Parents of Depressed Teens

Help for Parents and caregivers of Depressed Teens

Parents of Depressed Teens

Is my teen depressed? Learn the signs and symptoms of teen depression

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Is my teen depressed? Like this depressed teen boyA list of possible symptoms of teenage depression

When teens get depressed, sometimes you will see noticeable behavior changes, sometimes they will be more subtle. If you have been wondering: Is my teen depressed? Then look at this list and if the answer is yes to more than half of the symptoms, you might want to investigate further and take action to help them.

Here are some signs your teen may be depressed:

Depressive behaviors

  1. They may have little or almost no motivation. They might become withdrawn and not communicate.
  2. They might close their bedroom door and stay in their room for hours at a time, on evenings and weekends.
  3. Depressed teens may sleep excessively.
  4. You might also see a change in eating habits
  5. They may exhibit apathy, not caring about anything they previously showed interest in.

Illicit activities

  1. Some might even participate in criminal behaviors. They may shoplift or vandalize property or bully other kids.
  2. They might drink and drive or use alcohol to excess.
  3. They may also engage in illicit drug use.
  4. In keeping with other items in this list you may see rebellious behavior from them.
  5. Some engage in promiscuous sexual activity.

Physical symptoms

  1. Teens who are depressed my complain of pains, including headaches, stomach aches, low back pain, or fatigue.
  2. There could be a loss of interest in food, and there will be a resulting weight loss.
  3. They may eat more and compulsive overeat and that could result in rapid and noticeable weight gain.
  4. They could experience memory loss or complain of fuzzy thinking or exhibit poor logic.

School and Social Life

  1. They may have trouble at school.
  2. They may be late for classes.
  3. They might skip school.
  4. Teachers may report a sudden drop in grades.
  5. They can have difficulty concentrating.
  6. They may struggle with making decisions for themselves.
  7. You might see withdrawal from friends, self-imposed isolation as well as sadness and loneliness.

Unusual Behaviors

  1. Some teens suffer from excessive or inappropriate guilt.
  2. Depressed teens may engage in irresponsible behavior. They may shirk responsibility. Ignore chores.
  3. Failure to show up for part time jobs.
  4. Sometimes there is a preoccupation with death and dying.
  5. Insomnia can also be an issue. You may see staying awake at night and sleeping during the day.
  6. Sadness, anxiety, or a feeling of hopelessness can be present.

If you need help or what to research teen depression further, you might find this Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression useful.

 

What is Ontology

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It’s shocking that most people suffering from depression, well actually, most people in general, do not know about ontology. There are therapeutic disciplines that use it and it has been found to be highly effective.

There is a course for teens that uses it and is run by a company called Landmark Worldwide. Parents with struggling teens should consider the Landmark Forum course for their teens.

Here is a brief overview of what ontology teaches:

What is Ontology?

Ontology is, most simply, put the science of “being” (like psychology is the study of human nature). It is a school of thought that explores and uses fundamentals in existence, reality and being, as principle tenants.

Therapeutic disciplines that use ontology are interested in teaching people tools that allow them to be who they want to be at any moment that is in the present.

Experts from psychological disciplines would agree that humans have a tendency to act from past based tendencies or from thoughts about a future they would like to create. That suggests, that humans are rarely present in the moment.  And the actions that arise from this state of being, are not truly “being”. This has a direct correlation to actions you choose to take. The actions you take relate to the life you build around you. In this sense, you never learn to be in the present you only learn where are coming from “having been” or “hope to be” and that changes our reality.

Ontologically rooted therapy helps train you to focus on the present and choose actively how you want to behave in that moment.

 

what's ontology?

 

If you’d like to learn more about ontology, please reach out to coach Kay Walker at [email protected]. She uses the therapy in her practice and can answer all your questions about it and direct you to any useful resources.

How your teen’s digestive system impacts their mood

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Is your teen regular?  This may seem like an odd question but having regular bowel movements (aka pooping at least once a day or every other day) is important for good mood.

Read this quick article to learn about your body’s second brain and how it affects your body. Take this knowledge to your teen so they know how important it is to have regular bowel movements.

Quick story: Kay Walker’s personal experience

How your digestive system affects your moodI learned about the connection in 2008.  I was taking a low dose of an antidepressant (prescribed to me during my teen years) that I was trying to wean off of, and went to see a naturopathic doctor.

He asked me how often I passed a bowel movement. I explained I was constantly irregular: “Sometimes I only go once a week!” I told him.  He explained that the situation was problematic and was likely causing my depressed mood. He prescribed me a combination of healthy bowel supplements, which I took by mouth.  I started having daily bowel movements. My mood improved and I was able to discontinue  my antidepressants. At the time, I never felt happier.

Your digestive system impacts your mood

Did you know, your body has two brains?

Your gut is the component of your digestive track that allows your body to digest food and process it into waste and eliminate it, by sending it out your anus.

What most people don’t know about the gut is that it works independently. It’s the only organ that works without being controlled by your cranial brain (the one inside your skull). That means, it’s also wired with a network of neurons (brain cells). There are approximately 400 to 600 million neurons in your gut.

For this reason, the gut is commonly called the “second brain” or “gut brain”. And it’s pre-empted a new school of research called neurogastroenterology.

How the cranial brain and gut brain interact

Your gut brain manufactures approximately 30 neurotransmitters (brain chemicals).  It talks to the brain in your head, your cranial brain, by sending messages through a region at the based of your brain that extends to abdomen, called the vagus nerve.

Your gut brain sends signals to your cranial brain that affect feelings of sadness, stress and that influence your thinking processes. Both brains produce the neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) serotonin. And get this: Your gut produces 95 percent of all the serotonin in your body. Your guts also makes 50% of the dopamine (another feel good brain chemical) in your body.

So, are you regular?

Frequency:  Are you passing a bowel anywhere from 1-3 times a day.  These averages suggest a normal range, though some individuals go slightly less (3-5 times per week) and some go more (up to 4 times per day). As you long as you are going at least every other day and you feel comfortable (you’re not dealing with stomach pain or discomfort)  it’s likely not affecting your mood.

Appearance: Your bowel movements should be a shade of brown.  They are brown because your liver produces a substance called bile, which helps your body break down and eliminate food. If your stool (your poop) is black or has red in it, you may have blood in your stool. This may suggest other serious illnesses.

Last thoughts on bowel health

If your teen irregular, you’ll want to mention this to their doctor. You’ll be able to learn of ways that you can get your bowels back in working order.  To learn more about the connection between your brain and gut check out the book Second Brain by Michael Gershon.

 

Adrenal fatigue in teens

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Adrenal fatigue is a lesser known syndrome that has similar symptoms to major depression.  Some experts believe adrenal fatigue is misdiagnosed as depression often. It’s important to understand the differences because the treatment for adrenal fatigue does not require medication. It simply requires some changes to diet, time and sleep to rest and repair the adrenal glands.

Children and teens can develop adrenal fatigue. They commonly get it when they are under tremendous pressure to perform in life. Sometimes parents overbook their kids by putting them in too many extracurriculars. Teens and kids, like adults can experience burn out.

Read on to learn about what adrenal fatigue is and what you can do to make sure your teens adrenals are functioning at healthy levels.

Adrenal fatigue in teens

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

A syndrome that’s similar to major depression in many ways. It occurs when the adrenal glands begin to function below the necessary level. This is often a result of prolonged stress and the way it puts pressure on the cells and systems of the body, and in this case, the adrenal glands, which are located above the kidneys.

As the name of the syndrome suggests, extreme sleepiness is a prime symptom.  This lack of energy disable an individual’s level to function physically and mentally. Many people report feeling sleepy, depressed, and physically unable to do what they used to do. In extreme cases, a sufferer will have trouble getting out of bed for more than a few hours. Is it adrenal fatigue or depression?

With this malfunction at the adrenal level other systems are put under pressure. Common additional symptoms are changes in hunger and weight, fluid and electrolyte imbalance and lowered sex drive.

What causes adrenal fatigue?

The adrenal glands in your body sit on top of your kidney’s and they mobilize during stress. they secrete a hormone that manages your energy levels, immune system, and heart rate.  When they undergo too much stress and for too long, they can’t keep up. The end result is an experience of adrenal fatigue.

During adrenal fatigue the glands still do function but not well enough.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

  1. Tired for no reason.
  2. Trouble getting out of bed in the morning even if they’ve slept at least 6-10 hours.
  3. Feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
  4. Have trouble dealing with stress.
  5. Craving salty and sweet food.
  6. Feeling more awake after 6PM.

How is adrenal fatigue diagnosed?

Even though adrenal fatigue has been around for many years, it is less discussed and understood among doctors of Western medicine than doctors who use natural remedies. You’re loved one may need to see a naturopathic doctor for a diagnosis.

Physicians will use a simple saliva test, commonly known as the Cortisol/DHEAS Saliva Test, to measure the level of the stress hormones DHEAS and cortisol in a patient’s saliva.

 

Managing adrenal health in teens

Mitigate stress:  Reduce stress in your teens life. They under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform in school and extracurriculars, not to mention the stress of fitting in and finding their place in life.  Communicate with your teen or make sure they have someone they can talk to. Is your teen overbooked? Make changes to their schedule where you can.

Healthy eating: It’s important teens eat frequently (ever 2-4 hours) and eat wholesome foods.  Teens should avoid too much sugar and saturated fat in their diets.  When blood sugar is high it puts pressure on the adrenals.  Manage your teen’s eating as best you can. Ensure you eat dinner at the table as a family. Make sure they eat breakfast and ask them what they had for lunch.

Eat foods or add supplements that are good for adrenal health.  These are the nutrients that are essential: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B Complex, Magnesium, Calcium

 

Sleep: Your teen needs 6-9 hours of sleep. Make sure they are getting this.

 

Treatment for adrenal fatigue

Dietary changes, natural supplement, sleep and time are all the is needed to repair the adrenals to their optimum levels of function and get your loved one back to health.

Additional resource to check out for more information is the book: Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome™ by Dr. James L. Wilson

Teach your teen to meditate

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Meditation has been around for centuries but in the last five years it’s grown in popularity particularly among young adults. Read the article below on meditation. It may be something you can introduce to your teen.  A good way to teach about it is through yoga. Many yoga classes involved some meditation at the end. Teaching good habits to your teen now will help them as they move into adulthood.  You may also want to share one of Kay Walker’s moodboosters (link below) with them. It’s a good introduction to guided meditation with music and they’ve been quite popular among teens.

Teach your teen to meditate

Meditation is a Buddhist derived practice that teaches you how to control and focus your thoughts, as well as, how you react in conjunction to what you think.  During the meditative act you learn how to develop a state of attention that’s highly alert and relaxed. The ultimate goal is to learn the skill of objectivity.  To “be with what is” in reality, with indifference to it.

What does meditation do to your brainThere are numerous types of meditation and each has specific guidelines.  For example, Metta meditation involves focusing thoughts on compassion. Vipassana meditation is highly active and involves being completely aware of physical states (some painful and some not) and being non-reactive to what you feel. In general, all types fall into one of two categories:

  1. Focused attention: involves focusing your attention on an object or subject during the whole meditation session. This object may be your breath, a mantra, a part of the body, an object, or a something you visualize such as a memory
  2. Open monitoring: keeping your attention open means monitoring all aspects of what you are experiencing and doing your best to be objective about it.

Meditation can be done while sitting but you can also actively meditate while walking or standing.

What does meditation do to your brain?

What scientific communities say about meditation:

Scientific studies prove that meditation has many benefits.  It’s been known to reverse heart disease, pain, regulate emotion, reduce stress and increase the body’s immune system and its ability of prevent and fight disease.

When the brains of meditators and non-meditators are compared their are also common structural changes. Most meditators have higher levels of Alpha waves, which helps to lessen anxiety and depression. There amygdala (a brain region that regulates emotion) is smaller while areas of learning, memory, and emotion regulation are larger and function better.

  • A 2014 study at Johns Hopkins found meditation to be as effective as antidepressants for treating depression.
  • In a study conducted by Harvard Medical School, researchers used MRI technology (a form of brain imaging) that allowed them to view activity in the brain during meditation.  Their findings showed that key brain regions activated was in charge of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates blood pressure and digestion. Those processes are intrinsically linked to stress response.

Benefits many people experience from meditation:

  • less anger
  • less stress
  • better sleep
  • fear reduction
  • physical sensations linked to emotions are reduced
  • better ability to socialize with other people (especially for people with social anxiety)
  • improved focus
  • improved attention and concentration
  • greater objectivity during life situation
  • increase patience
  • feeling more joyful
  • feeling more relaxed
  • greater empathy

A quick and easy way to try mediation:

  • Find a quiet space with no one around or distractions. Ensure the environment is dark and the temperature is comfortable for you.
  • Sit or lay in a comfortable position. You can be on the ground, in a chair, or bed
  • Set a 15 minute timer (you can increase the time as you get better)
  • Once you start the timer for fifteen minutes you will practice sitting quietly and focusing on your breath. Breath in through your nose and out through your nose. Focus on feeling the sensation of your breath. Focus on the sensations you feel as your breath moves in an out of your nose. Do this for the entire 15 minutes.  You will have thoughts during this time. Some will make sense and some won’t. When you have a though just allow yourself to think it and then practice setting it aside and bring your focus back to your breath.

This 15 minutes will likely be very difficult if you are not experienced in meditation.  Each time you practice, increase your time by 5 minutes. Try to work yourself up to an hour/day.

The key to knowing your meditation is working is that after a session you will feel relaxed, calm and joyful.

If you understand the benefits of meditation and want to teach it to your teen, you can try to get the interested by sharing a moodbooster with them. Each moodbooster paris music and coaching to help shift negative mood states. Download a free track here.