How can I help my teen with depression?
Don't let your depressed teen blow you off, says psychologist Dr. Jennifer Hartstein. Watch the video to learn what to do if your teenager becomes depressed.
Transcript
And you want to ask them how they're doing and how they're feeling. Chances are their first answer is going to be they're fine and to leave them alone.
But don't accept that as the answer. Keep pushing. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Teenagers are moody, and it's sometimes hard to figure out what is a typical teenage mood versus what's something you need to be concerned about.
So first, you need to understand what depression is. Depression is more than just that irritability and moodiness, although that's a huge part of it.
It's really changing what they like to do and not engaging in their activities that they might have before. It's being more withdrawn.
It's crying over things that you might be surprised at them. It is being more irritable. It's complaining about being bored.
So you want to know what the hallmark symptoms might be for your teenager, and you want to ask them how they're doing and how they're feeling.
Chances are their first answer is going to be they're fine and to leave them alone. But don't accept that as the answer. Keep pushing.
If you're worried about them, and they aren't responding to you, it may be appropriate to ask for help, to ask the guidance counselor in the school or a school
psychologist to speak to them. And if that's not enough, seek some professional help because the psychotherapy can really help them learn some coping skills to navigate their lives.
teen health development
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