Taking Drugs While Pregnant

A young mind is impressionable and more prone to emotional upheavals than an adult mind. In modern day scenario, the child is so burdened with parental and societal expectations that seemingly small and insignificant occurrences can have a serious affect.

Such incidents that seem insignificant to the mature and adult mind can act as a trigger and lead to child depression or teen depression as the case may be. Teen suicide is the third leading cause of death among children between the age 15 to 24years.

Teens tend to resort to easy and temporary solutions like drugs, alcohol or sex since these are easily available today. These are dangerous shortcuts that tantamount to a temporary escape from a depressed mental state. However, these can actually aggravate suicidal tendencies.

Teen depression can be prevented. The initial support from family can prove to be the best teen depression help that you can find. Although professional and institutional teen depression help is easily available and school counselors and professional therapists can support the situation, parental support is a must.

The reason why parental support is most important in preventing the onset of a full depressive state is because parents are in a position to notice the early signs of depression. With numerous children to attend to in school, keen personal attention is not always possible or feasible. Teen depression can manifest itself in many forms.

Despondency, oversleeping and isolation are the first signs that can alert you. If you have built a healthy relationship with your child, you will be in a better situation to counsel your child when you notice the need. There are some steps that you can take if you see the early signs of depression creeping on your child.

If you suspect that your child is contemplating suicide due to depression, hide or remove any lethal weapon that you may have at home. Do not hesitate to discuss it with your child. If you are not ready to discuss the topic directly, talk about someone you heard about recently at dinner.

Suicide is normally an impulsive action and getting your child to actually speak about it may help. Your attempts to talk will be perceived as a response to the need that is being felt.

Assure your teenager that you are there to help, no matter what the problem is. If you find it difficult to bring up the subject, use television shows, films, newspaper articles to bring up the topic. Even if you have to concoct a story about your own childhood days, do it. Teens associate with others’ problems very quickly, especially those that involve their parents.

Do not get angry or dismiss the problem as trivial even if it sounds so. Just listen to your child. The teen brain goes through many hormonal and physical changes and it is impossible to perceive things from their perspective completely.

The teenager brain fantasizes a lot and it is possible that certain problems may be imaginary. However, if you trivialize them, the teen is likely to get more depressed. This is because the teenager actually believes the problem to be true.

Sharing a problem can help in conquering it to a large extent. Provide the opportunities for your teen to share problems with you. Spend time with them that is dedicated to nothing else. Encourage them to share their problems with their friends too. Sometimes peer help can be more helpful than the one coming from within the family.

As a parent it is your responsibility that you prepare your child for the struggles they are likely to face as they grow older. If you are more interested in your own problems and do not devote quality time to your children, you are indirectly forcing them into a situation that has dire consequences.

References:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/prevteensuicide.htm
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/teen-depression.shtml
http://www.focusas.com/Suicide.html

http://www.gangwar.com/items/items3.htm

Normal adolescent behavior is marked by mood changes. A couple of good experiences and teens feel that everything is fine with the world. One episode of indifference shown by a friend, especially of the opposite sex, makes teens feel as if the world is falling apart.

Parents are prone to shrug off such transient depressive episodes because clinical depression seems to be too big a word to be used in the context of children. However, it is a fact that child depression does exist and the statistics indicate the makings of a nationwide phenomenon.

Teen depression is often confused with other conditions like anxiety, conduct and mood disorders. Moreover, teens tend to hide transient episodes from parents and often take to alcohol or self medicate with drugs. This makes it all the more difficult to diagnose the condition.

Adolescents who are low on self esteem, excessively self-critical or unable to come to terms with events in their lives are at a higher risk of developing depression. Teenage girls are at a higher risk and more prone to develop epression than teenage boys.

Clinical depression is a continuous state of low mood characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy. It is also proven by a despondent lack of activity that lasts for at least three months. Depression can be caused due to hereditary or physical abnormalities within the brain. It is actually caused by a conflict – a conflict that goes on within the mind.

Outside of genetics and abnormalities in the brain structure, some of the causes of teen depression include:

* Family dysfunction – This is the most common cause behind child depression. Parents often fail to realize the affect that their behavior has on the psyche of the child. It has been observed that parents find it easy to label the child as a patient and are defensive about accepting the harm that they may have caused. Family dysfunction includes aspects of inadequate communication or independence conflicts between parents or between parents and the child.

* Stress at school – School has ceased to be an enjoyable experience in the current scene where competition is emphasized more than learning. Children who face stress at school are more prone to develop depression.

* Unrealistic parental expectations – Well meaning parents who are concerned about their children tend to push their children over the edge without realizing that each individual has his or her own intellectual limitations. Parents who place unrealistic expectations upon their children actually do more harm than good.

* Unresolved grief – Death, loss of a cherished relationship or a traumatic event exposes teens to a greater risk of depression.

* Emotional detachment – The adolescent mind is highly emotional and there is no guarantee of how a teenager will perceive his or her inabilities. Many times, inability to connect with others and an excessive fear of building new relationships may be the cause behind teen depression.

Depression, as it is, is difficult to diagnose. The condition becomes even more difficult to identify among teens. Parents should be well informed of the signs of depression and seek teen depression help from a consultant who is a specialist in teenage problems.

References:

http://www.teendepression.org/articles2.html

http://www.peaceandhealing.com/depression/teen.asp

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4446-get-the-411-on-teen-depression

http://ezinearticles.com/?Depression—What-Really-Causes-It&id=282841

Perhaps the most devastating blow on human health has been dealt by modern lifestyles. What is more alarming is that changes in society and the overall approach towards issues like life and success has had a great negative impact on our children. There are now more instances of teen depression than ever before.
Besides primary needs of food, clothing and shelter, humans have emotional needs that must also be met.

In traditional communities these basic needs were met naturally. Many traditional societies had a perfect system in place for providing community support to children where parents were too busy or out to work for survival.

With more nuclear families and the mad rush to succeed in material terms at all costs has led to a situation where the emotional needs of children are neglected. Child depression is a natural fall out from such indifference and ignorance and the issue has now become a reality that modern society has to grapple with.

Sometimes, behavioral changes in a teenager are ignored as parents feel that a problem child is acting out with a purpose of gaining attention or making a statement. Such instances can often be misunderstood and the fact that a child is suffering from teen depression can be missed.

Teen depression is a legitimate concern and a condition that is as important as any other physical ailment. It has serious consequences and is prone to recur and continue into adult life. Some of the immediate behavioral changes that you may see in your child if he/she is prone to depression are:

* Recreational drugs – Where parental support is not forthcoming, teens normally tend to look for relief from prolonged sadness and anxiety from inappropriate sources. Substance abuse like drugs and alcohol are common among depressed teens.
* Lack of confidence – Lack of self esteem is a prominent sign of depression. It can lead to an increase in negative feelings and self criticism.
* Eating disorders – Depression can lead to binge eating, obsessive dieting, anorexia (prolonged eating disorder due to loss of appetite) or bulimia (guilt and self condemnation after binge eating).
* Low academic performance – Low grades in school are not only a sign of depression but also a result of teen depression.
* Behavioral changes – Depression often leads teenagers to indulge in risky activities that cause injury or death. Teenagers tend to come to terms with depression by inflicting pain on them. Cutting, burning and banging the head against walls are common examples.
* Decisions – It becomes increasingly difficult for depressed teenagers to handle everyday decisions and pressures.
* Suicide – Suicide is the ultimate effect of a prolonged feeling of despondency. By the time depression leads to a suicidal tendency, the child has probably woven a web of hopelessness that refuses to go away. Unable to get out of it, the only solution that comes to mind is that of ending life. The first indication that suicide is being contemplated comes from talks of death. Immediate teen depression help should be sought even at the slightest hint.

Modern society has evolved in a way that individualism has gained precedence over everything else. It has become literally impossible for people to understand the importance of the wider community. It is high time that we all got out of this self centered approach and provide the emotional support that our children need.

References:

http://depression.emedtv.com/teen-depression/effects-of-teen-depression.html

http://depression.lifetips.com/tip/112321/coping-with-depression/coping-with-depression/effects-of-teenage-depression.html

There are a lot of books and articles out there that serve as a guide for teen girls who want to lose those excess pounds. For a change, here is something that people should read about to know what are some the things the individual should not do.

The most effective way for a teen to lose weight is to go on a diet. Unfortunately, the definition of a diet for some is so extreme that the person would rather starve to achieve the desired results.

Is this good? Definitely not because it robs the teen of the much needed vitamins and nutrients while growing up.

Studies show that the starvation diet also leads to weight gain. This is because the body is not used to shortage of food entering the system and will force one to engage in binge eating to recover on the losses.

The same report also shows that the so-called weight loss is not really fat but rather is the lean muscle which gives the teen strength. This is because the food being eaten contains calories that are much more needed by the muscles in the body.

The calorie intake increases as the teen gets older. An 11 year old boy for example will need a daily requirement of 1800 calories while someone at the age of 18 will need close to 3000.

Those who decide to go below that are susceptible to nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, bone weakness, hair and skin loss and hormonal problems.

One report shows that some kids have even resorted to laxatives to make this happen. This is also not a good idea because it doesn’t lose fat but rather water in the system. This means someone can suffer from dehydration and may even cause problems in the colon.

So what should be done to avoid this? For starters, the teen should not panic. There is a safe way of fighting weight loss and this can only happen with the help of a professional.

A doctor can examine the patient and see what improvements can be done. Going on a diet is one way of doing it but not at the expense of skipping meals. This simply means cutting down on the food being consumed.

The teen may have to give up eating snacks and replace this with fruits. Others will skip the in-between meals and then just concentrate on the three most important meals of the day.

Cutting down the food intake will not make the teen lose weight. The best combination for any diet plan is exercise. It may involve walking or jogging a few miles a day to engaging in a sport.

This will really depend on the physical condition of the teen since there are some that are already known to be obese.

There is no overnight solution for teenage girls to lose those excess pounds. This has to be done gradually by getting into a well thought out plan.

The first results will probably be seen in just two weeks as the person’s metabolic rate increases. This may dip a week later so the doctor must try different things so the body will not be able to adjust to it. Changes will happen and this varies from one teenage girl to the next.

Although depression is as licit a disorder as any other physiological problem, the diagnosis of the disorder is not as clear. Medical science still does not know much about the brain, its functioning and the reasons behind why it suddenly starts malfunctioning. So much so, that way back in the 1950’s it was only by accident that research stumbled across the antidepressant properties of certain drugs.

There is not too much difference between the difficulties faced while diagnosing adult and child depression. Both are equally problematic. All that science knows is that there is some element of predisposition to depression in some children due to factors like hereditary mental illnesses, emotional, physical and sexual abuse or an early loss of a parent.

There are also indications that child depression may result from chemical imbalances as some infants show depressive symptoms well before these factors can come into play. As such, it is much more important to be able to identify the illness rather than discussing the causes behind it.

Knowing the symptoms of child or teen depression is pertinent because certain disruptive behaviors and mood swings can be easily confused as symptoms of the growing up process.

Some of the conspicuous symptoms of child depression that parents or guardians should be on the look out include:

* Incessant feeling of sadness, irritability, despair or worthlessness.
* Inability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities.
* Avoiding company of friends and others.
* Crying spells.
* Sleeping disorders – either too much sleeping or lack of sleep.
* Lethargy, fatigue or change in activity level: either too lazy or hyperactive.
* Feeling tired all the time.
* Functional physical problems that are difficult to diagnose, like headaches or stomach aches.
* Frequent thoughts or mention of death or suicide.
* Difficulty in concentrating on the job at hand, procrastination or avoiding responsibilities.
* Anger, rage or disruptive behavior at school or outside.
* Sudden drop in school grades

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder that is characterized by episodes of mania and depression. A child suffering from BPD is likely to show abrupt mood swings, prolonged periods of hyperactivity, erratic temper tantrums or boastful talks about self or abilities.

There is a strong possibility of such depressive symptoms with certain related disorders like ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Teenage girls, on the other hand, are more prone to exhibit eating disorders. Any teen depression help must take ensure that a holistic diagnoses is made so that the treatment can be customized.

In the modern society, teen depression has become a reality and cannot be shrugged off easily. The problem exists and should be tackled with a bold face rather than turning the proverbial blind eye. Competition today is felt by children and adults alike. While an adult may worry about performance and pay packets and appraisals, children face the pressure of parental expectations in terms of good grades and performance in sports.

References:

http://www.wingofmadness.com/index.php/Articles/Children-and-Depression.html

http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/issues/factdepression.html

http://mhawestchester.org/diagnosechild/cdepress.asp

http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=The+Depressed+Child&section=Facts+for+Families

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/conditions/depression.html

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/children.asp

Do think there is fast weight loss? Yes. The fastest weight loss a teen can do is to stop eating or to starve until it can be tolerated. It is the worst thing a teen can achieve as an empty goal. Starving can lead to serious health conditions for some self-explanatory reason that eating is a basic need.

Not eating for quite longer will definitely not last long, especially for healthy teens with hectic activities. Without explaining further, simply starving is frustrating, tough to do when energy is needed at most during the times of hurdling at school.

Talking about real regimen for fast weight loss for teens will lead you to myriads of methods promoted by aggressive sales marketing people in the consumer world. There is simply a drug created for every common ordeal in the face of the earth. Diet pills flood the papers with the promise of ramp model silhouette as endorsed by top showbiz commercial personalities.

When an obese teen gazes at a slim lady doing ads of diet pills or delivering some other scripted testimonials, there is a tendency to get lured by the beauty on how they say the ad message. The reality will only be proven by walking and looking around a crowded downtown where you can see people from all walks of life, in all shapes and sizes. The ramp models comprise not more than .8% at large.

It means the average people are not endowed with such appearance as seen on TV. Wake up! The TV will only show the best part of the stage. There is only a wall separating the re-enacted portrayals seen on shows, but behind is always the gaping reality: not everyone is slim!

But teens are becoming influenced by social stigma to look great. It is indirectly associated with being trim all the time. Sometimes it is not the issue of being overweight or not, but you will realize, it has something to do with wrong fat distribution in the body. People of same weight would definitely look different: one may have wide hips, while the other might be endowed with bulky upper body torso.

Breasts have weight too. Fats usually hide in favorite spots like the inner thighs, lower and upper abdomen, belly, and arms. When too much fat are noticeable in the said areas of the body, it surely becomes an annoying burden to carry around all the time. Exercise can re-shape the ugly fat concentration, but it takes courage to accept the simple truth that genetic make will always take its course in one’s physiological attribute.

For teens aspiring fast weight loss, forget it. Yes, there are fast ways to weight loss but they will only lead to fast rebound of loss body fats if the motivation to permanently keep trim is not seriously thought of. There are accounts of success stories on slow weight loss regiment worked out of strong determination on a daily basis.

It is a combination of good diet, exercise, and stress-free indulgence of activities. Weight loss has to be one’s goal in a very realistic sense. Fats are stored in a slow fashion after the food and nutrients have been processed. Therefore, the capability to think at hand is faster before one can pop a high calorie serving of dessert in every meal. Open your mind! The best dieting tool around is centered in one’s brain — the decision you make in every meal.

Read more information TeenSlim – an all natural supplement to help teens lose weight.

As a teen, it must be rather difficult to always be positive in every situation. Growing up in society today is challenging and teenagers are often compelled to be defensive. Teenagers are not usually compassionate individuals. They are constantly in competition and jealousy is a huge factor.

The fight to always be number one is very common in the teenage world. It is unfortunate and sad since these years ought to be the best years of their lives. Teenage children are forced to grow up long before their time because of the daily challenges and obstacles they are faced with.

Some young people can handle adversity very well while others are quick to build a defensive wall. When faced with confrontation, many teens lash out and become reckless, often to the point of violence and nowadays, death.

Convincing a teenager that they have behavioral issues which need attention may be a challenge but it is essential to make them understand the importance of making a change.

Developing an anger management plan for teens could be difficult since teens are quick to resist advice and not always compliant with instructions. In order for anger management for teens to be successful, a program must be designed that will reach the targeted teen without being overbearing.

Teenagers with anger issues tend to yell and scream, say hurtful things, punch walls, push other people around and even hurt themselves. If anger is not controlled, it can control the life of the individual affected. This is unfortunate in any life including that of a teenager.

It may be difficult but important to convince these teenagers that everyone can change. With effective anger management for teens, they can be a success. They can make positive changes in their lives which will ultimately make their life easier and more enjoyable. Learning to control their anger is definitely a positive change.

Anger management for teens should teach teenagers to be self-aware, to evaluate their feelings in an attempt to understand the reasons for their anger. They should also learn to practice self-control, to pause a few seconds and think about the repercussions of their reactions to situations. After thinking about their options regarding reactions, they are taught to make a choice, pick an option which will bring about effective results.

After acting on their feelings, teenagers are taught through anger management for teens, to review their progress, see what the outcome of the choice was. These steps might be considered an effective lesson plan for anger management in teens. If using this plan each time they are confronted with irritating situations, eventually the teenager will be capable of dealing with confrontations much better.

Teenagers have their own minds with their likes and dislikes. Suggesting techniques like exercising, listening to music or journaling might be good anger management for teens. Success will only be achieved when the teenager is able to accept responsibility for their actions and realize they need to make changes.

Using their likes as distractions may be a good tool in anger management. These may be techniques which they are willing to try when they feel angry or threatened. Helping a teenager be successful in anger management may require hours of hard work and tears, but realizing that individual is being spared from a future of recklessness and avoidable challenges is worth every second.

As we are all aware of, there are emotional effects caused by acne. More than those obvious red bumps on your face, there are effects of acne that could not just be healed by any cream or acne solution and that is the emotional scars left by acne. Well, no doctor or any expert dermatologist could provide you with the best answers to this problem on acne.

According to studies, acne is very common when one is on his teenage years. For teenagers experiencing the pains of acne, it is very difficult to face the social impacts of acne. There are these marks of shame, depression and even self-pity. As a parent of a teenager who faces this problem, you could be one of the greatest helps. What could you do? You could do a lot.

Remind your child that acne is temporary.

As a guardian, you need to be there and give the encouragement to your child. You would probably see him or her so down due to the way people and criticisms pinch him or her. Tell that it will not last for long and that it would be successfully surpassed. Never stop to explain the importance of moving on despite the negative reactions from others for their words are not that important at all.

Bring your teen to a good dermatologist

Do not wait for your teen’s acne problem to get worse before you go and see a dermatologist. The earlier the better, this may be cliché but very true for this matter and you could realize the truth behind this. You need to find the dermatologist who deserves your trust. Be with your teen as you have visits to the dermatologist. Also, help your teen follow the reminders and instructions of the dermatologist.

Guide your child to do the right things

There are some things or acts that may worsen acne. See to it that you are near your teen to remind that those are not the right thing to do and it would just cause bad effects. Explain the cause and effect of acne problems and be sure t answer questions that your teen has.

Boost your teen’s self-confidence

Self-confidence plunges down when all those mocks and teases arise. The effect to your teen would be bitter. Be there to boost the esteem he or she has inside. Be generous with praises but do not use them just to flatter. Tell your teen about how wonderful his or her talent is. This would be a lift to his/her morale.

You are a parent, and you could help out your teen feel better through the misjudgments of the society towards people with acne. This is just a stage; it would surely be put to an end. Be there and support your child like no one could.

By Francoise Rapp

Adolescence is one of the most difficult stages of our lives. During this dynamic period, we not only encounter awkward physical changes — such as skin problems and weight issues — but we also see a rise in the expectations we face from family and society, which brings emotional conflict. In fact, one-third of American teens claim they suffer daily from stress-related issues, including sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression. The other two-thirds say they feel stress-related symptoms at least once a week.

Teenagers in general have a tendency to shut down their emotions as a method of coping with the influx of change in their lives. They may also become irritable, angry, provocative, or resort to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. This stage is also extremely difficult on the parents, who must also come to terms with their teens, who are no longer children.

The following aromatic recipes can be used to help teens better cope with the emotional and physical stress they face.

To create these custom aromatic blends, add the essential oils in a 10-oz bottle and then add organic vegetable oil to fill.

Aiding Communication

This blend is effective for teens who shut down their communication by isolating themselves in their own world. It will help them better express their desires and emotions.

* 3 drops Sage
* 4 drops Lavender
* 2 drops German Chamomile

Massage the neck and shoulders. Pour up to 20 drops of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

Accepting One’s Identity

This blend reconnects the body and spirit, helping teens create an awareness of their purpose and identity. It helps soothe the transition toward adulthood by encouraging the teen along the right path.

* 4 drops Sandalwood
* 3 drops Frankincense
* 2 drops Jasmine otto

Massage the heart chakra and solar plexus. Pour up to 20 drops of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

Depression

This blend can help teens open themselves to positive opportunities and attitudes. It will bring more joy into their lives.

* 3 drops Ylang Ylang
* 4 drops Orange
* 4 drops Grapefruit

Massage the solar plexus. Pour up to 20 drops of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

Panic Attacks

This blend soothes and calms fear-related issues or sudden bouts with panic.

* 2 drops Roman Chamomile
* 1 drop Rose otto

Massage the heart chakra and solar plexus. Pour up to 20 drops of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

Sleep Disorders

This blend brings a deep sense of calm. It can help teens process emotions during sleep. It stops the chatting mind that may impede healthy sleep patterns.

* 2 drops Roman Chamomile
* 4 drops Petitgrain
* 4 drops Basil

Massage the neck, shoulders, temples and forehead. Pour up to 20 drops of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

Skin problems

This recipe will purify, soothe and regenerate the skin.

* 3 drops Lavender
* 3 drops Geranium
* 1 drop Rosemary

Massage the face thoroughly with this blend. You can also incorporate the blend into an unscented moisturizer or clay mask.

Escaping

This blend allows more grounding, inner strength and stability. It helps teens face their issues while turning them into positive lessons. It also enhances courage and faith.

* 4 drops Cedarwood
* 3 drops Cypress
* 3 drops Rosemary

Massage the sacrum and solar plexus. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

Anger-Related Symptoms

This blend soothes the heart and soul when the teen expresses anger toward others as well as himself.

* 4 drops Marjoram
* 1 drop Rose
* 1 drop Jasmine otto

Massage the heart chakra, sacrum and solar plexus. Pour up to 20 drops of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.

In Good Health,

Francoise Rapp

To learn more about the essential oils in these blends, visit http://www.aromalchemy.com/aromatherapy.ouroils.html

http://www.aromalcherry.com

Discover the life-transforming power of aromatherapy! Internationally renowned aromatherapist and alchemist, Francoise Rapp, shares her expertise through aromatherapy classes designed for working adults and in her free weekly ezine, The Arom’Alchemy Newsletter. All this and more can be found at www.aromalchemy.com

Parenting is a challenging job! Your child needs your guidance and help in practically every sphere of life. One of the major challenges that parents face today is related to the management of emotional upheavals in their teenagers. The emotional turbulence that a child goes through is normal and part of the process of growing up. But emotional trauma can potentially lead to depression in certain adolescents. Untreated depression has serious repercussions and may even lead to suicide.

It is highly unlikely that an adolescent will come crying to parents with an emotional problem. In our society, crying in public is not seen as an adult act and most adolescents are at a stage where they are trying to prove that they are adults and mature human beings. The fact, however, is that they are in the process of becoming adults. Therefore, there are times that they do need adult intervention to sort out matters. But for them, asking for help is like accepting the fact that they have not grown up yet. Moreover, they are too caught up with own emotions to ask for help and the adults fail to understand that subtle intervention is required in certain areas.

Developing a healthy relationship with children helps but it may not be possible to draw them out every time. The options for treating depression in children are limited. And therefore, it is essential that you understand the potential situations that can cause depression. It is also pertinent that you realize the various initial signs of depression in children so that you can identify the potential and address it before it is too late. You should be especially careful if your child has been through a chronic illness or lost a loved one. Neglect or abuse can also bring symptoms of depression.

Some of the symptoms to watch out for are:

* Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
* Lack of concentration.
* Drop in grades in school.
* Indecision.

Some physical symptoms like headaches, low energy, insomnia or inability to stay awake and loss of appetite may also indicate prevalence of depression. Behavioral changes like irritability and belligerence also suggest that the child has some mental problem. If your child is spending more time alone and is missing class, you need to delve further and find out the reasons for the same. In fact any change in behavior that shows negative patterns should be enough to raise an alarm for you to address the problem.

Depression is a clinical illness like any other medical condition and should be treated as such. It is not advisable to administer habit forming drugs like antidepressants to youngsters. Parental support is a prerequisite for treating depression naturally as children are not fully equipped to handle depression on their own. Some things that you should do are:

* Respect your child’s problems. They may seem to be trivial to you but remember that they appear as real challenges to teens.
* Respect his/her privacy and avoid talking about his problems in front of other people. Try to put yourself in his position and see how you would feel if someone was do the same to you.
* Teens usually develop imaginary fears. Many times it is just a minor inability, say, dancing, that makes them stay at home rather than go out and enjoy. Youngsters are very good at identifying with parents. Talk to your child about how you got out of similar problems (even if you have to concoct a story) in your childhood.
* Many schools have psychologists who are experts in dealing with adolescent depression. Encourage your child to go and talk to a counselor in school if it has one.

Except in the unfortunate event of a severe depression, treatment should be restricted to natural remedies for depression. If you find yourself unable to tackle your child’s depression on your own the best alternative is to convince him that a psychiatrist can help. It is better that your child chooses that option on his/her volition. Your child will be more receptive to treatment in that case.

References:

http://www.about-teen-depression.com/depression-statistics.html

http://www.about-teen-depression.com/treatment-depression.html

http://www.about-teen-depression.com/trends-treatment.html

http://ezine-articles.org/ezinearticles/health/teen-depression-can-be-beat.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Depression-in-Teenagers:-Now-What-Can-We-Do?&id=3437