How Can I Help My Child If He Is Depressed

Children can suffer from depression in much the same way as adults. It is perfectly normal for our children to tell or show us that they feel sad, unhappy, irritated, or discouraged for a short time. However, when a child suffers from clinical depression, the situation is quite different. We therefore need to know how to distinguish the expression of negative emotions from the symptoms of the disease itself.

If negative emotions begin to emerge in a child, always taking more power and affecting various aspects of his or her life, such as school success or time spent with family, he or she may be clinically depressed. Can we as parents do anything to help a child in a situation like this? Yes, we can do a lot. Continuing to read will reveal how to identify children’s depression and how to deal with it.

How do I identify if my child is clinically depressed?

Before we can cure depression, of course, we must first know for sure that our child is suffering from that particular problem. To be sure of this, we need to keep an eye out for a set of different references that can be a sign that a child is actually depressed. Whatever the situation, of course, we must, of course, always seek a professional diagnosis of our child’s state of health.

The following signs should be noted: irritable or depressed mood, behavioral or disciplinary problems, loss of interest or pleasure, low self-esteem, social isolation, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of worthlessness and despair.

Other symptoms that are worth worrying about include: changes in appetite, repeated crying, disturbances in sleep rhythm (either too much or too little sleep), complaints of physical pain, tiredness, gaining or losing weight, trying to harm oneself, abnormal growth in a child’s age, or weight as well as last but not least, either talking about or attempting suicide.

It is important to keep in mind that symptoms like this can also be associated with other problems or illnesses. This can make it difficult for a parent to determine if it is depression or some other illness or problem. What is clear, however, is that it is obvious that both ourselves and our children need help. In that case, help is requested!

Childhood Depression – What Can I Do?

Professional assistance is also important that we do as parents your best to help our children. For example, if our child wrestles with low self-esteem and tends to criticize himself, we can counterbalance him with praise and even highlight the positive aspects. And, of course, in good faith! We should inquire from him in a more subtle way about the negative feelings he feels about himself, and show him when he reflects them on others.

Depression is usually associated with feelings of guilt. As these feelings take power, it is worth trying to help the child understand the difference between what is under his control and what is not. If your child shows feelings of helplessness or despair, you should encourage him or her to write about their feelings or talk about them with someone. In addition, it would be beneficial for the child to have a habit of writing down nice thoughts about themselves three or four times a day. It will be difficult for him at first, but it is an exercise that will help him develop healthy feelings for himself.

If we find a child’s interest in ordinary things diminishing and he or she seems sad, we should arrange an interesting daily activity with him or her. In addition, it makes sense to plan special events and arrange regular time to talk about nice family-related topics. Family life therefore plays a key role in resolving this situation. If the environment provided by the family is stable, it will significantly contribute to recovery from depression. So what does this mean? Maintaining a routine and minimizing changes in a family situation will help your child. If changes happen, we should try to mention them in advance to do our best to avoid unnecessary worries.

And finally, if you notice any thoughts or actions related to suicide, you definitely need to seek professional help as soon as possible.

In its brevity, it is important to support the child as much as you can and help him or her as much as possible. The child’s sadness and negative thoughts are important and deserve to be fully addressed. Childhood depression should no longer be a taboo subject, so let us do our best to carry our own cards to spreading awareness.

Photos provided by Annie Spratt and London Scout.