Depression In Women, Teens And Children

Childhood is supposed to be a simple, pure and happy time in one’s life, where one can grow and laugh in an uninhibited manner. Yet, the truth is that many children do indeed suffer from depression, too.

Many of the symptoms of childhood depression are similar to the signs exhibited by depressed adults. One major difference, perhaps, is that instead of becoming sad and low, children tend to become restless and irritable instead. Often, children who are depressed also face issues with anxiety, more so than experienced by depressed adults.

A child who is facing depression may struggle to go to school or meet strangers. Some may exhibit behavioral and temper issues. He or she may also experience certain bodily pains and aches. Perhaps somewhat strangely, some depressed children may actually go to the opposite extreme, excelling in school and other areas in a bid to please others – this is a way for these children to make up for their lack of self esteem.

A child may also suffer from dysthymic disorder, a form of chronic depression which is of lower intensity and goes on and off for days each time. In the long run, this ailment is actually detrimental to a child’s wellbeing and development, as it erodes his or her hope and confidence, which would quite certainly increase the depressed child’s risk of further mental disorders during his or her adult years.

Children may also be affected by bipolar disorder, a specific form of mental ailment whereby a sufferer alternates between periods of low, depressed states and “highs”. Kids affected by bipolar disorder may be very irritable and very hyperactive.

Kids whose parents have previously suffered from depression may be at higher risk of being hit themselves, as are children who experience significant life changes – for example, moving to a new neighborhood, death of a pet, loss of a loved one, etc. Such events, after all, can trigger depression even in adults, what more in children, who are less able to deal with such potentially traumatic changes.

One point of concern regarding depression in children is that it tends to be a relatively under-diagnosed condition, with many physicians failing to spot its symptoms, although with increasing awareness of the prevalence of this condition, this trend is changing.

Main Resource

New Hope For People With Depression

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