Are you worried about your child’s emotional well-being?
Is your child withdrawing from your family and their friends?
Are their grades starting to suffer in school?
Do other behavioral issues like anxiety and trauma trigger depression?
Adults are not the only ones that suffer from depression, children do too. In fact, the rate of children and teen depression has been on the rise recently. Depression is a serious medical condition that can change the entire scope of the child negatively. It can affect everything from how they relate with friends and family to how they behave at school and in social activities they used to enjoy.
How do I know if my child is depressed?
If your child is:
- Displaying feelings of sadness, hopelessness, irritability, guilt, and worthlessness
- Showing a decrease in optimism
- Engaging in self-injury and/or self-destructive behaviors.
- Changing eating habits- eating more or less than usual
- Changing sleeping patterns-sleeping more or less than usual
- Changing energy levels- feeling tired or restless
- Struggling to pay attention or complete tasks
- Decreasing academic performance
- Crying often or having angry outbursts
Is therapy right for your child?
Therapy, or reaching out to a professional, is the right choice if you notice several of these signs have been consistent for longer than a two week period.
Untreated depression can increase suicidal ideations or plans. For youth as early as the age of 10 to 24 years old, suicide is the leading cause of death. Suicide is preventable, we just have to know the signs.
If you see these signs in your child, you are not alone.
At Sunrise Counseling Services, we will take a collaborative approach working with you and your child.
With help and support, your child will be able to:
- Learn to cope with their emotions on a day to day basis
- Be able to process their feelings and thoughts openly
- Once again show interest in the activities they love
- Communicate how they feel and understand what triggers their mood
- Feel like themselves again