Healthy Tips To Prevent Depression In Teenagers

One in every five teenagers will experience depression, especially during the adolescence period. Even if your teens don’t have depression, there is a high possibility that they may go through mood swings, thereby leaving you in a fix because as parents you don’t know what your teenage kids are going through. Even if your kids are going through depression, don’t worry because it is very easy to prevent depression in teenagers. Depression is 100% curable because all you need is patience and persistence. Before we get into the depth of depression in teenagers and how to overcome it, we will try to focus on different aspects revolving around teenage depression including why do teenagers get depression, what are the symptoms, etc.

Why Do Teenagers Suffer From Depression?

When it comes to depression in teenagers there can be countless reasons why kids suffer from teenage depression. For instance, it is common for teens to develop feelings of worthlessness over their grades. Bad performance at school, social status with friends and peers, can have a major impact on how teens feel and react. Teenage depression can also arise from environmental stress. However, when kids are with their friends and family or are keeping themselves busy with the activities they like will help a lot to improve their sadness and sense of isolation.

Related Article: Effective Tips for Improving Your Child’s Mental Health

Symptoms of Depression in Teenagers

Sometimes it can be difficult to predict whether your child is going through depression or not. However, mentioned below are the common symptoms that you must look out for when your child is undergoing depression.

a) A constant feeling of anger, sadness, or irritation.

b) Either your child is sleeping too much or they are sleep-deprived.

c) Sudden loss or gain of body weight.

d) Feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

e) They become sensitive to criticism and constructive feedback.

However, with the right support and encouragement, your kids can easily overcome depression. In this article, we will focus on healthy tips to prevent depression in teenagers.

Healthy Tips to Prevent Depression in Teenagers

1. Look for the Early Signs of Depression

As already stated, it can get difficult to tell whether your child is suffering from depression or not. However, by any chance you suspect your teenage kid is going through time, then it can be a possibility that they are on the verge of getting depression. So, to make things easy for you make sure that you constantly monitor your child and look out for the early signs and symptoms of depression. Listed below are some common triggering symptoms that you need to be aware of-

a) Irritation

b) Guilt

c) Loss of interest in extracurricular activities

d) Social disconnection

e) Poor eating habits

f) Poor memory

g) Loss of motivation

h) Insomnia or Hypersomnia

i) Weight loss or gain

j) Headaches

k) Body aches

l) Suicidal thoughts

2. Build a Healthy Relationship with Your Teens

To handle teens who are depressed and emotionally vulnerable, building a healthy relationship with them can do wonders. Adolescence is the period of complete transformation and it is also the time when your kids undergo major physical and emotional changes. Having you by their side will not make them happy but will also boost their confidence. If you want to improve your relationship with kids, mentioned below are some healthy tips that will play a key role in the strengthening of your bond with your teenage kids.

a) Closely listen to them especially when they’re talking to you about their life.

b) Avoid being judgemental.

c) As parents, you must be empathetic towards your kids and keep yourself in their shoes and think about how would you feel.

d) Don’t ask your kids to get over an experience or a situation in any way.

e) Validate your kid’s emotions and feelings.

f) The best way to build a rapport with your kids is to understand them and their thought processes.

g) Emotionally bond with your kids.

h) Plan out a fun date with your kids and do something adventurous and exciting that your kids would enjoy.

i) It’s a good habit to communicate with your teenage kids and make them realize that no matter what you’ll always be there for them.

By listening to your kids properly, you will get to know them better and understand what they are feeling and going through. This is an important tip because depressed teens are emotionally vulnerable and are always on the lookout for support.

3. Be Positive and Praise Your Kids

Another great and healthy tip to look after your teenage kids dealing with depression is to be kind enough to praise your kids. In fact, if your teen is depressed they will welcome the praise when its offered to them. As already stated above, depression comes with a feeling of ashamed, sadness, guilt, loneliness, anxiety, and confusion. However, when your kids are praised, they’ll feel extremely happy about the same. This will also show that you’re noticing what they’re doing and feeling and alas you care for them and love them. It is often observed that teens who are depressed lack motivation and positivity in life. Therefore, make sure that you keep encouraging them to do good things for themselves and their family.

4. Seek Professional Help, if Needed

Seeking therapy to overcome depression is not BAD! We as parents need to change the mentality of society including our family and friends. If you feel that your child is undergoing depression, fix an appointment with a therapist, or a psychologist. Today, with so much importance being given to mental health it is important to maintain the proper mental health of your kids. And if there is a requirement for a therapist, don’t hesitate to take your kids to the same. With proper medical care and supervision, you can learn a lot more about depression and how to handle teenage depression effectively. Listed down below are some additional reasons stressing the need to seek medical help-

a) Depression does not have a Defined Picture-

The symptoms of depression can vary from one teenager to another significantly. There is a possibility that you may notice usual signs and symptoms in your teens as mentioned above. Or there is an equal possibility that you can see unique symptoms of depression in teens. For example, they may refuse to eat anything healthy or do something that would make them better.

b) Depression is Progressive in Nature

If not treated on time, depression can take a really bad route and will eventually get worse over time. You’d be surprised to know that majority of the suicides are due to untreated depression. When kids are not given proper medication to balance out their mood, then depression can get worse.

c) Depression is Curable

Not many people know that depression is actually curable when treated on time. Thereby, when seeking medical help for your teens, certain therapies and medications can bring your child back to normal life.

5. Emphasize on Coping Mechanisms to Overcome Teenage Depression

Once your teen starts their therapy sessions, they will be introduced to an end number of coping mechanisms that will play a key role in overcoming depression. Whether your teen wants to seek therapy and medical help or not, as parents you can make use of different coping techniques to keep your kids emotionally balanced. Following are healthy and constructive ways to overcome depression in teenagers.

a) Deep breathing exercises.

b) Proper and regular sleep cycle.

c) Healthy eating habits.

d) Regular exercising.

e) Mind relaxing exercises.

f) Spending quality time with friends and family.

g) Having a proper and stable schedule.

h) Exploring creative passion.

i) Journaling your feelings.

j) Participating in different creative activities including painting, writing, dancing, and singing.

k) Doing yoga.

l) Mindfulness.

Related Article: Top 6 Ways To Nurture Your Child’s Mental Health

Takeaway

As a parent, you can play a significant role in helping your child overcome depression by encouraging them to adopt healthy habits. In fact, introducing your kids to self-care and various relaxation techniques can play a significant role in overcoming depression in teens. Apart from self-care and relaxation activities, you can also enroll your kids in PiggyRide’s online classes. Ranked as the leading ed-tech platform in India, we offer a plethora of online classes for your kids.

These online classes will help your kids to channel their creativity and will enhance their overall imagination. From online chess classes to online guitar classes, you can browse through our website and book your trial class now.
Always remember that the best way to overcome depression in teenagers is by staying positive and happy!