by Hughes et al. is presented above .
How To Get Help For A Teenager With Depression
Its important to know when to seek professional help. This looks different depending on the severity of the depression, the behaviors present, and the capability of the family to provide adequate support or a safe environment. Professional help could range from finding a therapist to work with on an outpatient basis to seeking residential treatment options.
It can be a good idea to start with an appointment with your childs primary care provider to rule out any medical complications, and they may also have a referral for a mental health professional.
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Treatment For Bipolar Disorder In Teens: Medication
- Mood stabilizers:
Theres another element of treatment and recovery for bipolar disorder that we havent mentioned. It comes after a teen finishes treatment: community support. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers information on community groups for families and teens with BD, and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance provides a support group finder that can help you or your teen find a support group in your area, after their treatment team discharges from treatment and they return home.
How Can Inpatient Treatment For Depression Help My Teen
The main thing inpatient treatment does for teens with severe depression is minimize distractions so they can focus on healing. A teen with severe depression may find themselves in a chicken/egg situation: they know they need to get out of bed and do things that are productive and healing, but they cant. That very fact can foreground their depression and make them feel worse.
At a depression treatment center, a teenager can learn to:
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Teenage Depression Treatment At Polaris
Evidence Based Residential Program.
Certified Clinical Treatment for Teens.
Understand the Risks.
Find Help Today.
Teen depression is extremely common and very commonly misunderstood. Peer pressure, physical changes, and low self-esteem make the teenage years particularly difficult. These challenges can cause minor depressive episodes, leading to a higher risk for major depression. As a parent, you may think mood swings and antisocial behaviors are normal parts of being a teen. Although, changes in behavior can signify something more serious.
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Depression Symptoms In Teens
Symptoms of depression in teens are similar to those in adults. However, the behavioral symptoms can vary, likely due to the developmental stage at which these symptoms are occurring and the biological factors at play that already impact behavior in typical teens.
The symptoms of depression in teens may include:1,2
- Difficulty concentrating
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How Can I Help My Teen Cope With Depression
Depression can have a profound impact on a persons life and can only compound the difficulties associated with the teenage years.
Teen depression isnt always the easiest condition to spot. However, with proper treatment your teen can get the help they need.
If depression is affecting your teens life, you should seek help from a mental health specialist. The specialist will create a treatment plan specifically for your teen. Its also important that your teen follows that plan.
Other things your teen can do to help manage depression are:
- stay healthy and exercise
Qi : Communication And Documentation
Guideline Recommendations
GLAD-PC-II recommends that primary care providers consider sharing care with mental health professionals, communication among providers, and that providers agree on roles and responsibilities for ongoing depression management.50
Rationale and Evidence
Care coordination depends on communication among providers,97102 but lapses in chart documentation and communication between primary and specialty providers are common.103106 Primary care pediatricians referring children for mental health services report contacting specialists in only 12% of cases.107 There are no systematic reviews or meta-analyses evaluating provider communication per se, but care coordination interventions requiring interprovider communication have led to positive outcomes in pediatric and child mental health settings.8,108,109 Adult collaborative care intervention studies, including meta-analyses, provide similar evidence.110,111
Practice Implications
Providers making and receiving referrals of depressed adolescents should communicate to coordinate care.
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An Accurate Diagnosis Is Critical
Clinicians who understand the adolescent population know how the features of BD in teens differ from similar features in adults. This knowledge allows them to help teens find balance more quickly and more efficiently than the way treatment for BD in teens often happened in the past, which was, unfortunately, a process of trial and error. Misdiagnosed teens had little real chance of finding the balance they needed.
Mood stabilization is the first step in treating bipolar disorder in adolescents. Mood stabilization, which we describe above as the process of finding a manageable range of mood between extremes, moves a teen out of either a manic or depressive phase and into a physical, psychological, and emotional state that enables them to fully participate in treatment and therapy, and begin the process of recovery.
To ensure an accurate diagnosis, clinicians refer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition , which . It also identifies clear criteria that distinguish BD from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and behavioral disorders such as ADHD. To learn more about depressive disorders and treatment for depression in teens, please read our article here:
With regards to bipolar depression the DSM-5 identifies three distinct types:
Heres what mania, hypomania/hypomanic, and depression mean in the context of a bipolar disorder diagnosis.
Which brings us to the question posed in the title of this article:
What Is The Best Treatment For Teenage Depression
Depression is a serious mental health condition.
However, the word depression has become a catch-all, informal word that people use all the time to mean something other than the class of mental health disorders known by mental health professionals by their clinical designation, depressive disorders.
When you talk with friends, acquaintances, and family members, you might hear sentences like this:
I am so depressed.
Its enough to make you depressed.
Ive been a little depressed lately.
What a depressing movie!
And when you talk to teenagers or read their texts, youll probably hear or see this one:
In all those sentences and in the context in which most are used the word depressed functions as a synonym for the word sad. Which is fine. And in most cases, mostly harmless. Mostly harmless, though, is not totally harmless.
The reason we start here, talking about the informal use of the word, is that its one of the reasons significant stigma around mental health disorders like depression still exists and stigma around mental health disorders is not harmless.
It causes people who need treatment to avoid treatment, it causes people in treatment to feel shame about their treatment, and it causes the general public to dismiss both the clinical phenomenon of depression and therefore, dismiss depression treatment and minimize the pain and suffering of people with depression.
Depression is not sadness: depression is a serious mental health condition.
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