Teenagers today deal with more stressful times than the earlier generations. Inability to handle stress of the modern fast paced lifestyle, lack of family support, more gadget time and reduced physical activity, less sunshine and unbridled exposure to social media has made kids vulnerable to depression. Depression in kids and teens even though a pandemic is not a lifelong phenomenon, it can be treated with appropriate help and support.
What can save today’s kids from depression?
Let us first analyze their needs and what they want. It is important to instill a sense of confidence and emotional stability in them. Treating them as individuals and not ones property. By gently making them aware that each one of them is special in their own way. Don’t kill yourself in mindless emulation of others. Emotional stability and nutritious diet play a key role in developing a happy and healthy kid.
Depression in teens is initially masked as normal emotional outbursts or psychological changes. Only when the sadness persists and starts affecting their normal activities, it is diagnosed as depression.
Symptoms:
Depressed or sad look
A primary symptom of depression revolves around sadness, mood swings and constant irritability. When a child is extremely sad all the time, feels hopeless, it is the red flag for depression.
Lack of Interest in Activities
Strong apathy or lack of interest in activities they use to like earlier, outdoor activities , sports and hobbies. Forgetfulness of books and notebooks, severe attention deficit, inability to cope up with daily chores.
Sudden loss or gain in weight
Sudden change in diet pattern or loss of appetite is a sign of depression. Either kids gain unexpected weight or suddenly deviate from the expected growth pattern.
Extreme Sleepiness or difficulty falling asleep
A clear fallout of depression is difficulty falling asleep or broken sleep. Less sleep can sap your attention span and short-term memory.
Psychomotor Symptoms
Another obvious sign of depression is reflected by unconscious, purposeless gestures like inability to sit in a place for long, biting nails or hand wriggling and other emotional outbursts like shouting and crying at the drop of a hat.
Fatigue
Fatigue makes it difficult to focus even with less distractions around. Fatigue saps the energy and adversely affects memory retention.
Lack of self-confidence
Depressed children are low on self-steam. They like to be left alone spending time away from parents and friends.
Feeling Guilty
Feeling guilty is a negative emotion. A strong feeling of worthlessness or inadequacy sometimes grips children. Self-reproach is demeaning to the confidence of the child and can be heavily delusional.
Depression diminishes their ability to perform
A major fallout of depression is lack of focus or concentration which impairs their ability to think clearly. This results in falling grades in school, problem in interpersonal skills, getting in trouble with everyone.
Everything around us today is like a concentration killer for a child; screen time, gadget time or social media. It is very tempting to keep connecting with friends and checking updates while studying but it plays havoc on the concentration. Every ping on the mobile kills the steady trail of focus and disconnect from work.
Some of the causes of depression in children and teens:
- Loss of parents
- Impaired relationship of parents
- Attention deficit in children.
- Low social status
- Migration
- Excessive demand at school
- Learning disorders
A holistic treatment of depression focuses on both mind and body and is done through balanced diet, yoga, proper sleep, tapping the creative skills, outdoor activities and psychotherapy. These natural remedies can facilitate a speedy recovery.
Watch out for next article on ‘How to combat depression’.
DISCLAIMER – Jagadguru Kripalu Yoga and Naturopathy Hospital does not provide any treatment for Psychological diseases. This article is for information purposes only.
Contact Jagadguru Kripalu Yoga and Naturopathy Hospital for lifestyle consultation.
This’s very very important topic and valid Article Regarding upon this Topic. Got many much things to know to get rid from stress and how to live stresslessly . Thank you so much Dear Pragya ji. Thank you.
Thanku very much Pragya ji . JK yog and naturopathy is best
“Today’s Kid is Tomorrow’s future ” , If present is not built in a proper way future can not be shaped up . So the first and foremost things of parents should be keep a tab on their children ,What is he /she doing ,Is there any change in behavior . Discuss with them every thing ,A problem may look tiny/small for you but it may be a big roadblock for them . Its basically needed in today’s time because most of the couple are opting for one child policy and because of the busy lifestyles they are unable to give time which leads to loneliness for the child .
Therefore they should be taught different values such as self respect , dedication , positive thinking ,Trying to find solution to every problems etc . And they should be treated as respected individuals and asked to find their own talents . Last but not the least : Kids learn by example , not by only teaching . If we want our kid to follow something we should do it in front of them , For e.g just telling them to wake up early will be no use if we don’t do it everyday .
So important article for all and specially for teenagers. Thank you so much.
Very helpful in tackilng the depression. Very very useful. Thankyou so much
Depression in teenagers is very common now a days . Tha article is very useful . Thanks JKYNH.
Very good article. It’s helpful to the teenagers and parents.